Lead Soil Scientist - Lands Conservation

Overview

Department: Working Lands Conservation

Location: Working Lands Conservation - Logan, UT

Compensation: $68,000 - $78,000 / year

Description

About the Organization: Working Lands Conservation is a small, research-based non-profit located in Logan, UT. Our goal is to bring science to collaborative partnerships working to improve land management, while supporting communities and livelihoods. Through our work, we facilitate the creation of a resilient future for the communities that work, recreate, and value working lands of the western U.S.

We are a team of field ecologists and communicators. We draw on our extensive experience designing ecological studies, collecting data, and analyzing information to understand how land management contributes to landscape health and stakeholder stewardship objectives. As importantly, we realize that trust, learning, and change happen when science is shared in conversation and as stories. We thus spend as much time building relationships as we do collecting data.

We are a partner-oriented organization. We strongly believe that partnerships of diverse stakeholders lead to innovative management ideas, and that producers are the foundational stewards of working landscapes. We work closely with producers, state agencies, federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and university researchers to fulfill our mission, share ideas, and inspire innovative management.

Position Summary:

We’re excited to welcome a Lead Soil Scientist to spearhead and expand our soil health work. The Soil Scientist will contribute to Working Land Conservation’s mission by developing and executing field-based research and applied projects. They will also guide the ongoing development of our new Ecosystem Service Laboratory.

Project Management & Research

• Lead field work focused on soil health and soil organic carbon;
• Spearhead statistical analyses and write scientific papers using existing datasets;
• Strengthen existing partnerships and develop new soil-focused networks;
• Write project reports and present research;
• Lead ongoing soil-based work across projects, including travel for fieldwork, crew hiring and training, and managing logistics.

Project Development Roles

• Develop and write grant proposals independently and with the WLC team;
• Travel as needed to develop and initiate new projects.

Management Roles

• Manage Research Assistant(s) and Field Technician(s) on projects related to the Soil Science Program;
• Oversee project logistics;
• Manage the Ecosystem Service Laboratory.

General Roles

• Collaboratively work with the WLC team to further WLC’s mission;
• Dedicate time to professional development of organizational and management skills;
• Contribute to a healthy and inclusive culture at WLC.

You are, at-heart, a field ecologist who loves developing and leading research across the diverse ecosystems in the US West. At this point in your career, you possess the vision and skill-set to develop innovative research targeting the needs of land stewards, and have a wide network of partners who can help you build this vision. You believe that coupling relationship-building with smart ecological data collection is the magic sauce that can break down barriers to innovative stewardship of Western landscapes.

Soils are your jam; and people often look at you strangely because of the joy they bring you. You’re well versed in many types of soil tests including organic carbon analysis, nutrient analysis, and soil microbial biomass and activity. Soil sampling protocols, instruments used for soil analysis (EA, MIR, plate readers), and lab management are all part of your skill-set. Though your first love is soil, you call yourself a true ecologist and are able to link the magic of soils to other vital ecosystem processes and services.

As such, in addition to collecting soil samples and conducting lab analyses, you also love gathering and analyzing all types of ecological field data. You are willing to share your expertise and this enthusiasm with technicians you will mentor and other WLC staff within various projects.

You are excited about joining a small, dynamic team of scientists and communicators…