Data Scientist

SEI is recruiting a highly motivated Data Scientist with a strong research background in environmental and social data processing and analysis, and a strong drive for innovation. The successful candidate will contribute to an exciting and innovative development in global supply chain sustainability – the Transparency for Sustainable Economies (Trase) platform (http://www.trase.earth).
The successful candidate will be part of a team of international researchers working on the technical development of the Trase platform, including the acquisition, processing and integration of diverse datasets as well as new research on land-use change and sustainability inspired by Trase.
Your main responsibilities are:
• Designing and maintaining automated data processing systems that are robust and comprehensible, and help manage data access for a wide range of Trase partners and user groups.
• Providing oversight for the curation and production of social and environmental indicators including derived geospatial analytical products.
• Developing innovative data-driven visualizations for internal use and external communication on the platform.
• Improving interoperability of Trase with other data sources including linked open data, social and financial networks, social media and other sustainability platforms.
• Support ongoing efforts to improve and expand the SEI-PCS supply chain mapping approach that underpins Trase to new countries and commodities, helping acquire, archive, format, process and analyse large datasets on production, trade and different measures of environmental and social impact and sustainability performance

We are looking for a person with a strong interest in data science and quantitative analyses to help understand some of the major environmental and sustainability challenges the world is facing in the 21st Century. Key requirements for this position are:
• PhD - or Master with 5 years of relevant research experience and a background in environmental or sustainability science, computer science, physics, mathematics, or a related field.
• Documented experience in creating organized systems and protocols for processing large, complex assemblages of data
• Fluency in R, Python or both, as well as an ability to use linux/command line systems and a basic knowledge of PostgreSQL and minimum competence in GIS.
• Previous experience in applied sustainability research, ideally with focus on quantitative analysis of trade flows, consumption accounting, or the environmental and social impacts of land-use change is highly preferred.
• Fluency in English.
To succeed in this role, you can work both independently and in team in a highly flexible and exciting research environment, whilst also being comfortable investing time as needed in basic data preparation and processing routines. You have an ability and interest to independently acquire new technical skills quickly. As you are part of a team, you find motivation in supporting more junior colleagues.
An ability to create simple (web) applications for interactive data visualization (d3.js, shiny), experience with version control (Git) and collaborative software development (GitHub), AWS S3 and EC2 services and advanced skills in GIS and geospatial analysis, including handling and analysis of satellite imagery are strongly preferred but not required. Language skills in other widely spoken languages, particularly Bahasa Indonesian, Spanish, and/or Portuguese are regarded as an advantage as the Trase team is engaged in these regions.

Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is an independent, international research institute founded in 1989. Its mission is to support decision-making and induce change towards sustainable development around the world by providing integrative knowledge that bridges science and policy in the field of environment and development. SEI is ranked as the most influential environment think tank in the world in the Global Go To Think Tank Report 2016, compiled by the University of Pennsylvania's Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program.
SEI has about 230 employees working at research centres in six countries around the world. Our Headquarters and Stockholm Research Centre are co- located in Stockholm, Sweden with other centers in Estonia (SEI Tallinn); United Kingdom (SEI York and SEI Oxford); the United States (SEI Boston with sub-units in Seattle and locations in California); Bangkok, Thailand (SEI Asia Centre); and Nairobi, Kenya (SEI Africa Centre).