Hyperspectral Scanning Assistant

About the role

This multi-year position is dependent on restricted funding and project duration, focusing on digitizing the Missouri Botanical Garden's extensive herbarium collection and creating AI models for automatic plant species identification. The role will contribute to global efforts in research, conservation, land management, and policymaking.

Responsibilities

• Pulls, takes hyperspectral scans, ensures data quality, and refiles specimens in coordination with other Herbarium and research staff.
• Saves hyperspectral scans to a Missouri Botanical Garden server.
• Engages in quality control checks to ensure the highest standards in hyperspectral data quality.
• Develops and tests workflows to optimize scanning efficiency and improve data quality.
• Attends curatorial mentorship workshops, lectures, and other events to grow capacity in taxonomy and Herbarium curation.
• Fills out specimen forms, updates scientific names, reads taxonomic literature, and identifies plant collections in one or more target families.
• Ensures adherence to safety standards and reports accidents.
• Follows and adheres to established policies and procedures.
• Behaves and communicates in a manner that promotes teamwork and cooperation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• One to three years of related experience in general data entry, preferably in the context of herbaria or other research collections.
• Basic knowledge of scientific data collection, metadata capture, and archival file storage.
• Basic knowledge of botanical terminology.
• Excellent typing skills and data entry skills.
• Ability to read cursive writing.
• Punctuality, dependability, self-starter, and multitasking abilities.
• Effective communication and problem-solving skills.
• Physical demands: ability to sit or stand for long periods, utilize a computer keyboard, lift and carry up to 30 pounds, and perform tasks at varying heights.

Qualifications/Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree, ideally in a field relevant to botany, is required.
• Basic knowledge of scientific data collection, metadata capture, and archival file storage, desired.
• Basic knowledge of botanical terminology is strongly desired.
• Excellent typing skills and data entry skills.
• Ability to read and comprehend instructions and information to effectively execute and achieve results.