Description

The Soil Health Institute (SHI), www.soilhealthinstitue.org a non-profit organization created to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement, seeks to hire a full-time Research Soil Scientist to lead modeling and reporting of spatially diverse soil health data through an online soil health portal. The research soil scientist will be responsible for receiving soil health indicator data from partnering laboratories, performing regionally appropriate quality assurance and control (QA/QC), and returning modeled benchmarking data for portal user interpretations. Year one of the position will focus on working with front-end software developers and scientists at SHI to develop a streamlined workflow for receiving data from multiple commercial soils laboratories and applying and modifying appropriate models from previously collected on-farm data.

The selected individual will be supervised by Liz Rieke, PhD, Soil Microbiome Scientist and Program Director and as part of the SHI Data team, including data currator, field operations, and research soil scientists. This position will work with SHI as a full-time employee for a minimum of 12 months, with possible extension of employment based on satisfactory performance and project needs. We seek a self-motivated individual interested in building science-based and data driven outreach materials through a software portal and working with both external practitioners and the SHI science and outreach teams. Remote work is acceptable, with periodic travel as needed. Position start date is flexible but preferred by March 15, 2026.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities:

• Communicate with external software developers and commercial soil testing laboratories to develop a workflow to receive laboratory data, perform appropriate QA/QC, and submit sample reruns as necessary
• Enthusiastic about building a farmer and farm-advisor facing soil health assessment and reporting infrastructure that enable successful adoption of soil health practices
• Deploy and modify existing empirical models (currently multivariate and Bayesian) built with regional and continental measurements made on commercial farms and ranches to provide users with regionally relevant interpretations of their soil health data
• Develop new empirical models and interpret new data received through the soil health portal
• Work with external front end software developers to create systems for better data and results visualizations (e.g. a strong interest in IU/UX)
• Collaborate with other SHI scientists to develop soil health interpretations at multiple spatial scales (field, supply shed, and regional) for many stakeholders, (e.g. growers, advisors, aggregators, brands)
• Publish work in solving knowledge gaps in scientific peer review journals

Qualifications: 

We value diverse perspectives and recognize that each applicant for this role will bring unique skills, knowledge, and experience. Candidates who meet at least some of the criteria below are encouraged to apply.  

Education: Ph.D. in agronomy, soil science or other agricultural science degree program 

Experience: Demonstrated experience with empirical modeling and soil data analysis; deep understanding of soil data and QA/QC processes; familiarity with accessing and updating relational databases; and knowledge of how agronomic management decisions influence soil functioning and cropping systems—ideally across multiple regions.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Strong proficiency in data processing and analysis using a modern data stack (Python, R, PostgreSQL)
• Comfortable working in collaborative development environments (e.g., VS Code, Git)
• Experience integrating APIs and geospatial data Solid foundation in statistics, particularly as applied to pedometrics
• Ability to coordinate data collection from multiple laboratories and maintain positive working relationships with lab personnel
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of facilitating cross-project collaboration and decision-making
• Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to thrive in a remote working environment
• Must be currently authorized to work for any employer in the United States and hold a valid U.S. driver’s license