Fisheries Stock Assessment and Fisheries Policy Research Scientist

Gulf of Maine Research Institute•Portland, ME

2h•Onsite

About The Position

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) develops and delivers collaborative solutions to global ocean challenges. We are dedicated to the resilience of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. GMRI is seeking a Fisheries Stock Assessment and Policy Research Scientist to lead and advance quantitative fisheries research science that directly informs management and policy decisions in the Gulf of Maine and broader Northeast U.S. shelf ecosystem. This position sits at the interface of science and decision-making. The successful candidate will develop, evaluate and apply advanced stock assessment models and ecosystem-based approaches while actively engaging with state and federal fisheries management processes, including collaboration with the State of Maine’s Department of Marine Resources (DMR), the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), and the Atlantic States Marine Fish Commission (ASMFC). The role requires translating complex analytical outputs into actionable, decision-ready guidance for managers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. The incumbent will serve as a Principal Investigator responsible for developing and funding a comprehensive research laboratory that integrates biological, environmental, and socio-economic information into stock assessments and management strategy evaluations (among others) to support climate-ready, ecosystem-based fisheries management. The individual will also provide guidance, training, and mentoring to 3-4 team members (as well as graduate students and/or undergraduate interns) on work emphasizing population dynamics, climate-ocean-population interactions and outcomes, adaptation strategies, and/or related fields focused in the Gulf of Maine / North Atlantic region. The successful candidate will function as part of an interdisciplinary research program focused on climate impacts, ecosystem dynamics, and the future of seafood systems. This position enjoys ~12 months of fully encumbered institutional salary thanks to a generous philanthropic gift, enabling runway support as the incumbent gets established. Thereafter, the position will receive 6 months per year of philanthropically-supported institutional salary with the remaining 6 months of support being the responsibility of the incumbent to fundraise through competitively awarded grants. This is a full-time position located in Portland, ME USA at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

Requirements

Ph.D. in fisheries science, quantitative ecology, marine science, statistics, or a related field
Demonstrated expertise in stock assessment modeling and/or quantitative fisheries science, including advanced statistical and modeling approaches (e.g., Bayesian methods, population dynamics models, multivariate statistics, etc)
Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in fisheries science (e.g., R)
Experience translating scientific analyses into management-relevant advice or decision-support tools
Strong written and oral communication skills, including a record of peer-reviewed publications
Ability to work independently and collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams
Eligible to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

Experience conducting or contributing to stock assessments and fisheries decision science used in state, federal, or international fisheries management processes
Familiarity with fishery management council processes, State of Maine fisheries management, ASMFC, and/or NOAA Fisheries processes
Experience with Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) or other simulation-based management approaches
Experience incorporating climate and ecosystem information into fisheries assessments or forecasting frameworks
Experience working directly with fisheries stakeholders, including industry, managers, and coastal communities
Demonstrated ability to engage in policy-relevant science and contribute to regulatory or advisory processes
Experience securing research funding and contributing to proposal development
Familiarity with open science practices, reproducible workflows, and collaborative coding platforms (e.g., GitHub)
Experience mentoring students or early-career scientists

Responsibilities

Lead the development and application of advanced stock assessment models for marine species in the Gulf of Maine and Northeast U.S. shelf ecosystem using tools such as R, TMB, FIMS, Stock Synthesis, or similar analytical platforms
Design and conduct research on fish population dynamics, ecosystem processes, and climate impacts on marine resources
Develop, test, and implement Management Strategy Evaluations and related simulation frameworks to evaluate management options under uncertainty and environmental change
Integrate biological, environmental, and economic covariates into stock assessments and forecasting approaches to support ecosystem-based fisheries management
Translate scientific findings into decision-relevant outputs, including reference points, risk analyses, and tradeoff evaluations for management applications
Engage directly with fisheries management processes by contributing technical expertise to NEFMC and AFSMC committees, technical working groups, and advisory panels, as well as to State of Maine fisheries science and management activities
Collaborate with federal and state agencies (e.g., NOAA Fisheries, Maine DMR), academic partners, and industry stakeholders to ensure alignment between research outputs and management needs
Participate in stakeholder engagement processes, incorporating structured decision-making approaches and stakeholder knowledge into scientific analyses
Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and communicate results through technical reports, policy briefs, and presentations to scientific, management, and industry audiences
Contribute to the development of competitive research proposals and support fundraising efforts in collaboration with GMRI leadership, research colleagues, and Development staff
Mentor junior scientists, research staff, and students, and contribute to a collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment
Represent GMRI in regional, national, and international scientific and management forums