Staff Research Scientist, Field Specialist

The Division of Hydrologic Sciences of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) is seeking a Staff Research Scientist, Field Specialist to assist the Community Environmental Monitoring Program (CEMP) in environmental research and data collection based out of its Las Vegas, NV campus. The successful applicant will work with DRI research personnel on hydrology, hydrogeology, and environmental science activities and will be involved in all aspects of scientific research including environmental laboratory activities, equipment testing and maintenance, field work, data collection and analysis, and report writing.

The CEMP Field Scientist position supports field work at CEMP stations through:

Working independently and as a team to develop, fabricate, install, troubleshoot, maintain, and repair remote weather and radiological monitoring instrumentation;
Using, maintaining, and repairing a variety of equipment, tools, and the associated safety gear/PPE;
Conducting multi-day field trips to remote locations, driving long distances alone and performing all job functions in extreme weather conditions;
Providing accurate records of inventory, field logs, purchases, travel, and labor performed;
Assisting the CEMP team in acquisition, preparation, distribution, and proper storage of hazardous equipment/materials;
Supervising and coordinating all fieldwork activities conducted by various personnel;
Coordinating maintenance of station equipment and instrumentation with manufacturers
Perform training of new Community Environmental Monitors
Representing the CEMP by conducting outreach events within CEMP communities;
Maintaining good communication with the CEMP team to keep all members of the team updated on current job/task status.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution
Previous experience working with instrumentation
Demonstrated field experience, including working in remote locations
Established mechanical aptitude, including familiarity with the use of hand and power tools, as well as basic knowledge of AC/DC current and experience with electrical/electronic equipment and systems (such as solar power systems, environmental sensors, and related instrumentation)
Demonstrated experience with collecting, organizing, and analyzing data
Proven ability to maintain quality, safety, and control standards
Willingness to learn basic laboratory skills
Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite software (EXCEL, WORD, PowerPoint, Outlook), with basic EXCEL skills such as data entry, data formatting, and writing simple formulas.
Use of strong oral and written communication skills
Proven ability to work both independently and within a team setting, with diverse interests and abilities to adapt and learn new skills
Accountable to maintain equipment and records such as timesheets, inventory, purchases, and field logs.

Preferred Qualifications

Greater consideration will be given to those who possess one or more of the following skills:

Previous experience working with research grade environmental sensors, dataloggers, and remote electronics, including field installations (e.g., weather stations, well logging, water quality monitoring, power systems, telemetry devices)
Previous experience writing and/or contributing to technical reports

Minimum Starting Salary: $60,206 and is commensurate with experience and education

Tagged as: Science/Engineering