Senior Manager, Quantitative Science

Position Summary:

The Senior Manager, Quantitative Science will be responsible for leading and executing analyses that measure the biological impacts of Audubon's initiatives. This will include developing and applying conservation impact evaluation metrics, modeling population trends and drivers, and developing monitoring plans and study designs. The Senior Manager will work with a variety of bird occurrence- and count-based datasets collected by both human observers and through the use of technology. The Senior Manager will also provide quantitative analysis services in cross-functional teams with other science teams (e.g. Climate, Migratory Bird Initiative, and Community Science). Quantitative services support both the science team and the broader organization under Audubon’s 2023-2028 strategic plan, the Flight Plan.

The Senior Manager, Quantitative Science, is recognized as an expert in study design, protocol development, quantitative analyses, and publication-quality scientific writing. The Senior Manager will work closely with leadership and field teams across multiple initiatives to provide critical analytical capacity that will serve as the foundation for measuring the success of Audubon’s species-focused conservation work. Thus, they must maintain positive collaborative relationships with many partners, including field office leadership, scientists, and engagement staff. The Senior Manager will coordinate or manage some projects, delegating and reviewing work by project partners. They may coach or train colleagues on the Science Team or across the network in quantitative analysis, writing, and other techniques related to their expertise.

The Senior Manager, Quantitative Science, will also interface with partners and collaborators beyond Audubon’s network. They will be encouraged to seek out funding opportunities that align with Audubon’s mission and the Science Team’s capabilities and availability. They will communicate their science across the Audubon network, to the scientific community through publication and conference presentations, as well as through public outlets including social media, podcasts, and interviews.

Compensation:

Salary range based on geo-differentials:

• $72,000 - $80,500/year = National

• $81,000 - $90,500/year = Alaska, CA (not San Francisco), Connecticut, D.C., Chicago, Oyster Bay, NY

• $90,000 - $100,500/year = NYC (not Oyster Bay), San Francisco, Seattle

Additional Job Description

Essential Functions:

• Develop, refine, and apply impact evaluation metrics assessing bird response to conservation actions, including the Bird-Friendliness Index (BFI) and the Bird Curve;

• Use diverse data sets collected using a variety of protocols with varying degrees of structure to estimate occupancy, abundance, population trends, and the factors influencing them, across space and time;

• Assist with design, protocol development, data processing/management, and analysis of avian monitoring programs – including community science programs - using both human surveyors and the latest technologies (e.g., ARUs, drones);

• Analyze and prioritize conservation efforts across the Audubon network;

• Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and grant-writing in support of projects;

• Represent the science team across Audubon. Participate in and present at external and internal meetings and conferences. Coordinate, collaborate, and build and maintain relationships with Audubon staff and external partners (academia, NGOs, agencies) throughout the hemisphere;

• Participate in the science team’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging working group;

• Assist with fundraising through grant writing and collaborative research as needed;

• Support a culture of philanthropy, including public funding efforts; 

• Collaborate with colleagues across the Americas including through joint planning and execution of shared priorities; 

• Partner with Audubon staff to ensure that equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging principles are incorporated and followed in all aspects of our work;

• This position includes annual travel to meetings and/or research sites, and may include work outside standard business hours;

• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, biostatistics, natural resources, or other conservation- or statistic- related field required. Master’s or Ph. D. preferred.

•  7+ years of professional experience, including 2-4 years designing, developing, and running complex abundance, distribution, or similar models in R, interpreting and presenting results, and writing peer-reviewed scientific publications.. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

• Demonstrated experience applying Bayesian and Frequentist approaches to statistical analysis of large data sets. This may include hierarchical linear and non-linear models (e.g., GLM(M)s, GAM(M)s), machine learning approaches (e.g., Boosted Regression Trees), occupancy models, point process models, or similar.

• Experience with Autonomous Recording Units: data management, processing, and analysis to derive presence, occupancy, and/or abundance preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to clearly frame research questions, design monitoring studies, and implement analyses, as well as script analyses in R and /or Python.

• Demonstrated ability to learn and implement new quantitative approaches and think creatively about connections between birds, places, and people.

• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills that can be adapted to reach a wide range of individuals and used to build consensus.  Ability to synthesize and communicate technical and complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to collaborate with partners and manage teams and projects ethically and in a timely manner. 

• Strong writing background in order to lead and co- author peer- reviewed publications.

• Experience with spatial analyses in R, ArcGIS, QGIS, and/or similar preferred.

• Experience with computer vision algorithms or quantitative analysis of social science datasets desirable.

• Experience in high performance computing (e.g. MCMC, STAN, JAGS, BUGS, cloud computing) and with version control software (e.g. Github).

• Experience in ornithology, especially birds of North America, and /or with the birding community, including past participation in CBC or North American Breeding Bird Survey. 

• Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation. 

• Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to and experience in advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. 

• Interest in working to promote bird conservation across the US and Americas, and passion for the mission of the National Audubon Society.

This position is represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

National Audubon Society Competencies: This role will also be accountable to apply and develop the following competencies

Fostering Relationships: Build trust, mutual respect, and understanding through regular and genuine interactions while promoting a positive and inclusive environment. 

Analytical Thinking: Recognize and value diverse perspectives and experiences in data analysis to foster a more comprehensive and equitable approach to problem-solving. 

Creativity and Innovation: Leverage creativity and imagination to generate new insights and solutions while embracing diverse ideas and approaches that foster innovation. 

Facilitating Change: Work with others to explore innovative approaches to problem-solving while promoting inclusivity, equity, accessibility, and belonging in the change process. 

Team Leadership: Communicate vision and engage others or the team to solve problems while valuing diverse perspectives and fostering inclusivity. 

EEO Statement

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

Accessibility Statement

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