Job Description FINAL

Ecological Research Analyst

Did you know some people love being out in nature as much as working from home? You may find them in careers like an ecological research analyst or something to the same effect. Allow me to tell you about the time I worked as a research analyst for a study on urban ecology in New York City.

An ecological research analyst does daily field research. They also analyze data and promote environmental awareness. Unlike a typical analyst role glued to a computer, this job requires physical effort. I collected live samples from natural environments and wild animals across the city. I spent half of the work day in the marshes of the Hudson River. My job was to get samples of the water, soil, live organisms, plant matter, and other organic materials. Also, to set up test sites for the oyster baby (“spat”) castles: nurseries for the duration of the experiment. I spent the latter half of the day on my computer. I used programming languages, like R and Excel, to organize our collected data. Then, I analyzed the results. By the end of the internship, I completed most of the research and analysis. Then, our daily responsibilities shifted to finalizing my findings. I aimed to make them clear and helpful for the general public.


Three descriptions can summarize the job description of an ecological research analyst:

• Scientist
• Investigator
• Activist

I will explain this using examples of my daily responsibilities.


Scientist

The work of a scientist occurs in these ways:

• Designing and implementing research experiments in natural environments
• Collecting data samples
• Maintaining routine upkeep of ongoing experiments

For example, during my 2021 summer internship, I was part of a team of researchers who were focusing on improving the water quality of the Hudson River after years of factory-made pollution, using the water-filtering power of oysters. One of the experiments that my colleagues and I designed using concrete bricks to create a “castle” that oyster spat could latch onto if they were to be manually placed in different areas of the Hudson River. As analysts, we implemented the experiment by building these castles in different locations along the river. Each week, we collected data samples on the surrounding water quality, the number of live oysters attached to the castles, the species/size of the oysters, the soil quality, and other organic materials. Also, we assessed the damages to test sites and made improvements where necessary. This included things like replacing weathered concrete bricks, removing garbage, installing anti-raccoon cages, and putting up signs to warn the public of the test site.

Investigator

In this role, the ecological research analyst acts as a detective. We accomplished this by doing three things

• Organize data findings into understandable, categorized datasets. Share them with the scientific community.
• Conducting data analysis and finding comparable ratios from the collected data
• Transforming the data analysis into visual charts, tables, and graphs for public distribution

This is the more traditional role of an analyst. It comprises remote computer programming and simple data entry. In the lab I worked for, we used Excel and R. We reported data entry on Excel sheets. We computed ratios, graphs, tables, and other computations using R. We compared the data collected to data from several years prior. Important findings from computer programming included different pollution levels at different locations in the Hudson River. It also found oyster hotspots and weak spots. It also found that water quality improved after installing the oyster castles.


Activist

The last role of an ecological research analyst is like an environmental activist.

• Creating posters, campaigns, and infographics for public dispersion
• Attending environmental seminars
• Advocating for environmental change in public settings using findings from research

This is a less technical part of the job, but no less important. Once I analyzed the data, I made presentations, social media posts, and infographics. We used these to share our research findings with the public. Considering the complex ecological concepts, my job was to translate them into simpler terms. My colleagues and I also attended local environmental seminars across the city. We advertised and educated people on our research findings. This could've been a stepping stone for greater research. Lastly, we distributed handouts and flyers at local schools, parks, museums, and events. This raised awareness about the deteriorating health of the Hudson River. Our employers hoped that our research findings would educate the public on natural ways to improve the water quality of the river. They also wanted to highlight the detrimental effects of local sewage companies on the natural environment. If our activist work was effective then people should be spending more time improving their rivers.