Field Party Chief / Survey Component Lead – Level II (Mesophotic Deep Benthic Communities)

Think Tank•Panama City Beach, FL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Serve as Field Party Chief and Survey Component Lead for MDBC surveys (50–1,800 m), providing subject matter expertise and leadership on a specific component of the MDBC survey program (e.g., ROV operations, acoustic mapping, data management) in support of DWH restoration.

Requirements

MS Degree in Marine Science or related field, OR BS Degree plus 3 years of relevant experience.
Computer proficiency including ArcGIS (Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst); college-level writing and oral presentation skills.
Knowledge of MDBC field sampling protocols.
Functional knowledge of ROV, AUV, and UUV operations; ability to develop logistical plans for at-sea operations.
Experience as lead data collector on at-sea surveys; proficiency with shipboard hydrological and biological data software.
Proficiency in fish, invertebrate, and protected species identification; knowledge of reef taxa from the Gulf of America.
Expert knowledge of major structure-forming invertebrates in mesophotic and deep benthic communities.
Knowledge of procedures when encountering endangered or threatened species.
Must meet NOAA OMAO sea-duty medical fitness requirements; current tetanus vaccine required.

Responsibilities

Assist MDBC Project Management Leads in coordinating survey preparation, execution, and completion including scheduling, supply/equipment coordination, and AUV/ROV selection.
Write cruise instructions and cruise reports; manage participant clearance paperwork.
Execute at-sea mapping and ground-truthing missions as Field Party Chief or Watch Leader per MDBC SOPs.
Coordinate daily vessel activities, movements, ports of call, and weather conditions.
Conduct biological and environmental data collection, logging, and sample processing per MDBC SOPs.
Report weekly progress to MDBC Project Leads; complete incident reports per NOAA Small Boat Program requirements.
Serve as subject matter expert for marine fish identification from mesophotic and deep reef habitats.
Annotate ROV-based video; conduct QA/QC review and data entry into GCRF Oracle databases.
Lead component-level data management on MDBC databases; manage backups, security, and data standards.
Utilize existing bathymetric inventory; coordinate with NCEI and NCCOS Biogeography Branch.
Support AI/ML data output integration; collate biological data inventory and mine acoustic bathymetric data.
Assist with manuscript preparation; attend professional scientific meetings.
Participate in public outreach and education activities.