Forest Data Analyst (Remote, 9‑Month Temp)

Michigan State University; East Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 41,328 - 46,838; Part time

Job summary

Michigan State University is seeking a data analyst/statistician to support the Northern Hardwoods Resilience Project. The role focuses on preparing, summarizing, and analyzing large forest inventory and spatial datasets; work closely with researchers to address applied ecological questions.

The position is 9 months starting Oct 2026 with potential extension. Location is East Lansing with remote work possible after training; standard 40-hour weeks and a flexible self-managed schedule are

Qualifications

• Masters degree in statistics, data science, forestry, natural resources, or a related field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing, cleaning, and organizing large datasets.
• Experience with statistical modeling, including mixed-effects, multivariate, or spatial analyses.
• Experience using R, JMP, ArcGIS, or comparable software.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational, technical writing, and communication skills.
• Attention to detail and reproducible outputs.

Responsibilities

• Clean, organize, and process datasets for analysis.
• Conduct statistical and spatial analyses.
• Prepare maps, figures, tables, and summary statistics for presentations and manuscripts.
• Maintain clear documentation of data sources, analytical decisions, and code.
• Contribute to other project-related data analysis tasks as needed.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Dataset management

Statistical modeling

Independent work

Technical writing

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

Masters degree in statistics or related field

Tools

R

JMP

ArcGIS

Job description

Michigan State University is seeking a data analyst/statistician to support the Northern Hardwoods Resilience Project. The role focuses on preparing, summarizing, and analyzing large forest inventory and spatial datasets; work closely with researchers to address applied ecological questions.

The position is 9 months starting Oct 2026 with potential extension. Location is East Lansing with remote work possible after training; standard 40-hour weeks and a flexible self-managed schedule are