Senior Data Scientist

About Us: Carbon Yield is a small, dynamic company at the forefront of agriculture and climate innovation. We specialize in creating and implementing carbon programs, primarily corporate scope 3 and supply chain programs and government opportunities to help farmers get paid for adopting regenerative and climate-smart agricultural practices. We aim to support farmers' resilience to climate change and create more equitable and sustainable food systems. Our team is supportive and tight-knit, valuing new ideas, innovative approaches, and collaboration to achieve our goals.

Position Overview: We are seeking an experienced Data Scientist with a strong technical skillset and a passion for solving complex data challenges. In this role, you will be an integral part of our data team and will collaborate closely with the COO and Research Analyst to support various projects, contribute to our expanding app, and ensure seamless data integration and analysis. The ideal candidate will bring expertise in handling messy and unstandardized data, a proactive and adaptable mindset, and a collaborative spirit.

Key Responsibilities

Data Processing and Automation:

• Perform quality control and validation of geospatial data using tools such as QGIS and Google Earth Engine, ensuring compliance with industry standards and the needs of Climate Trace’s agriculture sector.
• Develop and execute scripts to transform agricultural and environmental datasets for compatibility with carbon modeling systems, ensuring seamless data exchange with stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain Python and SQL-based tools to process, clean, and analyze agricultural and environmental data.
• Automate data pipelines and workflows to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Explore and apply AI/ML techniques for predictive analytics and data insights.
   

Application and Program Development:

• Collaborate with our contractors, including our data engineering team and UI/UX designer, to update and enhance the functionality of our custom data collection app.
• Design and implement robust data solutions to support USDA Climate-Smart Commodity grants in partnership with the Data Analyst.
• Design and implement GIS workflows to map and analyze spatial data relevant to carbon and agricultural programs.

Data Schema and Gap Analysis:

• Collaborate with the Data Analyst to create robust and flexible data schemas based on project goals, reporting metrics, and available data collection technologies.
• Identify and tackle gaps in existing internal and project data schemas where additional data points could improve outcomes.
• Stay current on emerging agricultural data and, when appropriate, draw from public datasets and journal articles to enrich Carbon Yield's work.
• Find creative ways to integrate various differently structured environmental and agricultural datasets to create new insights.

Communication and Documentation:

• Develop clear, compelling reports and presentations for both technical and non-technical audiences, creatively summarizing quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Use spreadsheet tools to organize, track, and communicate technical research insights.
• Draft survey questions and interview guides for corporate and agricultural stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of strategic frameworks and toolkits for regenerative agriculture programs.
• Author technical documents to support effective communication with partners and stakeholders.
• Communicate simply and clearly by email and in reports, slides, presentations, technical writing, and emails.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
• 8+ years of professional experience in data science, data engineering, or a related field
• Proficiency in Python and SQL, with a demonstrated ability to write clean, efficient code
• Proven experience with GIS tools and geospatial data analysis
• Knowledge of automation techniques and tools for data pipelines
• Familiarity with AI/ML applications and frameworks
• Proven ability to work with unstructured and messy datasets
• Strong collaborative skills and ability to work efficiently as part of a dynamic team
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong data visualization skills, with the ability to present insights clearly and effectively
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a remote environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant field
• Experience in the agriculture or environmental sectors
• Familiarity with carbon offset and climate-smart agricultural programs
• Experience working with app development teams

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary of $85,000- $95,000 per year
• Remote work flexibility
• Unlimited flexible time off with a yearly minimum of 3 weeks PTO
• Paid family and medical leave
• Health insurance coverage
• Opportunities to work on impactful, cutting-edge projects in the agriculture and climate space
• A collaborative and supportive team environment that values new ideas and innovative thinking
• The chance to contribute to a mission-driven organization that supports farmers and builds more sustainable food systems
   

How to Apply:
To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience to admin@carbon-yield.com. Applications are due by June 20.

Carbon Yield celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.