Job Details

Applied Geospatial Data Scientist

University Corporation at Monterey Bay


Salary: $72,000.00 - $99,600.00 Annually

Job Number: 2025-00019

Location: Various Field Locations (see posting)

Department: Applied Environmental Science

Description


Applied Geospatial Data ScientistWater, Agriculture, Technology and Remote Sensing (WATRS) Lab NASA Ames Research Center / CSUMB Applied Environmental Science
This position is dependent upon grant funds. Subject to annual NASA review Position June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026
Priority Screening Deadline: May 8, 2025, all positions are open until filled
The University Corporation at Monterey Bay ("Corporation"): The Corporation is constantly looking for motivated employees with great organization and teamwork skills to join our team. The Corporation is a non-profit institution that is related and affiliated with the California State University, Monterey Bay. The University Corporation at Monterey Bay is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public benefits corporation that is a recognized auxiliary organization of California State University and was established in July 1994. The University Corporation's mission is to further the educational purposes of the University.

The University: California State University, Monterey Bay is a mid-sized university in California's Central Coast that grants undergraduate and graduate degrees. Powered by an inspiring Founding Vision Statement, CSUMB is part of the nation's largest four-year public university system, California State University, which educates nearly 460,000 students every year. With a vibrant, diverse student body of over 7,000 students, CSU Monterey Bay is both a Minority Serving Institution and a Hispanic Serving Institution. Our staff and faculty transform students' lives with a focus on student success and engagement through experiential learning, service learning, and a strong emphasis on multicultural and global perspectives. CSUMB's sustainability goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The Community: Monterey, with its moderate Mediterranean climate, is a diverse community on the picturesque central coast of California and rich in agriculture. Miles of beautiful beaches, spectacular mountain ranges, groves of redwoods, low-rolling foothills, and scenic valleys are characteristics that contribute to the quality of life enjoyed by over 432,000 residents and millions of visitors. Boasting such world-renowned attractions as the spectacular Big Sur Coast, Laguna Seca Raceway, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, the Steinbeck Center, the Monterey Jazz and Blues Festivals and Pebble Beach - possibly the world's most famous golf course, it's easy to see why so many choose to live here and an estimated four million visitors a year make the County of Monterey their destination of choice.

POSITION SUMMARY
Under the general direction of the Principal Investigator through the NASA ARC-CREST Cooperative Agreement, the Applied Geospatial Data Scientist specializing in remote sensing, hydrology, and water resources you will analyze large datasets, develop models, and apply machine learning techniques to understand and quantify how evapotranspiration and consumptive use of water rates have changed. You will work closely with research scientists in the WATRS Lab to support scientific research to quantify field to basin-scale water needs and evaluate how much water can be conserved through investments in water infrastructure, irrigation system type, and changes in management among others. Additionally, the successful candidate will work with a multi-disciplinary team to advance models, methods, analyses, and training materials to support agriculture and water resources management.

The main objectives of the research include the analysis of satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) models and the application of satellite and field observations to: quantify how much water is needed for irrigation in a given basin; quantify which changes (irrigation practices, irrigation type, or crop type) result in reductions in conserved consumptive use; and support the develop of training materials and contribute to written summaries that communicate insights.

Examples of Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include. but are not limited to. the following:

1. Analyze large-scale hydrological datasets from OpenET using the Application Programming Interface and Google Earth Engine
2. Design and maintain reproducible workflows
3. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to integrate hydrological insights into decision-making processes.
4. Develop data visualizations, reports, and training material to communicate findings to stakeholders.
5. Combine satellite-driven ET models with hydrologic models to estimate the consumptive use from applied water.
6. Stay updated on advancements in hydrology, AI, and environmental data science to enhance analytical methodologies.
7. Contribute to research and technical reports, and research proposals
8. Communicate research findings and technical concepts effectively through presentations at scientific meetings and stakeholders at workshops and meetings.
9. Foster and maintain collaborative links with local groups and individuals, including agricultural producers, water resource management agencies, research organizations, and the public.

OTHER FUNCTIONS

1. Promotes and maintains an atmosphere of excellent internal and external customer service within the department and the campus community.
2. Attends workshops, conferences as needed.
3. Assists with other projects as needed.
4. Performs other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; to verbally communicate to exchange information.

WORK LOCATION

• Remote Position (California Only)
• Work Location: CSUMB (Main Campus): 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA and NASA/Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
The position requires skills, knowledge, and previous experience with: geographic information systems, geospatial analysis, hydrology, remote sensing and Earth observations, Python or R programming, Google Earth Engine, GitHub, open-source best practices, database creation, machine learning, public speaking, and demonstrated ability to work well with a diverse team of scientists. The candidate should have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

1. Demonstrated ability to address the essential functions associated with this position including the knowledge and abilities identified above.
2. Flexible working hours. Ability to complete and pass on-line defensive driving training. Must continue to meet the established driving standards as a condition of employment.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Master's or Ph.D. in Hydrology, Environmental Science, Data Science, Civil Engineering, Geography, Earth Science, or a related field. Previous experience with the following is also required: i) ability to program in Python or R and maintain open-source code repositories; ii) ability to process and analyze satellite and meteorological data; iii) experience using Google Earth Engine to analyze, process, and generate datasets and apps; iv) experience leading or contributing to scientific reports and research proposals; and v) experience with public speaking and presentation of scientific results to a variety of audiences.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the CSUMB Vision Statement and the core values of mutual respect, collaboration and service orientation, multiculturalism and diversity, community service and institutional excellence.

Special Conditions of Employment

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The person holding this position is considered a "mandated reporter" under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the University Corporation. The University Corporation at Monterey Bay will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the University Corporation at Monterey Bay is concerned about the conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the fair chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.

This position will have a duty to report to the Campus Title IX Officer information pertaining to victims of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence, and stalking as required by CSU Executive Order 1095.
All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, The University Corporation at Monterey Bay provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. The University Corporation at Monterey Bay complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California's Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU's Nondiscrimination Policy.
We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Please note: University Corporation employment is separate and distinct from CSU Monterey Bay or State of California employment. University Corporation employees are not employees of either CSUMB or of the state of California.

All employees must be eligible for employment in the U.S. The University Corporation is not a sponsoring agency for any positions.
University Corporation at Monterey Bay positions are "at-will" employment.
CSUMB is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

The campus leadership has committed the resources needed to achieve an engaged, safe, and in-person experience. The health and safety of our community remain our highest priority, and we are confident that existing public health measures provide for a safe environment capable of delivering a complete college experience on the CSUMB campus. Being an Otter means caring for each other and doing your part to protect your community.
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Cal State University, Monterey Bay Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at https://csumb.edu/clery.
Special License or Certifications and Conditions:

• May require occasional evenings and/or weekend work.

Questions can be sent to: hr_corporation@csumb.edu.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The University Corporation is committed to providing our employees with a comprehensive program that rewards efforts that are appreciated by your colleagues, students, and the customers we serve. Salary placement is determined by the education, experience, and qualifications the candidate brings to the position, internal equity, and the hiring department's fiscal resources. Our salary schedule is available here.

The hiring range for this position is $72,000 - $99,600. Classification: Grade 7, Staff. This is an exempt position and as such is not eligible for the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Corporation offers a rich benefits package that constitutes a major portion of total compensation. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits, contributory retirement plan, TSA (403b), and other benefits. Please review our benefits guide (Download PDF reader) for details about sick time, vacation, and holidays.

The Corporation also offers access to CSUMB's Faculty & Staff Meal Plans, which offers convenience, value, flexibility, to our all-you-can-to-eat dining commons, showcasing eight brand new dining concepts for an affordable price.

The University Corporation at Monterey Bay also provides access to affordable campus housing: https://csumb.edu/corporation/employee-housing

Although CSUMB is located in a high-cost housing area, Schoonover Park rental homes are affordably priced. Monthly rent rates include cable television, garbage service, and sewer. Convenient floorplans, attractive interior appointments, and numerous community amenities make Schoonover Park Rental Homes an exceptional value. Schoonover Park is near the main campus, yet a tranquil world away. The community lies nestled in the secluded beauty of rolling coastal hills three miles east of campus. Living in one of the most desirable areas of California, you will enjoy the natural splendor and cultural abundance of the Monterey Peninsula. Quality of life begins with your home in Schoonover Park and extends through every aspect of your California coastal lifestyle. https://www.schoonoverparkapartments.com

How to apply:

All prospective applicants must apply online. You must complete the entire application for submission. We only accept applications for the open positions listed. Please do not fax or mail in a printed version of the electronic applications or a resume in lieu of an application. If you are having difficulty applying or need assistance, please call (831) 582-3389. All positions are open until filled. The completed online application and resume must be submitted by 5:00 pm PST on the priority screening date. Applications received after this date will be reviewed at the discretion of the Corporation.



To apply, please visit https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/csumb/jobs/4919490/applied-geospatial-data-scientist




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