Senior Water Data Scientist

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in our office in Washington, DC or Mexico City, Mexico.  Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment. 

The Senior Water Data Scientist will serve as the technical and scientific lead for a flagship initiative focused on advancing how the impacts of nature-based solutions (NBS) and green-gray infrastructure (GGI) on water security outcomes are measured and monitored across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and beyond. This role will help shape a next-generation approach to understanding causal inference and attribution for how NBS influence water availability, water quality, hydrologic regulation, drought resilience, flood risk, and watershed resilience, by convening partners to build the scientific methodologies and digital architecture that will make monitoring and measuring the water outcomes of NBS credible and accessible at scale.

The Senior Water Data Scientist will work with an interdisciplinary team across WRI’s Cities4Forests, Water Program, Global Nature Watch, Data Lab, and regional offices to identify, evaluate, and apply the best available science, data, models, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, and other emerging technologies for impact measurement and monitoring (IMM). The role will help bridge cutting-edge scientific research with practical implementation needs for utilities, investors, governments, and practitioners.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• planetary causal inference -> integrating planetary-scale data and localized information to derive insights about causality
• AI, machine learning and data-driven environmental modeling -> Orchestrating research and scientific development with AI, such as expertise with geospatial foundation models (GFMs), experience with AI-assisted coding, and firm foundation in statistical and machine learning methods
• remote sensing and Earth observation
• geospatial analytics and environmental monitoring
• environmental data systems and impact measurement frameworks
• hydrology and watershed science
• forest-water dynamics and ecosystem processes
• integrated water resources management

The role requires a strong ability to synthesize emerging science and technology into actionable methodologies, frameworks, and recommendations that support investment-ready, scientifically credible approaches to monitoring water outcomes from NBS and GGI.

Scientific Leadership (50%)

• Lead the technical development of research and analytical approaches related to measuring and monitoring the impacts of NBS and GGI on water security outcomes in LAC.
• Lead and contribute to landscape syntheses, technical assessments, and methodological reviews related to hydrology, watershed monitoring, Earth observation, remote sensing, AI-enabled analytics, and environmental data systems.
• Identify scientific, methodological, and data gaps that constrain credible measurement of water outcomes from NBS and GGI and help define pathways for future innovation and system-scale monitoring breakthroughs.
• Evaluate the strengths, limitations, feasibility, and investment relevance of existing and emerging monitoring approaches, indicators, and data products.
• Develop scientifically rigorous and policy-relevant recommendations for impact measurement and monitoring frameworks, indicators, methodologies, and monitoring strategies.
• Possibility to manage other technical experts to deliver the project.

AI-Enabled Methods & Monitoring (20%)

• Manage, analyze, and synthesize large and complex environmental datasets, including hydrologic, geospatial, remote sensing, climate, and ecological datasets.
• Contribute technical expertise to the development of pilot monitoring approaches and applied field implementations with regional partners.
• Support development and evaluation of advanced analytical approaches, including geospatial modeling, machine learning, AI-enabled workflows, and satellite-based monitoring systems where relevant.
• Author and co-author high-quality knowledge products including reports, technical papers, synthesis documents, presentations, blogs, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Help shape a long-term “technical vision” related to scalable water monitoring systems, foundational environmental datasets, and future “water cycle intelligence” approaches.

Project Development and Project Management (15%)

• Co-lead the development and implementation of a multi-year initiative advancing water security impact measurement and monitoring for nature-based solutions and green-gray infrastructure.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary collaboration across WRI teams and external partners, including research institutions, utilities, NGOs, technical advisors, and implementation partners.
• Manage technical workstreams, project deliverables, timelines, peer review processes, and partner relationships to ensure high-quality project execution.
• Co-lead the design and implementation of pilot projects and demonstration activities to test, validate, and refine monitoring approaches under real-world conditions.
• Contribute to fundraising, proposal development, strategic partnerships, and donor engagement to expand WRI's water security and environmental data portfolio.

Stakeholder Engagement (15%)

• Engage with technical experts, research institutions, NGOs, governments, utilities, companies, and other stakeholders (including those in Latin America and the Caribbean) to support knowledge exchange, collaboration, and applied learning.
• Coordinate and contribute technical expertise to technical advisory group, including leading discussions, workshops, webinars, and external convenings.
• Prepare presentations, briefings, and technical materials for internal and external audiences, including funders and senior decision-makers.
• Help communicate complex scientific and technical concepts to non-technical audiences in clear, actionable, and decision-relevant ways.
• Support coordination of project reporting, partner communications, and funder deliverables.

What will you need:

• Education: A BA or BS degree (Graduate Degree preferred) in a relevant field: environmental science (such as hydrology, ecology, or water resource management), geographic science (such as remote sensing and satellite technology), or data science and programming (such as computer science, machine learning or artificial intelligence), or a related field required. Master’s Degree or PhD strongly preferred.
• Experience: A minimum of 10 years of full-time work experience in environmental or climate science or a related field with rigorous quantitative and/or scientific components and a demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of interdisciplinary and multicultural teams. Experience working with Artificial Intelligence and data science is important. You have a proven ability to synthesize data analysis and research into policy-relevant written products.
• Languages: Written and verbal proficiency in English, additional proficiency in Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.