Marine Spatial Data Analyst (Maternity Cover

Role Overview

You will take ownership of the spatial data systems that underpin community-based fisheries management, ensuring that field teams, partners, and decision-makers have access to accurate, timely, and well-structured geographic information. Day to day, this means maintaining databases, refining dashboards, wrangling marine spatial datasets, and turning complex analyses into practical tools that non-specialists can confidently use. Your work will directly shape how coastal communities and conservation partners plan and adapt their fishing practices, so reliability and clarity in everything you produce are essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain the organisation’s spatial databases, including data ingestion, quality control, versioning, and documentation of all workflows.
• Design and build interactive dashboards and visualization products that make fisheries and marine spatial data accessible to programme staff and community partners.
• Support marine spatial planning analyses, including zoning scenarios, habitat-use overlays, and fishing pressure mapping, using reproducible methods.
• Work closely with the data science and ecology teams to align spatial data infrastructure with evolving programme needs and research questions.
• Develop and maintain clear documentation, metadata standards, and best-practice guidelines for spatial data management across distributed teams.
• Respond to ad hoc spatial data requests from field teams and partners, translating their questions into structured analyses and clear outputs.
• Identify gaps or inefficiencies in current spatial data systems and proactively propose improvements, testing solutions and integrating feedback.
• Facilitate training or knowledge-sharing sessions to help colleagues use spatial tools and dashboards effectively and confidently.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience (typically 3+ years) in spatial data management, GIS analysis, or a closely related role involving marine or environmental data.
• Strong proficiency with open-source geospatial tools such as QGIS, PostGIS, GDAL, and spatial packages in R or Python; familiarity with cloud-based data storage is a plus.
• Practical experience designing and deploying dashboards using tools like R Shiny, Plotly, or similar interactive visualization frameworks.
• Solid understanding of relational database administration, SQL, and best practices for managing large, multi-source spatial datasets.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences, including community partners and field-based staff.
• Comfort working independently in a remote setting, managing competing priorities, and collaborating across different time zones and cultural contexts.
• A genuine commitment to conservation and community-led approaches to natural resource management.
• Relevant degree in geography, marine science, environmental data science, or a related field; equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is a full-time, remote role that gives you the freedom to shape how spatial data supports community-led conservation across multiple countries. You will join a small, highly collaborative data science team where your expertise directly influences real-world management decisions, and you’ll have the opportunity to travel internationally, building relationships with colleagues, field teams, and the coastal communities whose work depends on reliable data. If you are someone who thrives on turning messy spatial information into clear, actionable insight and enjoys working across cultures and time zones, this role offers meaningful impact and genuine professional growth.