Manager, Geospatial Scientist

Position: Manager, Geospatial Scientist

FLSA Status: Exempt

Department: Keller Science Action Center

Our Mission: Since the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, our organization has aimed to connect people to the natural environment and human history.

Join our team and enjoy a benefits package that truly supports your well-being and lifestyle:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Including medical, dental, vision plans, and even pet insurance.

• Financial Security: Life and disability benefits plus a 403(b) savings plan to help you plan for the future.

• Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off, paid sick leave, and paid holidays to ensure you have time to recharge and spend with loved ones.

• Exclusive Perks: Enjoy great employee discounts and complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions.

We're dedicated to enhancing your life both at work and beyond!

The Field Museum's Keller Science Action Center (KSAC) translates museum science, collections, and partnerships into results for conservation and quality of life. Our interdisciplinary teams of ecologists, social scientists, and specialists work with communities, scientists, conservation practitioners, and public agencies to co-create knowledge and action for biodiversity conservation, territorial management and human well-being. The Manager, Geospatial Scientist oversees and develops the application of geospatial science across KSAC's Andes-Amazon and Chicago Region programs.

Manager, Geospatial Scientist provides the advanced technical skills and strategic thinking to make KSAC a leader in the management and application of spatial data for conservation. The position combines advanced technical expertise with management, ensuring that spatial analysis, remote sensing, cartography, and data systems directly inform KSAC projects, from the initial planning stages through execution, data analysis, and follow-up. The Manager, Geospatial Scientist will proactively identify high-impact opportunities for KSAC, translate complex spatial information into actionable insights for our staff and partners, and guide multiple initiatives from scoping through delivery and evaluation. Expected projects include expert participation in biological and social inventories of remote areas of the Andes-Amazon region; modeling of biotic and abiotic assets of unvisited natural areas; application of novel remote-sensing technologies to inventory large tropical landscapes; and monitoring of conservation impacts and interventions.

This position works closely with ecological and social scientists, community engagement specialists, program leaders, museum colleagues, and spatial data science leaders in partner organizations. The Manager, Geospatial Scientist establishes shared geospatial standards, oversees quality and spatial data governance, manages staff and collaborators, and strengthens geospatial capacity across teams and partner organizations. The role is expected to balance technical leadership with responsive, relationship-based collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership in design and implementation of geospatial science in support of KSAC’s conservation, territorial management and strategic planning. Work with Andes-Amazon and Chicago Region program teams to identify priority spatial questions, develop analytical approaches that advance program strategies and partner-defined conservation goals, and lead multiple initiatives providing effective project management and implementation, work plans, indicators, publications.
• Supervise staff to support geospatial management and analysis. Develop staff leadership capacities and effective collaboration with partners in academia, communities, Indigenous federations, government agencies and conservation organizations.
• Identify strategic opportunities to expand geospatial programming and funding, and collaborate on grant writing, budget management, progress evaluation, reporting and communications that strengthen Action Center programs and projects in Andes-Amazon and Chicago.
• Integrate satellite and aerial imagery, field observations, biodiversity inventories, climate and environmental data, participatory mapping, and appropriate social and cultural information into interdisciplinary assessments and analyses including land-use and land-cover change, habitat and ecological connectivity, climate vulnerability and resilience, hydrology, and socio-environmental dynamics.

• Evaluate and selectively apply emerging methods such as machine learning, GeoAI, cloud-based remote sensing, automated change detection, and predictive modeling; ensure that methods are scientifically appropriate, explainable, and validated.
• Professional development, museum citizenship.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in geography, GIS/geospatial science, ecology, environmental science, remote sensing, earth system science, conservation science, anthropology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible experience in GIS, remote sensing, spatial analysis, applied conservation science, or a closely related field, including technical leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects, including scopes, work plans, schedules, budgets, deliverables, partner relationships, and quality review.
• Advanced proficiency with Esri platforms, QGIS, geospatial analysis workflow, programming and analytical environments (e.g., R, Python, Google Earth Engine).
• Demonstrated experience with satellite imagery, raster analysis, spatial statistics or modeling, cartography, spatial databases, and integration of large or multi-source environmental datasets.
• Effective spatial data management, including metadata, quality assurance and quality control, data security and sharing, and long-term stewardship.
• Ability to convert complex analyses into clear findings, visualizations, recommendations, and decision-support products for scientific, community, policy, donor, and public audiences.
• Experience supervising or mentoring staff and coordinating multidisciplinary, multicultural, or multi-institutional teams.
• Fluency in Spanish or Portuguese, with strong professional proficiency in the other language preferred.
• Working knowledge and/or direct experience with conservation, territorial management, or socio-environmental governance issues in the Andes-Amazon region.
• Ability and willingness to travel periodically, work occasional non-traditional hours, and participate in field activities in variable and sometimes remote conditions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in a relevant discipline.
• Experience with participatory mapping or co-production of spatial knowledge with community or Indigenous partners.
• Experience with machine learning or GeoAI, image classification, ecological modeling, LiDAR, radar, drone or multispectral imagery, or automated monitoring workflows.
• Experience developing web maps, dashboards, interactive decision-support tools, or other accessible geospatial applications.
• Record of contributing to peer-reviewed publications, applied research products, or high-impact conservation plans and proposals.
• FAA Remote Pilot Certificate.

Application Materials:

• Resume or curriculum vitae.
• Cover letter describing relevant experience and interest in the position.
• Portfolio with at least two examples of maps, geospatial analyses, spatial data visualizations, dashboards, or decision-support products.
• Contact information for three professional references.

Working Conditions:

Supervision Received:

Receives general supervision from Sr Conservation Ecologist.

Supervision Exercised:

Supervises Lead GIS Analyst; provides project direction to interns, fellows, consultants, and collaborators as assigned.

Work Hours and Shift:

Full-time, 35 hours/weekly; occasional evening or weekend work and travel may be required.

Hybrid Eligibility:

Eligible

Location:

1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605

Union Representation: Not applicable

Pay Range: $68,000-76,000

The Field Museum is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination, embracing diversity, and fostering mutual respect. We value the unique perspectives each team member brings, which strengthens our ability to innovate and address complex challenges.

At the Field Museum, we are dedicated to making our career website and recruitment process accessible to everyone. If you encounter any difficulty when using or accessing our online application, or if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the selection process, please contact recruitment@fieldmuseum.org.