Photo by Anton Van de Putte licensed under CC BY 4.0

July 29, 2023

Job Advertisement

SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATOR ANTARCTIC AND SOUTHERN OCEAN BIODIVERSITY (m/f/x)

SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATOR ANTARCTIC AND SOUTHERN OCEAN BIODIVERSITY (m/f/x)

The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is recruiting a scientific collaborator to support the implementation of a Virtual Research Environment for Monitoring and reporting on biodiversity changes in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Region.

Context

We are currently seeking a skilled and motivated Biodiversity Data Analyst with expertise in programming languages such as R and Python. As part of our team, you will play a key role in developing analytical workflows for biodiversity research using public data repositories like OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). This function is part of the BELSPO-funded Antarctic bioDiVersity dAta iNfrastruCturE (ADVANCE) Project. ADVANCE will work towards improved coordination and interoperability of diverse tools and facilities that operate worldwide and turn Southern Ocean and Antarctic biodiversity data into research and policy-relevant data products. ADVANCE is a collaboration between SOOS, the Australian Antarctic Division, EMODnet, WoRMS, as well as GBIF, and OBIS to create a Virtual Research Infrastructure (VRI) for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean (ASO) region that will convert biodiversity data into research and policy-relevant data products. ADVANCE supports the publication of all research cycle elements in accordance with open science principles like FAIR, TRUST, and CARE: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR), Transparency, Responsibility, User focus, Sustainability and Technology (TRUST), and Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, and Ethics (CARE). It will expand a well-established online data platform (the SCAR Antarctic Biodiversity Portal, www.biodiversity.aq) to meet the growing needs of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean biodiversity research community to access high-quality data, services, protocols, standards, workflows, and software/applications that integrate biodiversity data with environmental data from diverse sources and create research and policy-relevant outputs. A key component will be the development of applications that allow data product creation from Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), Essential Climate Variables (ECVs), and Ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables (eEOVs) will be crucial. These will be integrated into various international platforms including SOOS and SOOSmap.

Tasks

  • Design and develop efficient, reproducible and scalable analytical workflows for biodiversity research.
  • Extract, clean, and process large-scale biodiversity data from public repositories such as OBIS and GBIF.
  • Implement data analysis techniques and statistical models using R and Python to extract meaningful insights from biodiversity datasets.
  • Collaborate with researchers and stakeholders to understand their analytical needs and provide solutions using programming tools.
  • Develop data visualization tools and reports to effectively communicate findings and contribute to scientific publications.
  • Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in biodiversity data management, open data repositories, and programming techniques.

Diploma

Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Ecology, or related disciplines) (holders of foreign Master diploma will have to apply for a diploma equivalence procedure).

Technical Competence

  • Proficiency in programming languages such as R and Python, and experience in developing data analysis workflows
  • Strong understanding of biodiversity concepts, data structures, and ecological data analysis methods.

Assets

  • Familiarity with public biodiversity repositories like OBIS and GBIF, and experience working with their data.
  • Familiarity with software development using version control and collaborative platforms such as GitHub.
  • Knowledge of data cleaning and manipulation techniques, statistical analysis, and data visualization.
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Good communication skills to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and present findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Experience in scientific writing and contributing to research publications is a plus.

We offer

  • The full time employment contract will start as soon as possible and be of fixed duration until December 2026
  • The salary is defined according to the standard scale for federal government scientists as published in the Moniteur Belge/Belgisch Staatsblad http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/welcome.pl A.R./K.B. 2.6.2010 (publication 10.6.2010), for grade SW1 (master) with index
  • The nominal workplace is Brussels 1000 (29 rue Vautierstraat), with typically 15-30 days per year abroad for workshops, conferences and other meetings.
  • Free home-to-work public transport
  • Some funds are available to support relocation to Belgium if required

How to apply

Applications, including a curriculum vitæ and a cover letter, should be addressed to Anton VAN DE PUTTE, and should be sent before 23:30 UTC 6th September 2023 by email to avandeputte@naturalsciences.be with the heading ‘ADVANCE - job application’. Selected candidates will be invited for an oral interview in person, or by videoconference between the 27 to 29th of September 2023.

Questions? Send an email to avandeputte@naturalsciences.be