Overview The National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc. (NEON) is a $430 million dollar observatory project dedicated to understanding how changes in climate, land use and invasive species impact ecology. For the next three decades NEON will collect a comprehensive range of ecological data on a continental scale across 20 eco-climatic domains representing US ecosystems. NEON will use cutting edge technology including an airborne observation platform that will capture images of regional landscapes and vegetation; mobile, relocatable, and fixed data collection sites with automated ground sensors to monitor soil and atmosphere; and trained field crews who will observe and sample populations of diverse organisms and collect soil and water data. A leading edge cyberinfrastructure will calibrate, store and publish this information. The Observatory will grow to 300+ personnel and will be the first of its kind designed to detect and enable forecasting of ecological change at continental scales.
Location: Boulder, Colorado. Summary: Reporting to Project Scientist and Project Manager, the Terrestrial Ecology Project Team Leader manages the design of the scientific rationale and procedures for the terrestrial ecological observations of the NEON Project. This position is responsible for overseeing the scientific rationale, sampling designs, budgets, schedules, and personnel for all terrestrial ecology activities. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Manage a diverse team of scientists to develop the terrestrial sampling design for the NEON Project Responsible for the development and management of the team schedule, budget, risks, and documentation Continue development and oversight of sampling designs for soils, plants, insects, small mammals and birds Assist in development and oversight of designs for external analyses for disease, biogeochemistry, taxonomic and genetic data Develop QA/QC protocols for field sampling and QA/QC algorithms to be implemented in data processing workflows Develop the scientific rationale for scientific measurements and methods Develop training material and field manuals for all field and lab procedures Identify external facilities for sample analyses and manage contracts with these facilities Develop data products and quality check data from field crews and external labs Work with the NEON Calibration/Validation lab to develop appropriate workflows for data quality control and quality assurance Coordinate information sharing with relevant scientific and academic communities Work with collaborating laboratories and NEON scientists to facilitate publication of results, and collaborate with other NEON scientists to prepare reports and develop recommendations for best practices, future analyses, and data processing Participate in the larger NEON science community, including participating in research collaborations and attending meetings and conferences Education: PhD in ecology, evolution, or related field Required Experience: 10-15+ years experience with diverse methods in field ecology. This may include one or more of the following: biological monitoring, taxonomic identification, genetic analyses, biogeochemical analyses, and/or disease analyses Five to ten or more years of demonstrated leadership and supervisory/management experience Demonstrated achievement in application of scientific principles and technical knowledge to complex problems in ecology and environmental management Business acumen and an ability to work in support of corporate goals and objective Experience managing budgets and schedules for a large scale scientific project Experience with scientific writing and review Preferred Experience: Experience in managing and executing large scale ecological research and inventory and monitoring programs Extensive field experience in diverse ecosystems of North America Experience with plants, birds, small mammals, insects, plants, and soils Experience working in a collaborative scientific and engineering enterprise Skills and Abilities: Strong communication and interpersonal skills High degree of problem solving and accountability Keen to undertake responsibilities beyond those associated with individual research projects Ability to work independently and as part of an active science team Problem solver who can successfully apply experience, judgment, and creativity to both short and long-term challenges Self-starter who can create new opportunities, use novel methods, analyses and approaches Apply to www.neoninc.org NEON Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, Veterans and Disabled Persons are encouraged to apply.
