Join Washington’s Applied Coastal Research and Engineering team (ACRE) and play a vital role in developing information to advance coastal resilience and nearshore habitat conservation work. ACRE delivers high-quality data, science-based information, technical expertise, and innovative solutions to support Washington’s coastal communities and Tribes. Through monitoring, research, and collaboration, ACRE bridges the gap between data, decision-makers, and the public to advance informed coastal management decisions that promote resilient shorelines and nearshore habitat functions. In this role, you’ll contribute to this mission by developing, processing, and analyzing marine shoreline mapping and coastal monitoring data products for public use – helping inform research, engineering, and policy decisions.
What you will do:
ACRE employs various data collection methods to study Washington’s beaches and bluffs, including topographic surveys, boat-based and aerial LiDAR, multibeam bathymetry, structure-from-motion (photogrammetry), sediment sampling, and imagery (ground photos and oblique aerials). You will help transform various forms of coastal data into formats and products that can be used for research, engineering, regulatory, and planning purposes. Your work will primarily support two key projects:
- Monitoring Washington’s Pacific Ocean Coast. For over 27 years, ACRE’s Coastal Monitoring and Analysis Program (CMAP) has been seasonally monitoring southwest Washington’s shoreline within the Columbia River Littoral Cell, amassing one of the longest continuous datasets of its kind worldwide. This data has helped inform science-based decision making along Washington’s high-energy Pacific Ocean coast since 1997 with data applications in the realms of coastal resilience, regional sediment management, offshore renewable energy, habitat restoration, nature-based solutions, and more. In this role, you will help expand and enhance outcomes from this body of work.
- Mapping Salish Sea Shorelines. In 2024, ACRE’s new Shoreline Mapping team was established to deliver three publicly available datasets mandated under Senate Bill 5104 (SB 5104) and RCW 43.21A.530. The statute directs Ecology to conduct and maintain a baseline condition survey of Puget Sound shoreline conditions using publicly available georeferenced oblique aerial and 360-degree on-the-water imagery. The first set of public shoreline data products is being released in 2025 and will be updated on a regular two-year cycle. By providing robust data for regulatory and management decisions, these efforts will improve Puget Sound shoreline resilience, habitat preservation, and contribute to long-term environmental protection goals. In this role, you will contribute to the Shoreline Mapping team’s work as they complete their first data release, engage with users, incorporate feedback and lessons learned, and transition into the next cycle of data development.
To support this work, you will:
- Follow shoreline mapping protocols and methods for mapping coastal features using geospatial information systems (GIS) from various data sources including aerial imagery, LiDAR, and geospatial databases. Collaborate with teammates and engage with end users to help refine and improve data development and outcomes.
- Help optimize data development workflows, maintain an image library of shoreline features, and develop analytical methods.
- Assess, quantify, and document positional accuracy of third-party datasets, and follow quality control and quality assurance methods for assessing derived data products.
- Process Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) topographic survey data in accordance with standard operating and quality assurance procedures.
- Support ACRE’s Coastal Geomatics Scientists in a variety of data processing, analysis, visualization, reporting, publishing, and data inventory work.
- Develop and improve data products from seasonal coastal monitoring data to help visualize and communicate observed changes.
Required Qualifications:
Eight (8) years of experience and/or education as described below:
- Experience in coastal mapping, GIS, GNSS surveying, imagery interpretation, or coastal science. Experience and/or coursework must include work in at least three of the following subjects: geospatial analysis, geodetics/geomatics, GIS and database management, physical geography, geology, geomorphology, coastal management.
- Education involving major study in a natural science or engineering discipline.
Examples of how to qualify:
- Eight years of experience.
- Seven years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- Six years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- Five years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- Four years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
- Two years of experience AND a Master’s degree.
- A Ph.D. involving major study related to coastal mapping, GIS, GNSS surveying, imagery interpretation, or coastal science.
Please Note: Academic or work experience must include a combined minimum of 2 years in at least two of the following areas: feature mapping using GIS, large database management, data product development using MATLAB, geospatial analysis in ArcGIS or specialized survey software; operating survey grade GNSS and other topographic survey equipment; and imagery interpretation and manipulation.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience manipulating and interpreting topographic survey data, aerial imagery, and other remote sensing datasets
- Experience creating and updating data products using MATLAB, Python, or similar
- Familiarity with coastal science and coastal management issues in Washington State
- Experience creating vector datasets, creating and managing domains, and creating and maintaining metadata
- Performing geospatial analyses in ArcGIS using Spatial Analyst, 3D Analyst, Raster Analysis, and other toolboxes
Note: If the selected duty station is the Northwest Region Office in Shoreline, the salary will include an additional 5% premium pay due to its location in King County. Salary range: $5,643 – $7,968 monthly.
Application deadline: April 13, 2025
