Drone Pilot - Rainforest Builder

Rainforest Builder is Africa’s leading forest restoration company, on a mission to restore one million hectares of degraded land to natural tropical forest. Our team combines top global scientists and foresters into one integrated company specialized in large-scale tropical forest restoration. We have well-established partnerships with many of the world’s largest companies to support them meeting their decarbonisation goals.

Our operations today focus on the restoration of Africa’s most degraded rainforest landscape, the Upper Guinean Forest, where we have two existing projects and a growing high-quality pipeline for further expansion. Each project is large scale (100,000 hectares+) and long-term (71+ years), with additional measures taken to ensure permanence long after we are gone.

We directly undertake all stages of each project’s lifecycle, including origination, carbon asset development, forestry operations, monitoring and analytics. Working closely with communities, our 2,000-strong team therefore provides our partners with complete assurance on the quality and transparency of our operations.

Your Role

In this full-time role, you will be at the forefront of Rainforest Builder Ghana's reforestation efforts, supporting large-scale land restoration through precise drone-based surveys and advanced GIS analysis. Your work will play a pivotal role in guiding our restoration planning and forest monitoring, ensuring the accuracy and impact of our carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation goals. We seek a committed professional prepared to fully engage with our mission and contribute consistently to our long-term vision.

Your Responsibilities

The Drone Pilot will play a crucial role in supporting our reforestation efforts through aerial surveys, data collection, and processing. Key responsibilities include:

• Aerial Surveys: Conduct aerial surveys of restoration sites using drones to capture high-resolution imagery and video data.
• Data Collection & Processing: Collect, process, and analyze aerial data to support mapping, vegetation analysis, and land assessment.
• Classification: Perform supervised and unsupervised classification of aerial imagery to generate land cover maps and other critical datasets.
• Python Scripting: Use Python scripting (with libraries such as Rasterio, GDAL, and OpenCV) to automate drone data processing, analyze imagery, and enhance efficiency.
• Equipment Maintenance: Ensure drones and related equipment are well-maintained, regularly calibrated, and in optimal working condition.
• Collaboration & Support: Work closely with the Planning team, foresters, and other stakeholders to integrate concession boundaries and aerial data into restoration planning and monitoring.
• Map & Data Requests: Handle general GIS map and data requests from other departments, ensuring timely and accurate delivery of information.
• Reporting: Prepare and deliver reports on drone survey findings, including maps, 3D models, and vegetation health assessments.

Requirements

• Degree Requirements: Bachelor’s degree or higher in GIS, Geomatics, Geography, Environmental Science, or a related field, with strong foundations in GIS and remote sensing.
• GIS Analysis & Data Management: Proven experience (3+ years) in managing and analyzing GIS data, developing GIS-based solutions, and producing high-quality spatial analyses.
• Imagery Analysis: Skilled in analyzing drone imagery and other remote sensing data, including both supervised and unsupervised classification for land cover mapping and vegetation health assessment.

• GIS Software Proficiency: Advanced proficiency with GIS software platforms (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) to support complex spatial analyses and map production.
• Drone Piloting: Capable drone operator with experience conducting multispectral and high-resolution drone surveys (RPAS License not required).
• GPS Technology: Familiarity with GPS technology for field navigation, data logging, and integrating drone data with other spatial datasets.
• Programming for GIS Automation: Strong programming skills in Python (with libraries like Rasterio, GDAL), R, or JavaScript for automating data processing workflows and custom analyses.
• Technical Reporting & Presentation: Proficiency in preparing detailed reports, creating presentations, and visualizing data insights, ensuring clear communication of technical findings to various stakeholders.
• Collaboration Skills: Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team, maintaining clear communication with foresters, planners, and other team members to integrate GIS insights into broader project goals.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Demonstrates excellent analytical skills, attention to detail, and a proactive approach to solving complex problems.
• Adaptability: Willingness to work in remote areas, adapt to varying weather conditions, and travel as needed to meet project goals.

Benefits

• Accommodation will be provided
• Health insurance coverage will be provided

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