Research Scientist, Geoscience Data Manager

Position Summary:
This position will be based in the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy within the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology at the University of Nevada, Reno. The position will be responsible for collecting, compiling, cataloguing, maintaining and publicly-disseminating information related to Nevada’s geothermal resources, including geotechnical reports, well datasets, geological, geophysical and hydrological data, and core samples from geothermal drilling in Nevada. This will include new geothermal data generated by ongoing geothermal exploration, development, and research, such as the US Department of Energy-funded FORGE (Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy) project in Fallon, Nevada. A major goal of this position is to facilitate future scientific breakthroughs, resource exploration, and sustainable development of Nevada’s geothermal resources by ensuring that various user groups can access the most up-to-date, quality-controlled geothermal geoscientific datasets and information. This involves: 1) the diligent curation, electronic conversion, and image capture of legacy and new materials and physical samples, 2) development and maintenance of digital, interoperable databases to store Nevada’s geochemical, geophysical and geological data as related to geothermal resources, and 3) delivery of information on the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology ( NBMG )/Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy ( GBCGE )/National Geothermal Data System ( NGDS ) websites through various interactive and ArcGIS web interfaces to ensure the data are discoverable and accessible. You will be joining a vibrant, motivated team in the GBCGE , who are dedicated to geothermal science and increasing our understanding of the geothermal resource potential in the Great Basin region of the western USA .

Position Duties:

• Design, develop, and maintain geothermal databases to store digital geoscientific data for the GBCGE and NBMG ;
• Contribute to UNR’s data management responsibilities for the FORGE project;
• Coordinate the systematic digitization of legacy physical collections (reports etc.);
• Systematically update core geothermal datasets, via liaison with the Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ), Nevada Division of Minerals ( NDOM ), and the geothermal industry to obtain new data;
• Develop innovative web-interfaces for effective, reliable delivery of our geoscientific data;
• Assist with the development of seamless, automated data update protocols between the relational databases, and web-delivery systems.

Position Duration:
This position is funded for up to 2 years, with potential for extension (contingent on obtaining additional funding).

Location and Work Environment:
The University of Nevada, Reno has a growing and increasingly diverse student population of approximately 21,000, including over 2,800 graduate students. The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. We are an inclusive and engaged community and recognize the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience. The city of Reno offers an excellent quality of life, with entertainment and cultural opportunities in excess of most cities of similar size. The city lies one hour from Lake Tahoe and four hours east of San Francisco in the valley of the Truckee River on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, and has a mild high desert climate. A highly rated location for living and outdoor recreation, the Reno area also enjoys a flourishing and diverse intellectual, artistic, and cultural community.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters degree in computer science, IT, geology, geophysics, engineering or related field.
• Substantial experience with the management and/or development of relational database management systems using programs such as Microsoft Access and/or Oracle, and SQL (structured query language).

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with geoscientific datasets (e.g. geological, geochemical, hydrological, well header, and geophysical) and a good understanding of the formats and relevance of such geoscience data.
• Experience with programming languages to support database querying, development of forms, and online data delivery, such as Java, Microsoft Visual Basic, and Python.
• Experience in development of web delivery platforms for scientific and/or geospatial datasets.
• Experience in using ARC – GIS .

Contact Information for this Position

Bridget Ayling at 775-682-8768 or bayling@unr.edu

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please submit the following materials with your application;

Resume/CV

Cover letter addressing your interest, qualifications, and experience relevant to this position

Contact information for three professional references

Academic transcripts of relevant degrees