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Staff Data Scientist - Wildfire

Overstory
Location
Remote: United States | Canada
Posted
1 month ago
Department
Engineering
What they actually want (must-haves)
  • 8+ years of applied research or data science experience in wildfire science, fire ecology, forestry, remote sensing, atmospheric science, or a related quantitative field
  • Deep expertise in remote sensing and geospatial analysis, including working with satellite imagery and large-scale environmental datasets
  • Strong statistical modeling and machine learning skills in Python, with tools like GeoPandas, scikit-learn, PyTorch, or XGBoost
  • Track record of designing validation studies and evaluation frameworks for environmental or geospatial models
  • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to make complex scientific work legible across technical and non-technical audiences
Nice to have
  • Familiarity with fire behavior or fuels modeling frameworks (e.g., Rothermel-based models, LANDFIRE fuel classifications)
  • Experience integrating physics-based models with ML, or with active learning and uncertainty quantification
  • Peer-reviewed publications in wildfire science, remote sensing, or environmental modeling
  • Familiarity with GCP, Vertex AI, or similar cloud-based platforms
  • Experience in remote-first or globally distributed team
What the job really is

As a Staff Data Scientist focused on Wildfire at Overstory, you will lead the development of the Fuel Detection Model, utilizing satellite and environmental data to assess vegetation structure and wildfire risks. Your role involves designing validation methodologies, prototyping machine learning models, and collaborating with engineers to implement these solutions in production. You will also mentor team members and communicate research findings to various stakeholders, contributing to efforts that help prevent catastrophic wildfires.

Benefits
  • Competitive, location-specific compensation and benefits
  • Flexible, autonomous and collaborative working environment rooted in trust
  • Home office stipend, co-working and ongoing education budgets
  • A company culture that genuinely embodies each of our core values
  • Opportunity to be part of mission-driven work that reduces wildfires and helps solve the climate crisis
Things to weigh
  • Remote work environment with a diverse, globally distributed team
  • No specific salary range mentioned
  • The role requires strong collaboration with ML engineers and product teams, which may involve varying levels of technical communication
Job score3.4/5
Benefits3/5
Freshness4/5
Career value5/5
Role clarity5/5
Pay transparency0/5

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