Data Science Specialist

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants

Job Profile

Non Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 4

Job Title

Data Science Specialist

Department

Research 2 | Pauly | Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries | Faculty of Science

Compensation Range

$5,220.98 - $6,124.46 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date

July 24, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Jul 31, 2026

This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

Recently, the _Sea Around Us_ obtained support from Minderoo Foundation for a project that will have an 18-month duration. This project’s objective is to update the catch reconstructions of the world’s maritime fishing nations to the most recent year (2022). This project includes the updates to 2022 or most recent year, the associated databases on price, end-use, fishing access and high seas catches.

In addition, the _Sea Around Us_ embarked on the reconstructions of the world’s inland fisheries, with the recent publication of a first in a series of such reconstructions for Canada, the USA State of Minnesota, ten country members of the ASEAN and all countries in Africa.

The _Sea Around Us_ envisions the continuation of the assessment of the world’s fish stocks based on the reconstructed catches and the estimation of maximum sustainable yields (CMSY/BSM) method developed by Rainer Froese and colleagues through the Minderoo Project.

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

Reporting directly to the Project Manager, Dr Maria L.D. Palomares, and as required to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Daniel Pauly, the Data Science Specialist works independently under mínimal supervision. The Data Science Specialist oversees and trains coding members of the _Sea Around Us_. Acts as a consultant to external research facilities including local, national and international collaborators.

WORK PERFORMED

Plan, design, develop, and implement novel algorithms or analyses or ways of visualizing _Sea Around Us_ datasets.

Supervise, train and instruct research assistants with new algorithms or database features.

Discuss and plan with the Project Manager and Principal Investigator to implement new features to the database to allow for new analysis leading to new publications and collaborations.

Plans, documents and updates the documentation repository with new procedures and updates existing routines such as price, end-use or layer allocation.

Monitor, assess, and report on database performance. Monitor algorithm performance. Work closely with internal teams to advise on data use and strategy, and content development.

Performs regular quality assurance testing and troubleshooting as needed including troubleshooting and repair of the database within specialized expertise and maintaining documentation on problems and repairs.

Reviews and maintains software, web services, servers to ensure optimum website and database health.

Performs other related duties as required by the Project Manager or Principal Investigator.

CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR

The _Sea Around Us_ Data Science Specialist will be required to exercise a considerable amount of judgment, responsibility and initiative in determining work procedures, and methods as well as coordinating the work flow pertaining to implementing algorithms and/or system analyses. Consequences of inappropriate actions could lead to the loss of valuable and irreplaceable research data, incur expensive costs on web servers, lengthy delays and downtimes for the database and website which affects _Sea Around Us_ research grant deliverable timelines, other research groups, NGOs and collaborators, and public users of our website and data. Errors in decision-making could negatively impact the reputation of the research lab, Program, Faculty and University.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Routine work is carried out independently. The Data Science Specialist reports directly to the Project Manager, Dr Maria Palomares and may defer to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Daniel Pauly for unusual occurrences.

SUPERVISION GIVEN

Provides training and supervision to a small group of employees (that is, the _Sea Around Us_ research team) in related areas of expertise.

QUALIFICATIONS

BSc or MSc in a Data Science. Minimum 3 years of related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Expertise in large biological databases, specifically in fisheries.

Proficient in relational databases such as MySQL, SQL Server and PostgreSQL.

Profi