Employment Opportunity: Indigenous Data Sovereignty Specialist

Position type: Full-time; intermediate-level

Location: Victoria BC (Songhees and Esquimalt territory), with travel to remote communities within Canada

Salary: $65,000-$75,000/year (commensurate with experience)

Application deadline: September 8, 2025

Start Date: September 22, 2025

Company Background:

Kwusen Research & Media (Kwusen) is dedicated to research and digital solutions to support Indigenous sovereignty. We work with Indigenous communities in Canada to collaboratively conduct community-based research on Indigenous knowledge and land use. Our approach emphasizes building capacity in Indigenous communities, supporting community members in researching their own traditions and land use practices utilizing innovative digital services. Our suite of software solutions supports communities in field-data collection as well as management of research data and consultation tracking. Our digital services are used by over forty Indigenous communities across Canada to manage and store Indigenous land use data, as well as to assist in the management of natural resource sector consultations/referrals they receive from government and industry.

For more information please visit our website at: http://www.kwusen.ca/

Employment Opportunity:

Kwusen invites applications for an Indigenous Data Sovereignty Specialist. This is a full-time, mid-level position based in Kwusen’s office in downtown Victoria, BC (on Songhees and Esquimalt territory). The position includes travel to remote communities within Canada.

The successful candidate will provide support to staff at Indigenous nations in their land and resource governance processes. The candidate will collaborate with the staff of Indigenous nations to gather and review reliable research and data and design governance processes that support their work to achieve FPIC (Free Prior Informed Consent). Central to these processes are the implantation of Kwusen’s web-based mapping technologies including the Community KnowledgeKeeper (CKK) (a research data and consultations management system), NationsConnect (a web portal for inter-governmental communication) and the GeoKeeper (an environmental monitoring and field data collection app). The candidate will work from the Kwusen office and often travel to client’s offices to collaborate on software configuration and training that are part of governance process improvements. 

Reporting to the Director of Research & Operations, and the Director of Technology, the successful candidate will contribute to Indigenous data sovereignty and support Nations conducting Rights-based research across Canada. You will develop and deliver Indigenous research and digital support services, in coordination with cross-functional teams at Kwusen. Day-to-day, you will facilitate digital project delivery, including mapping projects, cultural heritage data management strategies, and fieldwork data collection. Your work will include assisting with digital system configuration and support, working collaboratively with Indigenous communities to design system workflows, plan data management strategies, and provide in-person trainings at client offices across Canada. 

Job Duties Include:

• Support Indigenous nations in the development of Indigenous research data management plans that embody the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty

• Work with Indigenous community staff to refine governance processes related to land and resource management and consultation with multiple levels of government

• Develop resources and facilitate trainings on Indigenous land management, consultation policies and Indigenous data sovereignty

• Lead in-person and remote trainings on digital tools that support Land Guardians, community based monitoring, and environmental regulatory processes

• Support our Development Team to assist in product maintenance, testing and support

• Travel to remote communities throughout Canada to support Indigenous self governance and capacity building initiatives

• Provide data gathering and management support for the collection of research related to Indigenous Rights, archival research, museum repatriation, genealogical research, Indigenous languages and environmental research

• Use Google Earth and/or GIS software for basic mapping purposes

What you bring:

• Demonstrated interest in Indigenous land and resource management processes and/or environmental assessment research affecting Indigenous communities in Canada

• Experience working for Indigenous communities or nations

• Demonstrated understanding of the cultural knowledge and communication skills required to connect with Indigenous communities

• Experience leading or assisting in multi-day training sessions for groups of 2-10 people

• Research and spatial (GIS) data management

• Basic knowledge of at least one mapping program (such as ARC GIS, QGIS, Google Earth, etc.)

• Ability to work independently to complete tasks with great attention to detail

• Ability to clearly communicate technical details and build rapport with people of diverse backgrounds

• 2+ years of relevant experience leading projects (ideally within an Indigenous community and/or a digital or research company)

• A graduate degree (preferred) or undergraduate degree in a relevant field

• Proficiency with MS Office, Google Suite, and/or Adobe Creative Suite

• Experience or interest in user-centred design

• Experience with scientific monitoring programs

• Experience in research data analysis 

To Apply:

Please email your resume/CV and the contact information for three references to jobs@kwusen.ca by September 8, 2025. Please include “Indigenous Data Sovereignty Specialist Application” in the subject line. For questions regarding the position, please email jobs@kwusen.ca. While we thank all applicants for their interest, only individuals selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Working exclusively for Indigenous clients, Kwusen is committed to making our workforce more equitable for Indigenous people. We value the perspectives, knowledge and experience brought by individuals with Indigenous backgrounds in the work and goals that we pursue, and they may be given preference in our hiring process. As a result, we encourage all Indigenous applicants to self-identify in their application.