Research Associate/GIS Specialist

Position Title

Research Associate/GIS Specialist

About the University

Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department

The Environmental Studies Department supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

Environmental Studies students, faculty, and staff work together to understand and to reflect the complexity of human-environment systems. We aim to engage meaningfully, collaboratively, and respectfully with diverse communities in pursuit of a more just and sustainable world. Many of our graduates go on to the environmental careers for which they trained, while others continue their studies in education, law, natural resource management, public administration, and urban planning and sustainable development.

Students, faculty, and staff in the Department of Environmental Studies examine interacting social and natural systems. Our curriculum, which creates direct dialogue among the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities, is designed to help students make the intellectual connections and gain the practical skills necessary for building socially and environmentally sustainable futures.

Through the integration of the natural sciences, social sciences, and allied professions, the Department of Environmental Studies at the College of the Environment endeavors to educate problem solvers who are able to meet the environmental challenges of our times. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

About the Position

The Research Associate/Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist provides technical support for geo-spatial software, hardware, and data to classes, students, faculty and staff of the College of the Environment (CENV). This technical support includes assisting undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research projects with spatial data and analysis; acquiring and maintaining spatial data sets; and providing maps, data, and guest lectures for courses using spatial information and analysis.

This is an in-person, on-campus position, located in Bellingham, Washington.

The Research Associate/GIS Specialist is also involved with all aspects of CENV’s Spatial Institute, which supports geospatial research and instruction. The Research Associate/GIS Specialist will provide technical support to the institute, including the selection and maintenance of software for the Spatial Analysis Lab (computer lab of 35 machines); budgeting, proposals and purchasing of hardware for the Spatial Analysis Labs; maintenance of the Institute web site; and supporting university user’s access to and licensing for GIS software. The Research Associate/GIS Specialist will support the Spatial Institute Director in developing a portfolio of externally-funded projects. They will then support the execution of funded projects by managing spatial analysis and mapping contracts, including administration of contracts; recruiting, hiring, and supervising students and temporary project employees; and maintaining project and Institute budgets.

The ideal candidate will be interested in supplementing their 0.5 FTE position with both internal and external funding and will work closely with the Institute Director to develop these opportunities. The Research Associate/GIS Specialist may seek additional opportunities through externally-funded projects, offering GIS courses to professionals through the University’s Office of Continuing Education (OCE), or other funding opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Geography, Environmental Studies or a related field
• 3 years’ experience working with GIS, GPS and/or Remote Sensing
• Technical knowledge of GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing, Cartography and Web-Mapping techniques and software (especially ESRI’s ArcGIS, Trimble and Garmin products)
• Familiarity with the installation and maintenance of GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing hardware
• Familiarity with geospatial data sources , especially local and regional
• Ability to prepare and maintain spatial databases
• Ability to work closely and communicate well with diverse students and faculty
• Ability to develop project design strategies and workflow for spatial analysis projects
• Experience with project documentation and management
• Experience in grant/contract writing and management
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize workflow accordingly
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and to support diversity and inclusion within the organization

Preferred Qualifications

• 2 or more years’ employment in an academic/instructional setting (may include employment as a graduate student)
• Knowledge of local spatial datasets
• Knowledge of local and regional government GIS agencies, GIS contractors and ongoing projects
• Professional experience performing spatial analysis and research
• Experience providing technical support for GIS and related applications
• Experience developing tutorials and manuals for GIS and related applications
• Experience with budgeting and support of computer lab facilities
• Experience with academic research
• Certifications in GISP and/or ESRI

Conditions of Employment

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary

For this 50% position, the hiring range is $32,684 - $37,587. Through longevity this position tops at $42,490. The full time equivalent for this position is $65,369 - $75,175 - $84,980.

Benefits Information

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application Instructions

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

Closing Date Notes

Application review begins March 11, 2024;position is open until filled

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policy on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Prohibiting Discrimination and Retaliation. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3303 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services at vpsa.office@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.