Monitoring & Evaluation Scientist
Rainforest Trust seeks a Monitoring & Evaluation Scientist with cutting-edge skills to help the organization assess costs of establishing protected areas (PAs), assess the conservation impact of the portfolio of PAs that the organization has helped establish, and assist with development of new or refined metrics that will allow us to assess the effectiveness of our projects and improve over time.
Rainforest Trust is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1988. Partnering with the most respected conservation organizations in the world’s tropical regions, Rainforest Trust supports the protection of critical habitat for endangered species through local partnerships.
This is a full-time, permanent position, that reports to the Director of Science and Monitoring. The position will be based in our central office in Warrenton, Virginia, just 50 miles west of Washington DC.
Key Responsibilities:
- Using Rainforest Trust’s database of more than 30 years of projects and auxiliary data, lead and publish scientific analyses to:
(a) Estimate the cost of establishing PAs and the different mechanisms for doing so (e.g., designation vs. purchase vs. land titling)
(b) Based on a), estimate how much it would cost to create PAs covering the world’s remaining unprotected tropical habitats (e.g., under 30% and 50% protection scenarios)
(c) Perform a post-hoc evaluation of the conservation effectiveness of the portfolio of PAs that Rainforest Trust has helped establish, using counter-factuals if feasible. - Prepare summaries of results for internal and external audiences, including scientific manuscripts
- Work with the Conservation Team to refine and improve the organization’s effectiveness and impact metrics and monitoring methods
- Work with the Conservation team to report on the organization’s key effectiveness and impact metrics
- Work with the Conservation Team to refine the organization’s approach to identifying and prioritizing new projects
- Assist with production of periodic reports for Rainforest Trust’s Board of Directors and donors
Requirements:
- Minimum of a Masters degree in sustainable development, conservation science or similar field
- Previous experience with program monitoring and evaluation
- Experience in database management, querying, and reporting
- Strong quantitative skills, including ability to perform statistical, GIS, and spatial analyses
- Track record of publishing in the scientific literature, but also of communicating the results of scientific analyses to non-technical decision-makers
- Demonstrable ability to set goals and plan your activities/tasks to meet deadlines
Preferred Skills:
- Previous experience performing formal Impact Evaluation for conservation or sustainable development programs
- Previous experience performing spatial prioritization analyses and/or systematic conservation planning, using Marxan or Zonation or other similar software tools
- Familiarity with one or more programming languages or environments used for spatial and statistical analyses (e.g., Python, Java Script for Google Earth Engine, R)
How to Apply:
Please send applications to jobs@RainforestTrust.org. Please include a resume and a cover letter describing your interest in working for Rainforest Trust and your salary aspirations, any specific job requirements, and your resume. Cover letters without salary aspirations will not be considered.
In the administration of its employment policies and practices, Rainforest Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, veteran status, matriculation, political affiliation or genetic information.
