Students,

This may be a good opportunity to practice your hydrology, coding and GIS skills. 

Position: Hourly Student Position

Project: EarthLab Project: Fish, Fire, Food, and Floodplains: Healing Place and People

Overview:

We are seeking an hourly student position with strong coding skills (python and/or R) to assist with our EarthLab-funded project, Fish, Fire, Food, and Floodplains: Healing Place and People, led by Dr. Monika Moskal in the SEFS Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis Lab. This project, co-developed with the Klamath Tribes and Applegate Forestry, addresses the interconnected challenges in the Upper Klamath Basin in south-central Oregon. Critical issues such as water shortages, toxic algae, endangered sucker fish, vulnerable salmon, and habitat degradation threaten the resilience of the ecosystem and the communities dependent on it. The project aims to inventory incised channels on the Klamath Reservation, enhance water quality and storage by reconnecting streams and floodplains, and strengthen ecosystem and community resilience to climate change through targeted restoration efforts.

Approach:

The student will work as part of a team to run existing modelling tools to meet these project goals. Methods include using recently acquired Lidar data to predict wetland locations and to run hydrologic flow models to identify streams and rivers as well as stream depth. This combined approach will help identify potential restoration sites and quantify the disconnect between streams and wetland floodplains.

Key Responsibilities:

• Apply and improve spatial modelling workflows in a coding environment (python, R ).
• Analyze geospatial datasets to support hydrological and ecological assessments.
• Collaborate with team members to interpret results and refine models as needed.
• Document workflow and findings for project transparency and continuity.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Technical Expertise: Proficiency in Python and/or R for problem-solving and data manipulation.
• Environmental Interest: A keen interest in natural environments and an understanding of human-environment interactions.

Preferred Skills:

• GIS Knowledge: Strong familiarity with GIS tools (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) for spatial data processing and analysis.
• Modeling Experience: Familiarity with hydrologic or topographic modeling techniques.
• Data Analysis and Visualization: Ability to analyze and visualize complex spatial data effectively.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to apply geospatial skills to a meaningful project with real-world environmental impacts. If you are passionate about conservation andeager to support the Klamath Tribes in understanding and managing their natural resources, we encourage you to apply.

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a brief cover letter, and any relevant portfolio work that highlights your experience with spatial modeling and environmental data analysis. 

TO: Meghan Halabisky: mhalabisky@gmail.com