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WILDLABS logoWildlabs.net : The conservation technology network

Career Opportunity /  18 May 2026

Ecological Data Scientist

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Front Royal, VA. NZCBI plays a leading role in the Smithsonian's global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists.

Deadline: 18 May 2026 - the deadline has passed.
Front Royal, VA, USA - United States

Groups

SUMMARY

We are seeking a motivated Ecological Data Scientist to join our interdisciplinary research team focused on advancing conservation and ecological understanding through innovative data analysis. The successful candidate will work at the interface of ecology, statistics, and data science with large ecological datasets—including wildlife monitoring (e.g., animal movements, camera trapping, acoustics, eDNA), remote sensing, and field survey data—to support research, management, and decision-making in conservation and natural resource management. The incumbent will perform analytical and evaluative work associated with research activities involving the ecological study of organisms and the environment, summarizing findings for scientific and lay audiences. The incumbent must have demonstrated expertise in computer programming (e.g., R, Python) and fluency in managing large, complex datasets. The incumbent supervises interns, students, and collaborates with other ecologists, conservation practitioners, and data scientists to develop analytical tools, integrate diverse datasets, and generate actionable insights for biodiversity conservation. The position provides opportunities for independent research, collaborative grant development, and peer-review publication, and will contribute to strengthening quantitative capacity across the Institute.

 

LOCATION

Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA

Full details at: 

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Integrate diverse data streams, including wildlife monitoring data, long-term ecological datasets, movement data, and remotely sensed environmental variables;
  • Develop and apply statistical, computational, and machine learning methods to understand ecological patterns, species distributions, population dynamics, and ecosystem processes;
  • Contribute to the development of dashboards, decision-support tools, and reproducible data pipelines, leveraging the Smithsonian's high-performance computing infrastructure and research data platforms to process and analyze large-scale ecological datasets;
  • Ensure ecological data workflows align with Smithsonian data governance policies, including metadata standards, data sharing requirements, and institutional data management practices; contribute to the development and refinement of these policies as they relate to ecological and biodiversity data.
  • Process and analyze geospatial data using GIS and remote sensing products;
  • Foster a Community of Practice among Smithsonian and partner-institution researchers by developing shared analytical resources (e.g., code libraries, standardized workflows, training materials), coordinating collaborative research projects, and organizing workshops or seminars that build quantitative capacity across the Institute.
  • Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of scientists to translate ecological questions into analytical workflows.
  • Demonstrated expertise in various computer programming languages (e.g., R, Python);
  • Contribute to reproducible research practices, including well-documented code and version-controlled workflows.
  • Work with program scientists, leadership, and other relevant SI staff to develop strategic, operations, and development plans for the program;  
  • Promote ecological studies of interest to advance the Smithsonian’s mission for understanding and sustaining a biodiverse planet;  
  • Participate in scientific meetings and symposia to correspond with members of the scientific community involved in related research;  
  • Gather, organize, and interpret ecological, biological, physical, public use or other information pertinent to research studies and/or investigations;  
  • Communicate scientific discoveries and information on the program into scientific reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations for scientific and lay audiences;  
  • Organize and communicate with program science leads and partner organizations;  
  • Lead or contribute to peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and grant proposals for additional financial support; and
  • Perform other duties as assigned.