Will serve as Survey Coordinator, Survey Watch Coordinator, Survey Watch Stander, or participant on all Mississippi Laboratories resource surveys as needed. Survey participation shall include but is not limited to tasks associated with the following activities of Survey Coordinator, Survey Watch Coordinator or Survey Watch Stander on SEFSC resource surveys.

Survey Coordinator:

• Writing/submitting cruise instructions and cruise reports.
• Ensuring all participant clearance forms are completed and submitted.
• Planning, coordinator and providing logistical support for the surveys.
• Coordinates with IT staff to ensure proper data collection and post-survey retrieval.
• Liaison between ship and lab/participants/TAS program.
• Preparing and loading survey gear, supplies and equipment.
• Coordinating daily vessel activities, personnel, vessel position and movements, ports of call and weather and sea conditions.
• Conducting data collection, biological and/or environmental sampling and logging and processing data and/or samples under field conditions, as required.
• Report to the Branch Chief and Chief Scientist with weekly progress updates or any time there are issues that require alteration to the survey plan.
• Complete incident reporting procedures as necessary in accordance with applicable NOAA Small Boat Program requirements (small boat operations only).
• Complete small boat log books up on completion of field trips, including tracking vessel activities, personnel aboard and mechanical issues (small boat operations only).
• Clean and store equipment, log and appropriately store data upon completion of each survey.
• QA/QC data for entry into lab’s database.
  

Survey Watch Coordinator:

• Pre survey and post survey inventory of equipment and gear.
• Preparing and loading survey gear, supplies and equipment.
• Coordinate the activities of the Survey Watch Stander and the deployment and retrieval of sampling gears.
• Conducting data collection, biological and/or environmental sampling and logging and processing data and/or samples under field conditions, as required.
• Unload gear/equipment, clean and store equipment, log and appropriately store data upon completion of each survey.

Survey Watch Stander:

• Pre survey and post survey inventory of equipment and gear.
• Preparing and loading survey gear, supplies and equipment.
• Conducting data collection, biological and/or environmental sampling and logging and processing data and/or samples under field conditions, as required.
• Unload gear/equipment, clean and store equipment, log and appropriately store data upon completion of each survey.

Laboratory Support/Shark Unit Research: Will act as project coordinator and field coordinator during Shark Unit research activities and participate as a field research data collector as required. Will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of trophic studies on elasmobranchs captured during Mississippi Laboratories surveys, including laboratory maintenance and management, sample procurement, cataloging of samples, application of accepted stomach content analytical methods and presentation of results in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, assist and advice other Mississippi Laboratories personnel tasked with assessing the diets of teleosts captured during longline and trawl surveys. As the Shark Unit is involved in multiple research activities beyond conducting the annual survey, will assist unit members examining various aspects of shark biology and gear interactions. Such studies include, but are not limited to, investigations of distributions and movement patterns, age and growth, reproductive biology, population structure, taxonomy and gear selectivity of predatory fishes in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

Data Management Support: Will perform entry and editing of research data and maintain databases for archiving and distribution of research data in accordance with Public Access to Research Results (PARR) requirements. This includes uploading of data to the Mississippi Laboratories Oracle database, providing tag and biological sampling information to the Panama City Laboratory, and maintenance of survey data associated with genetic samples collected during the Bottom Longline Survey.

Analytical Support: Will conduct data analysis and summaries; provide data reports, publications and presentations. Follow all SEFSC publication review procedures prior to publication of any abstracts or manuscripts. Conduct advanced analyses, such as generation of growth models, cumulative prey curves, parametric, non-parametric and multivariate statistics. Additionally, conduct spatial analysis, such as kriging, mapping and heat maps.

Support for Other Research Activities: Will provide field and laboratory support for all Mississippi Laboratories projects and programs by participating on surveys, loading and unloading vessels, storing required equipment, providing laboratory support for life history and other research activities, and supporting data editing and/or quality control procedures for other Mississippi Laboratories Resource Surveys units.

Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Strandings: Support marine mammal and sea turtle stranding activities, as needed. Strandings occur along the GOM coast and contractors shall respond to strandings in any of the GOM states. Task include walking beaches or riding in small boats to reach the stranded animal; animal identification, measuring; bagging and transportation; and data submission may be required.

Outreach and Education: Will conduct and at times organize outreach events, as needed, to a wide-range of audiences. Examples of outreach and education activities include marine science education at local schools, participating as judges for local science fairs, conducting and participating in outreach and education tours of the MS Labs facilities and NOAA ships (in conjunction with federal employees), manning of outreach booths at local fairs and festivals.

Scientific Meetings: Will be required to prepare for and present, facilitate, or participate in various position related workshops, scientific meetings, symposiums, and public forums. Events consist of, but are not limited to the following:

• Scientific meetings (e.g., American Fisheries Society, Larval Fish Conference, Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists) and present scientific results, as required.

Required Skills

• Demonstrable field experience with multiple gear types (i.e., longlines, trawls, plankton collection devices), oceanographic equipment (e.g. side scan sonar, CTDs) and video technologies.
• Knowledge of applying basic concepts, principles and methodologies of fisheries biology and survey design to independently perform scientific tasks using standard methods and techniques.
• Experience with stomach content analyses and basic statistics associated with trophic studies.
• Ability to accurately identify invertebrates, elasmobranchs and teleosts indigenous to the northern Gulf of Mexico.
• Computer literate and advanced experienced with common word processing, database (particularly, ACCESS and Oracle), statistical, and graphics programs.
• Documented experience with management of large datasets and statistical analysis of data.
• Ability to lead research projects to completion as evidenced through first author publication record in international, peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience in conducting public outreach events and public speaking.

Participants on sea going research cruises on NOAA ships will be required to annually submit a NOAA Health Services Questionnaire (NOAA Form 57-10-01) to the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations to determine fitness for sea duty. Participants will also be required to have a current tetanus vaccine (once every 10 years) and an annual tuberculin skin test.

Must be a US Citizen or a Permanent Resident and be able to pass a background investigation to obtain a security badge to enter the applicable government facility.

Education

• PhD Degree in Biology or related science; or,
• MS Degree in Biology or related science and 5 years of experience in fish biology, marine biology, oceanography, ecology, or related fields; or,
• BS Degree in Biology or related science and 10 years of experience in fish biology, marine biology, oceanography, ecology, or related fields.

Benefits
All full time employees are eligible for the following benefits upon starting: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Paid Time Off, and 11 Paid Federal Government Holidays.

ERT is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer - All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.