Assistant Stranding Coordinator
About The Position
The Assistant Stranding Coordinator assists the Stranding and Rehab Coordinator with response, rescue, and release activities for Audubon Aquarium Rescue. Based at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the role primarily serves Southwest Louisiana and involves work in both field and office settings. Duties include beach surveys, responses to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings, carcass salvage and necropsies, sample collection, recordkeeping, intern and volunteer training, outreach, and support for the 24-hour stranding hotline. Live animal rescues and rehabilitation occur infrequently and unpredictably and are expected to make up a minor, though important, part of the role. The position is funded through 2027, with a possible extension depending on funding, and includes full benefits. Because stranding response is unpredictable, travel (mostly in-state), weekends, holidays, and overnight shifts may be required. Workdays may sometimes exceed 12 hours.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology or a relevant field.
- Marine mammal and sea turtle stranding experience.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays, and evenings; workdays may sometimes exceed 12 hours.
- Ability and willingness to mentor and train volunteers and interns.
- Willingness to drive trucks for long periods while towing and to drive UTVs for beach surveys.
- Ability to exert up to 50 pounds occasionally.
- Ability to work outdoors in varied conditions, including heat, cold, wind, rain, and in water.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to read, write, and speak English.
- Ability to collect and analyze numerical, written, and verbal information and determine logical conclusions and the time, place, and sequence of required operations or actions.
Nice To Haves
- Previous experience driving UTVs on beaches.
- Previous experience operating heavy-duty trucks and towing.
- Experience with marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation.
- HAZWOPER certification.
Responsibilities
- Respond to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings across the Louisiana coast; collect required data and samples.
- Salvage carcasses, move them off public beaches, and conduct marine mammal and sea turtle necropsies in field or laboratory settings.
- Complete and upload required paperwork and media from stranding events and necropsies to in-house and national databases.
- Inventory stranding and necropsy supplies and collected samples.
- Maintain an internship program with McNeese State University students, providing training and experience in stranding fieldwork.
- Help build and maintain volunteer corps with McNeese State University and Audubon Aquarium Rescue’s Coastal Community Volunteer program, including annual training and recruitment.
- Represent Audubon Aquarium Rescue at outreach events across Louisiana and develop educational materials about marine mammals and sea turtles.
- Operate trucks and UTVs to conduct beach surveys for strandings with volunteers and interns, and complete required survey paperwork such as electronic logs.
- Maintain vehicles, trailers, and UTVs through regular inspection and maintenance.
- Assist with coverage of the Audubon Aquarium Rescue 24-hour stranding hotline.
- Maintain partnerships with local, state, federal, and other stranding network entities.
Benefits
- Full benefits
