Position Focus:

Carries out research assignments for a large or multi-faceted research project. Performs independent research, experiments, and laboratory techniques. Responsible for the daily operation of a specialized laboratory within a department, and related data analysis for research projects.

Reporting to the Program Manager and the PI, the Research Associate will join a team of researchers, data scientists and informaticians in building, managing, and analyzing biodiversity datasets for ecological research and conservation. The candidate will provide guidance and research around spatial conservation prioritization. They will lead and coordinate the engagement and collaboration with the conservation practitioner community and will represent Map of Life, the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change (BGC Center) and the Half-Earth Project at conferences and workshops.

More specifically this role includes:

• Integrating Map of Life and Half-Earth products into real-world conservation applications to demonstrate the tools’ utility for conservation.
• Scoping and designing strategic partnerships and collaborations with external groups, including conservation organizations and research labs.
• Initiating and designing research studies.
• Monitoring lab members on conservation prioritization and applied decision science.
• Leading or contributing to high level scientific publications of BGC Center research.
• Developing strategic guidance for Map of Life and the Half-Earth Project to broaden the user base and impact around the world.
• Representing BGC Center, Map of Life, and Half-Earth Project in the larger conservation and conservation science community.

The Yale BGC Center and its flagship project Map of Life aim to support effective global biodiversity education, monitoring, research and decision-making by assembling and integrating a wide range of knowledge about species distributions and their dynamics over time. Built on a scalable web platform geared for large biodiversity and environmental data, MOL provides best-possible species distribution information together with a range of information and biodiversity indicator products. MOL leads the data integration and mapping efforts of the Half-Earth Project that aims to identify and prioritize target areas for global biodiversity conservation.

Essential Duties

1. Designs, plans, implements and evaluates complex, multifaceted research projects/systems, including method development, adaptation and validation.
2. Stays abreast of technological/scientific developments in the field and determine when to incorporate them into experimental plans.
3. Establishes policies and procedures for research projects.
4. Solves complex methodology, protocol, procedural and research problems through adapting new techniques that will achieve research goals.
5. Formulates and implements short and long-range goals for the operation of the lab. Sets priorities, assigns responsibilities, and establishes timelines. Projects future needs and formulates operational strategies consistent with projects.
6. Manages a research facility determining appropriate scientific techniques, equipment and administrative procedures. Supervises exempt and non-exempt staff.
7. Coordinates major lab renovations working with Facilities, Health and Safety, and Purchasing to ensure deadlines, safety standards and purchases are according to plans and within budgets.
8. Investigates, analyzes and evaluates complex data, specialized data collection systems and methods to reach scientific conclusions and ensure the integrity of research data.
9. Authors articles for research publications and professional journals.
10. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Master’s Degree in a scientific discipline and five years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Skill/Ability 1:

Familiarity with spatial planning and developing prioritization strategies.

Required Skill/Ability 2:

Ability to work with the conservation practitioner community and advising and guiding conservation decision-making.

Required Skill/Ability 3:

Ability to conduct biodiversity conservation research and summarizing scientific findings for non-scientific audiences, such as conservation agencies.

Required Skill/Ability 4:

Well-developed written and oral communication skills, and presentation skills, and ability to address a variety of audiences: experts, practitioners, and decision makers.

Required Skill/Ability 5:

Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and processes simultaneously.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

Experience teaching courses on conservation-related topics for practitioners, experts, and students. Experience with popular science writing.

Drug Screen

No

Health Screening

No

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. Please visit www.yale.edu/hronline/careers/screening/faqs.html for additional information on the background check requirements and process.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

Affirmative Action Statement:

Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111, Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or Email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus