Job Posting: Environmental Data Specialist

April 14, 2023

Join the DataStream team!

About The Gordon Foundation

The Gordon Foundation is a philanthropic foundation based in Toronto, Canada. The Foundation undertakes research, leadership development and public dialogue so that public policies in Canada reflect a commitment to collaborative stewardship of our freshwater resources and to a people-driven, equitable and evolving North. DataStream is an initiative developed by The Gordon Foundation.

About DataStream

DataStream is an open access platform for sharing water data. Our mission is to promote knowledge 

sharing and advance collaborative, evidence-based decision-making. There are currently four DataStream hubs: 

A fifth hub, Pacific DataStream, is currently under development.

About the Role

This position will support the operation and expansion of DataStream, a dynamic, rapidly growing initiative. Reporting to the DataStream Program Director, the Data Specialist will support the continued growth of DataStream in all hubs, with a focus on expansion in Quebec. Working alongside the DataStream team, the Data Specialist will contribute water science and data management expertise to inform various aspects of the program. 

This is a remote position. Candidates must be based in Quebec or in Ottawa.  

The salary range for this role is $45,000 to $70,000 commensurate with experience.

The ideal candidate is: 

  • Technically strong in data science and capable of applying these skills to find practical solutions to support DataStream’s diverse user community 
  • An excellent networker and communicator (both written and verbal)  
  • Capable of communicating complex concepts to non-experts 
  • Passionate about improving access to water data in Canada 

Key Areas of Responsibility

With input from the team, the Data Specialist will have a broad range of responsibilities including the following:

  • Grow DataStream’s user community across DataStream’s hub regions;
  • Design and deliver presentations, training sessions, and webinars on the DataStream platform and water-related technical topics;
  • Manage the continual evolution of DataStream’s data schema, available here: https://github.com/gordonfn/schema;
  • Contribute technical expertise to inform key development processes, such as ETL (extract, transform, load) processes;
  • Liaise with DataStream contributors and laboratories to streamline data import and export processes;
  • Provide input and perform testing on new DataStream features to ensure they perform as designed prior to release;
  • Maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external partners and advisors in the water community.

Required Skills and Qualifications

  • Fluent in French with high English-language proficiency; 
  • Master’s Degree, or equivalent work experience, in data science, hydrogeology, limnology, aquatic ecology, hydrology, or related discipline; 
  • Strong presentation and communication skills – can easily distill technical information to audiences with a wide range of expertise in water science and computer skills; 
  • Experience managing large environmental datasets using systematic processes; 
  • Proficiency with Excel, and Google sheets; 
  • Proficiency in a coding language for the purposes of data wrangling and cleaning, e.g. R or Python; 
  • A self-starter with good judgement and the ability to work independently and as an effective team member; 
  • Demonstrated track record in building and maintaining relationships. 

Additional Skills and Qualifications

  • Experience in water and/or environmental monitoring and research 
  • Knowledge or experience working with a software team 
  • Experience working with federal, provincial or territorial governments  
  • Experience working with Indigenous governments and organizations  
  • Strong preference will be given to applicants identifying as Indigenous (Inuit, First Nations or Métis). 

How to Apply

Anticipated start date: As soon as possible.

To apply, please forward your resume and cover letter to team@datastream.org with “Data Specialist” in the subject line.

We thank all applicants for their interest however only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Discussing water security at the GLOBE Forum in Vancouver

Discussing water security at the GLOBE Forum in Vancouver

The recent GLOBE Forum in Vancouver brought together innovators and changemakers from across the country who are accelerating the clean economy.

Keep ReadingDiscussing water security at the GLOBE Forum in Vancouver  
Map of British Columbia

Pacific DataStream launches

Pacific DataStream is live! Launching at the Environmental Flows Conference in Kelowna, our latest regional hub already holds millions of water quality data points from across British Columbia and the Yukon, all open and available for anyone to explore and download. Explore monitoring results from rivers, lakes, and streams, covering a range of parameters, from temperature and dissolved oxygen to lab-analyzed data like nutrients and metals. 

Keep ReadingPacific DataStream launches  
Two people standing in a pond

Supporting standardized community-based water quality monitoring in the Greater Vancouver region

Nikki Kroetsch is a big believer in the power of community-based creek monitoring. Governments don’t have the capacity to monitor every little waterway, she says, which has led to many stewardship groups doing the work.

Keep ReadingSupporting standardized community-based water quality monitoring in the Greater Vancouver region