Riverscapes Application Support Specialist (Researcher l)

Overview:

The Riverscapes Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) lab at Utah State University, a founding member of The Riverscapes Consortium (https://riverscapes.net), is seeking a dynamic, empathetic, and innovative problem solver to join our team. This role is dedicated to empowering individuals to effectively utilize the applications, models, and datasets produced by the Riverscapes Consortium.

The ideal candidate will have a genuine passion for river health and a commitment to supporting those striving to enhance, understand, and steward their riverscapes and watersheds. Your primary responsibility will be to facilitate access to the resources offered by the Riverscapes Consortium, catering to a diverse audience that includes researchers, practitioners, resource managers, policymakers, students, and community members.

As the first point of contact for users seeking to leverage our products or contribute to our efforts to improve riverscape health, you will play a crucial role in fostering engagement and understanding.

Joining our large and diverse team of internationally recognized researchers, restoration practitioners, and resource managers will enable you to help us reach and serve an even broader community dedicated to enhancing riverscape health.

Responsibilities:

Technical Writer, Documentation & Instructor - 60%:

• Maintaining and authoring technical resources for the Riverscapes Consortium apps, models, and datasets (https://www.riverscapes.net/page/discover). This includes the recording of how-to videos, tutorials, and authoring online documentation and knowledge base articles.
• Work with our software developers, research staff, graduate students and GIS technicians to populate and complete useful and engaging content.
• Become proficient in consuming and interpreting these tools and datasets and eventually in authoring the technical resources that support the Riverscapes Consortium apps models, and datasets.
• Lead in person and remote teaching sessions, webinars and workshops.

Helpdesk Agent - 25%:

• Act as the primary contact for inquiries from researchers, practitioners, policy makers and the general public about Riverscape Consortium apps , models, websites, and datasets. This will primarily be through issue tracking in our help desk software (https://riverscapes.freshdesk.com).

Developer Liaison - 15%:

• Liaising with Riverscapes Consortium model and tool developers to help them make their models “riverscapes compliant” and/or get their datasets curated and in the Riverscapes Data Exchange.
• Regular, in-person coordination via team meetings in Logan, Utah is expected.
• The position will involve occasional travel for field work and to participate in workshops, field trips, meetings and training with community members.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field plus two years of related experience; OR a master’s degree; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proficient in GIS and geospatial analysis.
• Strong aesthetic intuition with graphical design and/or web design skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience writing technical documentation, recording tutorial videos, preparing learning resources and authoring web ‘help’ pages.
• Some programming or scripting experience and/or aptitude (e.g., Python, MarkDown, CSS, XML, SQL, JS)
• Experience moderating user forums, discussion boards and providing online, video and phone technical support.
• Experience with any of the following technologies we regularly work with (training will be provided): GitHub, databases (e.g. SQLite), XML, MapBox, QGIS, ArcGIS.
• Teaching , mentoring or tutoring experience.
• Understanding of riverscapes from fluvial geomorphology, hydraulics, hydrology, aquatic ecology, riparian ecology, restoration ecology and management perspectives.

• Familiarity or experience with any of the Riverscapes Consortium apps, models and data products.
• Degree(s) and/or certificate(s) and coursework demonstrating interdisciplinary training in watershed sciences, geology, geosciences, ecology, geography, computer science, information technology, GIS, remote sensing, civil engineering, visual arts, communications, marketing or related fields.

Required Documents:

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Writing samples to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”
3. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary: Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA:

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

College/Department Highlights:

The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is nationally and internationally recognized for its research, extension, and teaching on natural and socio-environmental ecosystems. It is a high-impact college at Utah State University with over $15M in research funding annually, 55 tenure-track faculty in three departments, and close partnerships with federal and state natural resource agencies.

The Department of Watershed Sciences in QCNR is a powerhouse in the science of ‘wet’ ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, wetlands, reservoirs, and the watersheds that feed them. Faculty are committed to making science useful for planning, management and restoration efforts, and are well-positioned to study and solve complex, interdisciplinary problems with a cadre of ecologists, hydrologists, geomorphologists, biogeochemists, and others.

University Highlights:

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies’ long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by conference championships in multiple sports, reflecting USU's commitment to perseverance and achievement.

Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu.

• updated 01/2025

Notice of Non-discrimination:

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

• updated 09/2023