Data Analyst

New Mexico State University; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

New Mexico State University’s Jornada Experimental Range seeks a Data Analyst to support vegetation assessment and mapping for restoration prioritization. Fieldwork involves remote-site data collection, soil description, and ecological site identification, with heavy data analysis in ArcGIS, Excel, Access, Survey123, and R.

The position is based in Las Cruces, NM, with travel, flexible scheduling, and a one-year appointment contingent on external funding. Exempt, 1.0 FTE, standard M-F work hours.

Qualifications

• Associate degree plus 2 years of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree.
• Preferred degree in ecology, environmental science, or related field.
• Experience with vegetation monitoring and field-data collection is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Conduct field vegetation inventories at remote sites in SW NM with team.
• Analyze data, enter metadata, and manage project datasets.
• Utilize ArcGIS, MS Excel, MS Access, Survey123, and R for data work.
• Travel with overnight stays and assist in soil/ecological assessments.

Skills

Field work

Teamwork

Communication

Time management

Attention to details

Self-directed work

Vegetation monitoring

Data analysis

Education

Associate's Degree + 2 years or Bachelor's degree

Tools

ArcGIS

MS Excel

MS Access (DIMA)

Survey 123

R

GPS units

Job description

Department Contact:Samantha Lish, 575-646-1726, [e-mail]

Internal or External Search:External - Open to all applicants

Advertising Summary:***THIS IS INITIALLY A ONE YEAR APPOINTMENT WHICH MAY BE EXTENDED; CONTINGENT UPON EXTERNAL FUNDING***
The Jornada Experimental Range is seeking applicants for a Data Analyst (Rangeland Ecology) to join our collaborative research team to support a rangeland vegetation assessment and mapping project to prioritize landscapes for restoration and to guide adaptive management.

Position Details

PositionTitle: Data Analyst

College/Division: Agricultural Experiment Station

Department: 317250-JORNADA EXPER RANGE HEADQUARTERS

Location: Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable):

Target Hourly/Salary Rate: Commensurate with qualifications.

Appointment Full-time Equivalency: 1.0

FLSA Status:Exempt

Bargaining Unit Announcement:This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Contingent Upon Funding:Contingent upon external funding

Standard Work Schedule:Standard (M-F, 8-5)

If Not a Standard Work Schedule:May work evenings and weekends

Job Duties and Responsibilities: Field work includes working as a member of a two- to four- person team at remote locations in southwestern NM (possibly the southwest) collecting landscape-scale vegetation inventory and monitoring field data (e.g., plant cover estimates, standardized monitoring methods, digging soil pits and characterizing soils, and determining ecological sites and states). Field work will include extensive travel and overnight stays. Lab and office work includes data entry, error-checking, creating metadata, data analysis, project and data management and self-directed work. Position will involve the use of ArcGIS, MS Excel, MS Access (DIMA), Survey 123, R and GPS units.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience:
Associate's Degree + 2 years of relevant experience or a Bachelor's degree.

Equivalent Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, environmental science, range science, soil science, natural resources or related field.
• Experience identifying plants to species.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with multiple researchers, private land managers, and agency personnel.
• Strong time management skills.
• Attention to details.
• Experience performing self-directed, independent work.
• Experience with vegetation monitoring (e.g., the BLM AIM protocol), describing ecosystem function (e.g., Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health), using ecological site descriptions, and characterizing soil profiles preferred but not required.
• Ability to identify the relationships among landforms, soil/site potential, and plant communities at the landscape scale preferred.

Special Certification/Licensure:
Ability to work outdoors during hot or cold, windy weather.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment:Work involves moderate exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises.

Physical Effort:Moderate physical activity.

Lifting Requirements:Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 25 pounds or standing and/or walking for more than four (4) hours per day.

Risk:Work environment involves some exposure to hazards or physical risks, which require following basic safety precautions.