Remote Sensing Scientist & Geospatial Software Engineer, Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

Position: Remote Sensing Scientist & Geospatial Software Engineer, Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
Type: Full-time – Employee or Consultant (depending on location)
Location: Work from home/in US time zones

Company Summary
Founded in 2006, Terra Global is a woman-founded, woman-run company and small business of 41 team members globally located from its headquarters in California, USA to Nairobi, Kenya. Since its founding more than 20 years ago, Terra Global has been dedicated to attracting private sector capital to Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Terra Global has two unique, complementary business lines, 1) Climate Finance Investment Management and 2) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Natural Resource Management Technical Advisory. The Climate Finance Investment Management Team builds the investment readiness of NbS projects and programs, deploys climate finance investment capital, and provides ongoing support to build Investees’ business management capacity to deliver financial and impact returns. The GHG and Natural Resource Management Technical Team supports local partners and Investees in implementing activities on-the-ground, leveraging participatory local monitoring, and performing the work under the GHG and impact market standards to generate high-quality, multiple-benefit verified emission reductions and removals (VERRs). Having worked in over 40 countries, Terra Global has designed and supported the implementation and financing of NbS projects from the local to national scale.

Position Responsibilities
Terra Global is seeking a full-time Remote Sensing Scientist and Geospatial Software Engineer to join a multidisciplinary, global team. The right candidate brings expertise in the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) sector (see further requirements below). This position is for someone who is energized by solving problems using location-based data and takes pride in developing solutions that will drive climate finance to communities and governments for sustainable landscape management. The position requires understanding both GIS/RS and software development to leverage local knowledge with global data sets.
The position requires working closely with a technical team and collaboratively with team members with diverse skill sets.

The position will be responsible for:

• Executing the workflow of remote sensing analysis (data acquisition, re-projection, geometric correction, radiometric correction, classification, and map production).
• Collecting, generating and managing spatial data at project, regional and global scales.
• Collecting imagery and data to perform land cover classification.
• Performing landcover classification and post classification processes.
• Running and improving the existing Python code to manipulate large raster datasets.
• Developing code to complement our existing suite of TerraCover©, TerraChange©, Terrafolio©
• Executing land-use change modeling and GHG accounting at site-based and jurisdictional scales.
• Contribute to developing biomass calculations associated with land-use change.
• Work closely with project managers to review spatial data received from partners.
• Developing technical aspects of AFOLU GHG projects and programs and provide guidance to project developers regarding project typology, eligible methodologies and mechanics of carbon monitoring, reporting and verification.
• Contribute to creation and review of carbon feasibility studies, Project Documents and Monitoring and Implementation Reports including background research and creation of content.
• Visiting project sites in developing countries, for data gathering and sharing, mapping and collecting ground-truthing data.

Essential Skills and Qualifications
A minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressive, relevant GIS/RS experience in applications that involve forestry, agriculture and/or land-use change analysis in developing countries. At least a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Forestry, Geography, Remote Sensing/Geospatial Science or related field, or equivalent experience is required.

The candidate’s required skills are:
Technical Skills

• Expertise in Nature-based Solutions (NbS), including an understanding of the technical requirements of all main NbS standards
• Experience in the audit process for validation and verification of emissions reductions and removals credits (e.g., methodologies, process) and technical GHG protocol aspects.
• In-depth understanding of ESRI ArcGIS platform, including ArcGIS Desktop/Pro, Server, Enterprise/Portal, and Image Server.
• Knowledge of open-source geospatial solutions like QGIS and Google Earth Engine.
• Knowledge of acquisition, management, interpretation, and exploitation of remote sensing data including spaceborne, airborne, and UAV data and imagery, mosaics, and LiDAR
• In-depth technical knowledge and skills including geo-database design and spatial relationships.
• Technical knowledge and skills performing land use and land cover change maps using different sources of satellite imageries including multispectral imagery and radar data.
• Good understanding of Python, including GDAL package and JavaScript.
• Fluency with the MS Office suite, including formatting in Word and advanced Excel skills.

Other Skills

• Passion/persistence to work as a team-player and contribute to a company dedicated to Nature-based Solutions (NbS) program approaches.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills: Verbal, written, and presentational.
• High-level attention to detail.
• Proactive and positive attitude; strong willingness to contribute effectively and positively to a multidisciplinary, global private company.
• Highly motivated to meet corporate and personal/professional Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), as assigned annually.
• Knowledge and strong understanding of machine learning packages.
• Knowledge of public cloud services (AWS) and CI/CD tools.
• Thorough understanding of (geo-)statistics and data extraction and analysis.
• Experience with GHG market standards, guidelines and protocols.
• Actively working to learn new skills in order to stay ahead of with changing technologies and industry trends and shares knowledge proactively with others.
• Able to apply business knowledge to develop and deliver innovative, beneficial improvements.
• Excellent collaboration skills, required both in-person and fully remote.
• Demonstrable ability to operate and effectively communicate while under pressure, as well as the ability to lead a diverse workload and work under time constraints.
• This position requires occasional travel up to 20%.
• Skilled in communicating technical topics to non-technical audiences.
• Possess either English or Spanish writing and speaking skills, English understanding is required.
• Experience working in an international environment, specifically in developing countries.

What We Offer

• “18 Years of Passion and Persistence for People and the Planet”: work for a successful, mission driven social enterprise that is an industry leader in facilitating financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable landscapes in developing countries and emerging economies
• Professional Growth: thrive on the opportunity to learn through training and development with dedicated professionals working from different countries around the world
• Collaboration: join a great team atmosphere and a corporate culture based on mutual respect, partnerships, flat reporting structures and the opportunity to work from home.

Compensation
$68k - $100k base per year for US based staff, commensurate with qualifications and home working location.

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications through Terra Global Capital’s Careers webpage, available .