Science and Conservation Associate

Location: Laguna Beach, California
Organization: Laguna Ocean Foundation (LOF)
Status: Part-time (Contingent upon funding)

About Laguna Ocean Foundation

The Laguna Ocean Foundation (LOF) is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring Laguna Beach’s coastal ecosystems through science, education, conservation, and community engagement. Working with universities, government agencies, and community partners, LOF is advancing innovative coastal monitoring by integrating field ecology with drones, GIS, machine learning, environmental DNA (eDNA), and citizen science.

Position Summary

LOF seeks a motivated Science and Conservation Associate to support the technical foundation of its research and conservation programs. This position transforms field observations into high-quality geospatial data that inform ecological monitoring, restoration, conservation planning, and public education across Laguna Beach’s Marine Protected Areas.

The Associate will manage geospatial workflows—from drone and underwater ROV surveys through machine-learning analysis, GIS integration, habitat mapping, and scientific visualization. Working closely with LOF biologists, university researchers, GIS specialists, and interns, the Associate will help build one of California’s most comprehensive long-term coastal spatial datasets while supporting scientific publications, grant-funded research, StoryMaps, and emerging conservation technologies.

Position contingent upon funding.

Primary Responsibilities

Remote Sensing & Field Operations

●      Conduct drone surveys under FAA Part 107 regulations.

●      Operate underwater ROVs to document marine habitats.

●      Coordinate field logistics, equipment, permits, and data collection.

GIS & Spatial Analysis

●      Process drone imagery into ortho-mosaics and elevation models.

●      Maintain GIS databases and produce habitat, species, and change-detection maps.

●      Integrate remote sensing with biological field data.

Artificial Intelligence & Data Science

●      Develop and apply machine-learning models for habitat and species classification.

●      Improve classification workflows and support Python-based geospatial automation.

Research & Communication

●      Collaborate with scientists and partner institutions on applied conservation research.

●      Assist with scientific publications, technical reports, grant proposals, and conference presentations.

●      Develop Story-Maps, dashboards, and visual products that communicate science to diverse audiences.

Training & Program Support

●      Mentor interns and volunteers in GIS, drone operations, and data collection.

●      Help establish standardized monitoring and data management protocols.

Required Qualifications

●      Bachelor’s degree in GIS, Geography, Environmental Science, Marine Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Ecology, or related field (or equivalent experience).

●      At least one year of experience in remote sensing, GIS, spatial analysis, or environmental monitoring.

●      Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro and/or QGIS.

●      Experience with Python for geospatial analysis or machine learning.

●      Experience processing drone imagery using photogrammetry.

●      Familiarity with image classification or computer vision workflows.

●      Knowledge of geospatial data management and reproducible workflows.

●      FAA Part 107 certification (or ability to obtain).

●      Excellent organizational, communication, and technical writing skills.

Preferred Qualifications

●      Experience in coastal or marine ecosystems.

●      Underwater ROV experience.

●      Familiarity with eDNA, ecological monitoring, or conservation research.

●      Experience working with universities, government agencies, or nonprofits.

●      Grant writing or peer-reviewed publication experience.

●      Experience with ArcGIS Online, StoryMaps, Dashboards, or web GIS.

●      Knowledge of TensorFlow, PyTorch, Detectron2, or similar frameworks.

●      Experience with cloud-based geospatial workflows.

Please send your resume and cover letter to: Please send in your material by July 31 to info@lagunaoceanfoundation.org