Water Quality Specialist

at  The People People

WATER QUALITY SPECIALIST

Type: Full-Time, Fixed Term Contract, REMOTE
Duration: Approx. 3 years
Location: 1-367 Woodlawn Road W., Guelph, Ontario

ABOUT OSCIA

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is a unique not-for-profit farm organization with a significant presence in all agricultural areas of Ontario and across major sectors. OSCIA’s mission is to facilitate responsible economic management of soil, water, air, and crops through the development and communication of innovative farming practices. The Department of Research and Knowledge Transfer supports this mission by administering applied research initiatives and sharing results with members and the industry.
The People People, on behalf of our client, the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), are seeking a highly motivated Water Quality Specialist (Remote) to lead critical research and analysis initiatives focused on agricultural edge-of-field (EOF) water quality. This role involves robust data screening, quality control, and analysis of phosphorus load-reducing best management practices (BMPs), along with the development of scientific publications and accessible frameworks for water quality data governance. The successful candidate will collaborate with conservation professionals, researchers, and government staff to drive knowledge transfer, enhance BMP implementation, and support Ontario’s conservation and agricultural sustainability goals.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive data screening and quality control from historical and ongoing agricultural edge of field (EOF) datasets, where phosphorus load-reducing best management practices (BMPs) have been applied;
• Robust interrogation of the BMPs implemented at EOF sites as they relate to rates of phosphorus loss and the relationship of those rates with other management approaches, and environmental conditions;
• Lead the conceptualization and writing of multiple (2-3) scientific papers;
• Development of an accessible framework of best practices for water quality data governance, data processing, and analysis to enhance the work of other conservation industry professionals and researchers engaged in Ontario’s conservation sector;
• Collaborate with Research and Knowledge Transfer staff, government and conservation authority staff, and academic researchers to support analysis;
• Support data management, tracking, and reporting performance measures and program deliverables for applied research programs and grants;
• Support the knowledge translation and transfer of research outcomes to project stakeholders, conservation industry professionals, and Ontario farmers;
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctoral degree in environmental science or related field field (e.g. geography, hydrology, etc.). Candidates with a research-based master’s degree with commensurate work experience relevant to the above responsibilities will be considered;
• Demonstrated ability to prepare analysis-ready water quality datasets, including: knowledge of best practices for quality control, methods for interpolating tile and overland flow data, climate data, and water quality parameters (i.e., DRP, TP, TSS, NO3);
• Knowledge of statistics and data science methods to validate BMP impacts on water quality changes in these systems;
• A strong understanding of typical agricultural operations for tile-drained field crop systems in Ontario, and relevant agricultural BMPs;
• Expertise in any of the following areas is considered an asset: soil physics, soil health, climate science, and/or agricultural economics;
• Technical writing skills demonstrated by the authorship and publication of multiple scientific journal articles and white papers;
• Proficiency in computer programs including all Microsoft applications, data visualization and statistics software (R or Python), and database programs (WISKI and SQL);
• Understanding of data sharing and security principles, and experience navigating sensitive data;
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team, providing innovative and creative contributions and seeking opportunities for improvement;
• Demonstrated attention to detail, effective time management, and strong organizational skills that include setting priorities, and meeting deadlines;
• Valid Driver’s License as occasional travel may be required.

• Deliver comprehensive data screening and quality control from historical and ongoing agricultural edge of field (EOF) datasets, where phosphorus load-reducing best management practices (BMPs) have been applied;
• Robust interrogation of the BMPs implemented at EOF sites as they relate to rates of phosphorus loss and the relationship of those rates with other management approaches, and environmental conditions;
• Lead the conceptualization and writing of multiple (2-3) scientific papers;
• Development of an accessible framework of best practices for water quality data governance, data processing, and analysis to enhance the work of other conservation industry professionals and researchers engaged in Ontario’s conservation sector;
• Collaborate with Research and Knowledge Transfer staff, government and conservation authority staff, and academic researchers to support analysis;
• Support data management, tracking, and reporting performance measures and program deliverables for applied research programs and grants;
• Support the knowledge translation and transfer of research outcomes to project stakeholders, conservation industry professionals, and Ontario farmers;
• Other duties as assigned