Wildfire Data Scientist

Job Information
Job Title: Wildfire Data Scientist 
Job Requisition ID: 63663
Ministry: Forestry and Parks
Location: Edmonton (other locations may be considered)
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary: Permanent
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: November 7, 2024
Classification: Program Services 3 Market Adjustment
Salary: $2,626.89 to $3,448.73 bi-weekly ($68,561.82 – $90,011.85/year) 

The Government of Alberta is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion and innovation are valued and supported. For more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/diversity-inclusion-policy.aspx

As the Ministry of Forestry and Parks we are responsible for growing Alberta’s environmentally responsible wood products and forestry sector. We protect Alberta’s forests from wildfire and preserve our provincial parks for the recreation and enjoyment of Albertans. As well as enabling access to public lands for recreational and commercial purposes while prioritizing conservation. Forestry and Parks also manages public lands and balances sustainable rangelands and grazing leases for Alberta producers.

We work to enhance the economic, environmental, and social contributions of our forests and forested lands to Albertans. For more information about the Ministry of Forestry and Parks please visit our website at: https://www.alberta.ca/forestry-and-parks.

For more information about the Wildfire Management Branch: http://wildfire.alberta.ca/.

Role Responsibilities

Are you keen to learn and develop your skills? Do you have a passion for research, data engineering (collection, storage, processing, quality control, visualization, and documentation) and supporting Alberta Wildfire in planning and operational decision making?

Do you see opportunities to develop and expand your knowledge of wildfire into the subject matter expert as a data scientist for Alberta Wildfire and create a vision to help Predictive Services support the branch with questions and intelligence related to fire behaviour, fire science, data analytics and technology? If so, then consider applying to the Predictive Services team within the Intelligence Unit. 

Reporting to the Wildfire Intelligence Program Lead, your role is responsible for advancing the organization’s business intelligence and developing innovative solutions that address complex, high impact emergency response and strategic planning needs for Alberta Wildfire. 

As the Wildfire Data Scientist, you will use the three pillars of research, data engineering and domain knowledge (wildfire) to develop small tools or products for the entire branch. Drawing on your research and coding skills, your time will be focused on data engineering, visualization, and analysis to effectively convey data and findings in a unique way, creating opportunities for storytelling to a broad audience of internal and external partners.

Your ability to communicate clearly using data graphs, dashboards, and reports is essential. You can automate data visualizations that take complex information and make it more accessible, understandable, and usable to derive insights and enable better business decisions. Your position will provide support to all the wildfire managers by use of data linking and complete statistical analysis and system-based models. Working with wildfire models, GIS and other programs like Python, you will create new processes and or tools, data layers, as well as present figures, trends, and statistics for requested reports.

With a focus on enhancing, updating, and looking to the future of Predictive Services, you will provide the most pertinent and updated information for suppression and pre-suppression activities.

As the Wildfire Data Scientist, you will be responsible for incorporating knowledge of data science and technical skills into the Predictive Services Unit by:

•    As the wildfire data scientist, your role within Predictive Services will help shape the unit in a way that meets the business needs for data science.
•    Programming (ex. Python, etc.) to create small-scale tools, processes, or automation of data to enhance Predictive Services capacity to provide information to multiple stakeholders (internal and external partners). 
•    Data analytics and analysis using point and geospatial data.
•    Visualization of data in various formats (ex. Power Bi dashboards). 
•    Building strong relationships with the key pillar of Predictive Services (weather, fire behaviour and geospatial services) to build streamlined services in supporting wildfire management. 
•    Collaborating is important to you, and you can participate on internal departmental project teams as well as external teams. 
•    Providing oversight to analysis techniques with particular emphasis on process management and quality control as well as fulfil a technical specialist role during fire season. 

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Creative Problem Solving: Assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Systems Thinking: The work done within the APS is part of a larger integrated and inter-related environment. It is important to know that work done in one part of the APS impacts a variety of other groups/projects inside and outside the APS. Systems Thinking allows us to keep broader impacts and connections in mind.

Agility: Anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities while managing resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively working in a changing environment.

Build Collaborative Environments: Lead and contribute to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes. 

Develop Self and Others: Commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others. 

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:
A University 4-year degree in a related field, plus 2 years progressively responsible related experience or a Diploma with 4 years of experience or equivalent as described below. Related fields include data scientist, research, and data management.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered based on: 
•    1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 
•    1 year of experience for 1 year of education. 

Additional Requirements: 
•    Experience using a computer programming language like Python, or a comparable software.
•    Experience in data engineering principles (collection, storage, processing, quality control, visualization, and documentation). 
•    Experience in scientific research, principles and methodologies and working with complex data sets.

Assets: 
•    Experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data analysis.
•    Experience in GitHub.
•    Any exposure to wildfire operations or prevention.
•    Excellent communication skills to effectively interact with a wide range of stakeholders by participating on working groups and project teams, delivering presentations, and producing written guidelines, procedures, and technical document.
•    Experience in articulating applicable scientific advancements in nontechnical terms. 

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

This position is a permanent, full-time role, with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday. The incumbent may be requested to work overtime, evening, and weekends due to the emergency nature of wildfires.
 

Travel within the area and throughout the province will be required as part of your responsibilities to coordinate with Ministry staff and colleagues, other government departments, clients, and other external stakeholders.
 

Application Information:
•    In your resume include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Indicate whether your work experience is casual, part time, or full time. For example, January 15, 2006 – June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three, 8 hour shifts/week). Three (3) work-related references are required for those selected for an interview.
•    Candidates may be asked to complete a written or technical assignment as a part of the interview process.
•    Cover letters are not required.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

What We Offer:
•    Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
•    Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) – https://www.pspp.ca.
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information – https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
•    Professional learning and development – https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance..
•    Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
•    Leadership and mentorship programs.

How To Apply
Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.
 

Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/job-application-resources#before for more information. Please visit Recruitment Principles, for more information.
 

It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)(https://www.alberta.ca/international-qualifications-assessment.aspx) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information (https://canalliance.org/en/default.html).
 
It is recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.

Closing Statement
This competition may be used to fill future vacancies across the Government of Alberta at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates’ qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Michele Murphy at [email protected].