Data Science Lead - (Geospatial AI & Climate) - 12 month contract to permanent - Green Jobs Toronto and Vancouver - Deadline to Apply August 16

Disclaimer: This posting is not an opportunity to work for Clean Foundation. Clean Foundation is supporting the hiring process for Green Jobs Internship Programs. The organization participating in Green Jobs Internship is Korotu Technology located in Toronto and Vancouver. This position is hybrid being approximately 80% remote. Clean Foundation will be collecting resumes then submitting them to Korotu Technology to complete the interview and onboarding process. Korotu Technology website can be found here: korotu.com . About Korotu Korotu Technology (www.korotu.com) is a fast-growing clean-tech startup on a mission to protect our planet. We use satellite imagery, AI, and on-the-ground data to help communities monitor, measure, and finance nature-based solutions. Our SaaS platform, Aroa, empowers land protectors and impact investors to fight climate change and preserve biodiversity by providing them with data they can trust. We are a small, passionate team making a big impact, working with partners like WWF-Canada and the Island Nature Trust. The Opportunity As our Data Science Lead, you will play a central role at Korotu. You will be responsible for guiding our data science co-op students, translating client requirements into technical workflows, and owning the end-to-end lifecycle of our geospatial projects. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to combine hands-on modeling with early-career technical leadership and client-facing project delivery. This position is a 12-month contract funded through the Green Jobs Program, structured with a clear path and intent to transition into a permanent role upon term completion. Project Scoping & Business Development ● Define and drive the data science vision and roadmap for Korotu, identifying new opportunities to apply AI and machine learning to the natural capital space. ● Act as the technical authority in client engagements, working alongside the leadership team to understand client needs, shape project mandates, and win new business. ● Stay at the forefront of AI and remote sensing research, translating cutting-edge academic work into tangible commercial applications and a competitive advantage for Korotu. Team Guidance & Co-op Mentorship ● Serve as the primary technical mentor and daily coordinator for our data science co-op students, guiding them through project onboarding, code reviews, and technical unblocking. ● Foster a collaborative environment of intellectual curiosity, best engineering practices, and peer learning within the data science stream. ● Help shape internal team workflows and documentation to ensure co-op projects scale smoothly into our core platform. Project Execution & Productization ● Own the full project lifecycle, from initial problem discovery and prototyping to delivering robust, data-driven solutions to our clients. ● Lead cross-functional project teams, ensuring seamless collaboration between data scientists, software engineers, designers, and product managers. ● Partner closely with the engineering lead to architect and implement the productization of successful R&D projects, turning bespoke solutions into scalable, repeatable features on our Arora platform. We are looking for curious and analytical students who are passionate about using data to solve real-world problems. Funding Eligibility Criteria: Please note that this role is funded by Clean Foundation’s Green Jobs Program and therefore the successful candidate must meet the following requirements set out by the funder: ● Between the ages of 15 and 30 (inclusive) at the start of the position ● Be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Protected Person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ● Not a student or currently enrolled in school or an academic program at the start of the employment ● Be legally entitled to work in Canada ● Be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations Must-Haves ● A Master’s degree or PhD in a quantitative field (e.g., Computer Science, Statistics, Physics, Geomatics, Mathematics) or equivalent professional experience. ● 3+ years of experience in data science or machine learning. Direct experience with geospatial data (raster/vector data) and remote sensing applications. ● A proven track record of leading complex data science projects from conception through to delivery and client acceptance. ● Experience in a leadership, management, or team lead capacity, including mentoring junior staff. ● Strong client-facing skills, with experience in a consultative role where you translated ambiguous business problems into concrete technical solutions. ● Expert-level proficiency in Python and its core data science ecosystem (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, Keras/PyTorch). ● Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both expert and non-expert audiences. Bonus Points (Nice-to-Haves): ● Experience in a fast-paced startup environment. ● Hands-on experience with MLOps, including deploying and maintaining machine learning models in production on cloud platforms (Azure or AWS). ● Experience participating in technical recruiting, interviewing, or hiring processes. ● A strong personal or professional interest in climate change, conservation, or sustainability. Our Data Science Toolkit ● Core Languages: Python, R, SQL ● Key Libraries: Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, Keras/TensorFlow, Matplotlib, GDAL, Rasterio ● Remote Sensing Data Sources: Public and commercial satellite imagery from leading providers including the European Space Agency (ESA Sentinel constellation), NASA (Landsat program), and commercial vendors (e.g., Planet, Maxar). ● Software: ArcGIS, QGIS ● Databases: PostgreSQL with PostGIS extension ● Infrastructure: Microsoft Azure, Docker, Git ● Collaboration: Jupyter Notebooks, Figma (for prototyping) ● Drive Strategy & Own Outcomes: This isn't just about executing projects; it's about setting the direction. You will have a seat at the table, influencing company strategy and owning the success of our data-driven solutions. ● Build Your Team: You will have the mandate and resources to identify, recruit, and shape a world-class data science team according to your vision. ● Work on a World-Class Problem: You'll lead the charge in tackling one of the most important challenges of our time with a truly unique and powerful dataset. ● True Work-Life Balance: We are a results-oriented team that is serious about working a standard day and closing the laptop. We believe sustainable pacing fuels innovation and long-term success. The Details ● Job Type: Full-time, 12-Month Contract-to-Permanent (Structured with intent to transition to a permanent role after the initial 12-months). ● Base Compensation : A competitive start-up base salary commensurate with your experience $25-30 per hour. ● Vacation: Two weeks of paid vacation during the contract year. Upon Transition to Permanent Status: When this role transitions to a permanent position at the end of the 12-month contract, your total rewards package will automatically unlock to include our full suite of employee benefits: ● Health Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage. ● Equity & Bonus: Access to our employee equity (stock options) pool and performance-based bonuses. ● Increased Vacation Time: Your paid vacation will increase to three weeks per year. Work Environment & Locations ● Location: We operate a hybrid model. Our teams are based in Toronto and Vancouver, with work being approximately 80-90% remote, complemented by regular in-person workshops and team meetings. ● Hours: Toronto Team: Weekdays, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm ET Vancouver Team: Weekdays, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm PT ● Equipment: Successful candidates will need to have access to a reliable laptop and a stable internet connection for remote work.