Scientific Data Assistant

IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is the world’s freshwater laboratory. A series of 58 lakes and their watersheds in northwestern Ontario, Canada, IISD-ELA is the only place in the world where scientists can research on and manipulate real lakes to build a more accurate and complete picture of what human activity is doing to freshwater lakes. The findings from over 50 years of ground-breaking research have rewritten environmental policy around the world—from mitigating algal blooms to reducing how much mercury gets into our waterways—and aim to keep fresh water clean around the world for generations to come.

IISD-ELA is operated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)—an independent think tank headquartered in Winnipeg situated on Treaty 1 Territory—the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininiw (Cree), Anisininew (Ojibwe Cree), Dene, and Dakota Nations, and the homeland of the Red River Métis Nation. The IISD-ELA field station is situated on the traditional land of the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty 3 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation.

About the Position

The Scientific Data Assistant will support the Scientific Data Team in optimizing IISD-ELA data and systems, especially the IISD-ELA Postgres master database. The master database holds long-term data integrated between IISD-ELA scientific research areas (meteorology, hydrology, limnology, chemistry, and biology). The assistant’s work will improve the data quality of the database in terms of completeness and consistency and strengthen the wider data system infrastructure. Essentially, the assistant will carry out technical tasks to assist the Scientific Data Specialist in completing data management projects coordinated by the Scientific Data Officer.

Responsibilities

• Run data pipelines and follow procedures to extract, transform, and load data (via FME, ArcGIS, Python, SQL, and R) to ensure incoming data sets are processed and updated in the master database on a regular basis.
• Communicate with the Scientific Data Team and research scientists to ensure changes to data are understood and done correctly.
• Investigate and clean historical data using logical scripts (SQL, Python, R).
• Produce clear and concise summaries of data work done to document database improvements (MS Word, scripts, GitHub markdown).
• Improve metadata and systems documentation by consolidating existing information into user-friendly formats (MS Word, GitHub markdown).
• Support the preparation of data and metadata for submission as data packages to external repositories.
• Update the IISD-ELA publications database as needed.
• Perform other data-related duties, depending on the Scientific Data Team’s tasks at hand and the candidate’s specific strengths.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or recently completed a college or university program relevant to database management (e.g., information systems and technologies or computer science; otherwise, these may be components of a degree in natural sciences, business, or other subjects).
• Experience writing in programming language(s) and querying data (e.g., SQL, R, Python).
• Experience using GitHub and producing written documentation on GitHub markdown.
• Attention to detail and well-organized.
• Ability to work independently (remotely) with limited supervision.
• Effective communication skills with coworkers, clients, and supervisors.
• Effective writing skills in the context of summarizing and integrating information and following aesthetic formatting standards (for metadata and systems documentation).
• Ability to troubleshoot errors and issues when carrying out technical computer work.

Asset Skills

• Knowledge background in environmental or natural sciences disciplines (e.g., chemistry, biology, geography, limnology).
• Experience working with Postgres or other types of relational databases.
• Experience running data pipelines, e.g., Safe Software FME workbenches or Python scripts.
• Experience using GIS software for geoprocessing and cartography purposes.
• Familiarity with AWS services, e.g., EC2 or Lambda.

Work Conditions

This is a remote work position, meaning the successful applicant may work from anywhere in Canada. IISD-ELA will provide a laptop and charger with the necessary software to complete the required tasks. Depending on location and desire to do so, the successful applicant may have the option to work from an in-person IISD office (Winnipeg, Toronto, or Ottawa).

The employee will be expected to work regular office hours. That is, Monday through Friday, 7.5 hrs per day, within morning and afternoon local hours.

Term: The contract is for a full-time 4- or 8-month position (May-Aug and/or Sep-Dec, 2025). Please indicate in your application your availability (which months).

Compensation: CAD 690 to CAD 846 per week, depending on experience and education.

Application deadline: Friday, March 7, 2025 @ 16:00 CST 

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available on request.

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for Canada.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. Please include the following:

• A CV (required; no longer than two pages)
• A cover letter (required; one page)
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional; right click to download)

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year. 

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants' advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply. 

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

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