Bottom Longline Survey Technician (Level II–III)

AIS Inc•Pascagoula, MS

1d•Onsite

About The Position

A.I.S., Inc. (AIS) is a national scientific services firm supporting maritime activities requiring certification of compliance with environmental regulations as well as collecting data for use by Federal, State, Municipal, and other government agencies along the US coastline. AIS is looking for a Bottom Longline Survey Technician (Level II–III) to support NOAA Fisheries’ Bottom Longline Survey and related SEFSC resource surveys. Primary Function: Support the SEFSC Bottom Longline Survey and related SEFSC resource surveys, serving in shipboard leadership and sampling roles, coordinating trophic and life-history studies on elasmobranchs and teleosts, and providing data management and advanced analytical support in the western North Atlantic Ocean. This position is contingent upon contract award and available funding.

Requirements

MS degree in Marine Science or a related field of study; or a BS degree in Marine Science or a related field plus three (3) years of relevant experience.
Demonstrable field experience with multiple gear types (e.g., longlines, trawls, plankton collection devices), oceanographic equipment (e.g., side-scan sonar, CTDs), and video technologies.
Knowledge of applying the 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 elasmobranchs, teleosts, and invertebrates indigenous to southeastern U.S. marine waters.
Computer literate with advanced competency in common word processing, database utilization and management (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.
Experience conducting public outreach events and public speaking.
Sea-going contractors participating on NOAA (OMAO) research cruises must submit a NOAA Health Services Questionnaire (NOAA Form 57-10-01) and Tuberculosis Screening Form (NOAA Form NF 57-10-02) annually/biennially (age-dependent) and maintain a current tetanus vaccine (every 10 years).

Nice To Haves

Additional requirements from the higher task level (Level III), are preferred:
Level III — MS degree in Biology or a related science and a minimum of five (5) years of experience in fish biology, marine biology, oceanography, ecology, or related fields; or a BS degree and a minimum of ten (10) years of such experience.
Considerable experience with longline gear.

Responsibilities

Serve as Field Party Chief, Watch Leader, or Watch Stander on the SEFSC Bottom Longline Survey and other SEFSC resource surveys as needed, and support non-survey field work in similar roles.
Field Party Chief: write/submit cruise instructions and reports; ensure participant clearance forms are completed; plan, coordinate, and provide logistical support; coordinate with IT staff for data collection and retrieval; serve as ship/science liaison; procure, prepare, and load survey gear, bait, supplies, and equipment; coordinate daily vessel activities, ports of call, and weather/sea monitoring; conduct data collection and biological/environmental sampling; report progress to the Branch Chief and Survey Lead; clean, unload, and store equipment and data; QA/QC data for the survey database.
Watch Leader: assist with pre-/post-survey inventory; prepare and load survey gear, bait, and supplies; coordinate Watch Standers and gear deployment/retrieval with the Field Party Chief; conduct data collection and biological/environmental sampling; unload, clean, and store equipment and data; assist with QA/QC and data entry.
Watch Stander: assist with pre-/post-survey inventory; prepare and load survey gear and supplies; conduct data collection and biological/environmental sampling under direction of the Field Party Chief and Watch Leader; unload, clean, and store equipment and data; assist with QA/QC and data entry.
Support and, in some instances, lead research activities. Coordinate all aspects of trophic studies on elasmobranchs captured during the Bottom Longline Survey and other SEFSC surveys, including laboratory maintenance and management, sample procurement, cataloging, application of accepted stomach content analytical methods, and presentation of results in peer-reviewed journals.
Assist and advise other SEFSC personnel assessing teleost diets; assist colleagues examining shark biology and gear interactions (e.g., distribution and movement, age and growth, reproductive biology, population structure, taxonomy, and gear selectivity of predatory fishes).
Perform entry and editing of research data and maintain databases for archiving and distribution in accordance with Public Access to Research Results (PARR) requirements, including uploading to the appropriate SEFSC Oracle database, providing tag and biological sampling information to colleagues, and maintaining survey data associated with genetic samples.
Conduct data analysis and summaries and provide data reports, publications, and presentations, following SEFSC publication review procedures.
Conduct advanced analyses including non-parametric and multivariate statistics, and spatial analysis such as kriging, mapping, and heat maps.
Provide field and laboratory support for SEFSC projects and programs, including participating on surveys, loading and unloading vessels, storing equipment, supporting life-history research, and supporting data editing/quality-control procedures for other SEFSC units.
Support marine mammal and sea turtle stranding activities as needed, including walking beaches or riding in small boats to reach stranded animals; animal identification and measuring; bagging and transportation; and data submission.
Conduct and at times organize outreach events for a wide range of audiences (e.g., school marine-science education, science-fair judging, facility and NOAA-ship tours with federal employees, outreach booths at local events); prepare for and present, facilitate, or participate in workshops, scientific meetings, symposia, and public forums.