Data Management Specialist

Position Title: Data Management Specialist

Position Level: 6

Position Type: Full Time, Term

Office/Program:  Western Bat Program

Position Location: Remote in Canada

Date Written/Revised: 17 July 2026

Reports To: Cori Lausen, Director of Bat Conservation

Supervises (Direct supervision only): N/A

Term: September 14 2026-June 30 2027

Salary: $61,880-$72,800 annually

Start date: 14 September 2026

Position Contact: Dana Blouin, Program Manager

Benefits: 4 weeks’ vacation, Paid sick and Personal emergency leave, Self-care days, Health and Dental care, Life insurance, RRSP match, DEIJA Team, Weekly Wellness sessions, Mentorship program.

Application Closing Date: August 3, 2026

Position Summary

The Data Management Specialist will work with internal staff to support the development and maintenance of a comprehensive conservation database, coordinate the management and quality assurance of ecological data, and contribute to reporting, visualization, and analytical needs within the Western Bat Program of Wildlife Conservation Society Canada.

Principal Objectives

• Lead the completion and operationalization of the Bat Conservation Database, a collaborative initiative with the WCS Global Conservation Technology team.
• Establish reliable data pipelines and standards for long-term ecological datasets.
• Support ongoing database maintenance, data governance, and analytical workflows.
• Enhance program capacity through analytical report development.
• Complete QAQC testing of existing datasets.
• Train and support database users.
• Translate business requirements into technical specifications.

Principal Responsibilities

Data Management & Engineering

• Translate business requirements into technical specifications, including proposed updates to the Bat Conservation Database data model.
• Support development of, maintain, and optimize the Bat Conservation SQL database.
• Clean, standardize, and validate long-term spatial ecological datasets.
• Manage data entry and quality assurance across Excel and database systems.
• Coordinate biological sample tracking and liaise with laboratories.
• Support Bat Team staff through coding/programming for analyses, and custom scripts for manipulating data.
• Maintain photo and media metadata inventories.
• Prepare and archive bat acoustic datasets for analysis and long-term storage.
• Support broader organizational data needs as required.

Technical Support & Troubleshooting

• Monitor database performance and troubleshoot system issues.
• Implement data security protocols, including access control and backups.
• Manage cloud-based storage systems of various data types and SharePoint environments.

Collaboration & Organizational Contribution

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including technical staff and WCS global partners, to deliver data solutions.
• Serve as the primary data resource contact for the Western Bat Program.
• Provide database training and support for staff.
• Contribute to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that promotes engagement and belonging.
• Support WCS Canada’s goal of transforming WCS Canada’s conservation practice through reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. 

Analyses, Analytics & Reporting

• Configure the query tool to support simple reporting.
• Support the development of reports and dashboards.
• Conduct statistical and spatial analyses of historic data.
• Conduct statistical and spatial analyses to support current and future projects, advising on data collection methods.
• Support dissemination of results through summaries of analyses/analytics.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Eligibility requirements per funding source:

• • Age 30 or less at the start of the placement; 
  • Be Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, or Protected Persons as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; 
  • Not a student or currently enrolled in school or an academic program;
  • Be legally entitled to work in Canada; and 
  • Be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations.
  • Not an existing or previous employee of the employer

• Bachelor's degree, Graduate degree, or College diploma in Data Science, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of relational databases and SQL.
• Proficient with coding/programming languages (e.g., Python, R).
• Experience with GIS platforms (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS)
• 1-2 years of experience in a similar role.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Familiarity with spatial biological datasets.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong organizational and communication (verbal and written) skills.
• Be able to work both independently and as part of a small team.
• Strong problem-solving skills, detail oriented, and resourceful.
• A passion for the conservation of nature and wildlife.

Preferred Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Experience with stats packages and conducting statistical and spatial analyses
  • Statistical and spatial analyses of data, advise on collection methods, and support dissemination of results through summaries of analyses/analytics.
• Experience with database tool development including configuration of query tools, development of reports and dashboards.
• Experience with designing and implementing ETL processes to integrate data from multiple sources
• Experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau.

Location

This position can be conducted virtually, but preference will be given to those living in the Pacific or Mountain time zones.

For the job posting:

How to apply

Please submit your resume with a cover letter explaining your interest in this position and relevant skills and experience.

For questions regarding the position, please contact Dana Blouin at dblouin@wcs.org

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Okechukwu Ezibe at oezibe@wcs.org

Application closing date: August 3, 2026

WCS Canada does not use AI to screen, assess or select applicants.

Accessibility and inclusivity

WCS Canada is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. We are dedicated to providing accommodations throughout the hiring process, in accordance with applicable accessibility and human rights legislation.

If you require accommodations at any stage of the recruitment or selection process, please contact us via email at wcscanadahr@wcs.org or by phone at 437-770-2776. We will work with you to meet your needs in a timely and respectful manner.

We recognize that strong candidates may hesitate to apply if they do not meet every listed qualification. If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity and believe you have relevant experience and skills, we encourage you to apply.

About WCS Canada

WCS Canada (www.wcscanada.org) was established as a Canadian conservation organization in July 2004. We are committed to championing accessibility, diversity, and equal opportunity. Our mission is to save wildlife and wild places by improving our understanding of and seeking solutions to critical problems that threaten key species and large wild ecosystems throughout Canada. We implement and support comprehensive field studies that gather information on wildlife needs and then seek to resolve key conservation problems by working with a broad array of actors. WCS Canada has a track record of our science being recognized as relevant, credible and legitimate by researchers, NGOs and agencies. WCS Canada is independently registered and managed, while retaining a strong collaborative working relationship with sister Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) programs in more than 60 countries.

Diversity and inclusion are core WCS Canada values. We value the diversity of the people we employ and work with and we strive to provide an inclusive and equitable workplace in which we recognize the unique characteristics, skills and experiences of all employees. We are committed to engaging our employees in our diversity, equity and inclusion work and together we aim to create a workplace where all staff feel they belong and can grow.

WCS Canada’s programs occur on the homelands of Indigenous Peoples whose relationships various governments are described in historic Treaties, modern land claim agreements, and negotiations around unceded lands. We recognize and support Indigenous Peoples in Indigenous-led conservation initiatives as well as the international ecological and social commitments and responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples that Canada has signed, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Our commitment to collaboration with Indigenous Peoples ranges from provision of scientific advice to co-creation of research and conservation priorities. We respect Indigenous knowledge systems and include Indigenous ways of knowing in research and conservation programs. We engage in land use planning and impact assessment processes that affect Indigenous Peoples, seeking ways to advance conservation as well as opportunities to sustain the livelihoods and cultures of Indigenous communities. We seek to motivate positive conservation outcomes by supporting effective governance and decision-making processes by Indigenous communities, particularly by supporting Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas.  

WCS Canada is committed to contributing to the field of conservation science and the professional development of its employees. Employees are encouraged to participate in professional societies and present their research at conferences and meetings, as well as participate in relevant workshops and training opportunities. Employees are likewise encouraged to mentor graduate students, participate in relevant graduate student committees, and pursue adjunct status with universities as appropriate.