Wildland Fuels Research Scientist

Title:

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR! 

Around here, we define the future. We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers. But we all share one goal: to improve the world responsibly and safely by supporting the science that informs decision makers and protects Earth.

Around here, we define the future. We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers.  But we all share one goal:  to improve the world responsibly and safely by supporting the science that informs decision makers and protects Earth.

KBR’s Science and Space division is seeking a Software Engineer/Web Developer to support our Technical Support Services Contract (TSSC) at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation & Science (EROS) Center (http://eros.usgs.gov/) near Sioux Falls, SD (http://www.siouxfalls.org). 

The primary focus of this position is to provide research support to the USGS team tasked with developing fuel treatment scenarios, developing inputs, running 3-dimensional fire behavior models, evaluating outputs, determining effectiveness of each scenario, and communicating results to partners both internally and externally.  This will require advanced level science support with experience in remote sensing, image processing, scripting, fire behavior modeling, lidar, statistical analysis, and science communications.  Project partners will provide the successful candidate with guidelines on expected methodology for developing model inputs, provide computing environment to run fire models, and guidance on scenarios design for model runs, desired outputs, and summarization content.  The successful candidate will adjust methodology as needed and implement fuels mapping methods, establish QUIC-Fire modeling capability within provided computing environment, execute model runs, and summarize results, while providing ongoing communication of status and results to project partners and external groups.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide research support to USGS team to assist with developing fuel treatment scenarios, developing inputs and running 3-dimensional fire behavior models, evaluating outputs, and determining effectiveness of each scenario
• Assist with configuration of provided computing environment to run fire models
• Receive guidance on scenarios design for model runs, desired outputs, and summarization content
• Adjust methodology as needed and implement fuels mapping methods
• Execute model runs and summarize results
• Communicate status and results to project partners and external groups

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

Candidates must meet the requirements listed below to be considered for this position; please note required items on your resume.

• Must have a 3-year residency in the United States
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a national agency check and background investigation after hire to obtain credentials for facility access and user accounts.
• Education:  PhD  or advanced Degree or equivalent experience in ecology, landscape ecology, forestry, fire science, conservation science or another relevant field - especially study in how ecological systems function both naturally and after disturbance
• Years of Experience: Must have minimum 3-5 years of recent and related work experience in fire ecology and knowledge with plant community dynamics across the landscape

• Advanced understanding of ground, surface, and canopy fuel types/characteristics and their effects on wildland fire behavior in conjunction with environmental factors
• Understanding of the relationship between fire behavior and fire effects
• Experience with image processing and GIS software (e.g., ERDAS, ArcGIS, ArcPro, QGIS)
• Familiarity with raster and vector data processing and ability to perform spatial analysis and validation
• Strong interpersonal communication, technical writing, editing and presentation skills and an advanced knowledge of Microsoft office tools for reporting and documentation of processes and procedures

PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in processing point cloud lidar data, GEDI waveform lidar, optical imagery, and fuels modeling
• Familiarity with high level programming languages and statistical software, such as Python or R
• Experience Identifying important factors that influence development or change fire behavior of sites or landscapes and develop approaches to address these issues, including extreme fire behavior
• Experience and interest in authoring process documentation, reports, and research papers
• Ability to work in a team environment to help shape, manage and execute projects applying geospatial data and systems to solve geospatial problems
• Ability to contribute to the definition, direction, and implementation of the Wildland Fuels Program

• Ability to self-teach in areas of weakness utilizing available on-the-job training resources

WORK LOCATION AND DURATION

This position supports a coordinated team across multiple locations and offers either remote work status or a hybrid remote – onsite schedule; some travel may be required.

STANDARD KBR REQUIREMENTS:

All of KBR’s employee’s must be team players, able to communicate effectively with internal and external customers, able to follow safety and quality policies, able to follow company programs, processes, procedures, practices, requirements, goals, and objectives. In addition, they must also be organized, with good time management skills.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Three years of continuous residency in the US for issuance of a Government Security credential
• The candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a national agency check and background investigation after hire to obtain a badge for government facility access and user account

Experience and/or Education in lieu of these qualifications will be reviewed for applicability to meet these requirements.

KBR partners with several other companies to fulfill its requirements as a government contractor. The selected subcontracting companies align their benefits as closely as possible to those above.

KBR Benefits​

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, flexible spending account, disability, paid time off, or flexible work schedule.  We support career advancement through professional training and development.​

Click here to learn more:  KBR Benefits

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture.  These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company.  That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together. 

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.