Geospatial Research Associate - Forest Monitoring (Hybrid)

Woodwell Climate; Falmouth (MA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Woodwell Climate Research Center seeks a Research Assistant III to support projects quantifying forest benefits across climate, social, and economic dimensions. You will work with a lead scientist and collaborators on Earth observation data, geospatial analyses, and publication-ready outputs.

The role emphasizes multi-source data handling, programming for geospatial tasks, and strong communication for capacity building and dissemination. Hybrid work and a salary starting at $67,000 are offered.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree with 3+ years' experience or MA/MS with 1+ year in a related field.
• Experience using multi-temporal Earth observation data for forest measurement and monitoring.
• Strong data science, machine learning, and statistical analysis skills.

Responsibilities

• Process and analyze large, multi-temporal satellite image and derivative raster data sets.
• Understand large databases of field-measured and remote sensing derived variables.
• Perform complex geoprocessing tasks using cloud-based resources (e.g., Google Cloud).
• Conduct accuracy/uncertainty/sensitivity analyses.
• Possibly assume project management responsibilities delegated by supervisor.
• Travel occasionally to support research dissemination and capacity building.
• Generate maps and graphics for proposals, presentations, and publications.
• Support development and maintenance of geospatial web platforms.
• Communicate progress and methodological decisions clearly to project partners.

Skills

Earth observation data

LiDAR data

Landsat/MODIS/VIIRS data

Tropical forests knowledge

Python/R programming

Data science/ML/statistics

Cloud computing

GIS proficiency

Collaboration/communication

Education

BA/BS +3+ years

MA/MS +1+ year

Tools

Google Earth Engine

QGIS

ArcGIS

Job description

Woodwell Climate Research Center seeks a Research Assistant III to support projects quantifying forest benefits across climate, social, and economic dimensions. You will work with a lead scientist and collaborators on Earth observation data, geospatial analyses, and publication-ready outputs.

The role emphasizes multi-source data handling, programming for geospatial tasks, and strong communication for capacity building and dissemination. Hybrid work and a salary starting at $67,000 are offered.