Research Associate II

University of Miami • Miami, FL

7h • Onsite

About The Position

The Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science (RSMAES) of the University of Miami invites applications for a full-time Research Associate II to work for its collaborative research with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) in Miami. The principal responsibilities of the position will be to serve as a field researcher for a research program. RESEARCH SITUATION The successful applicant will be a full participant (with PIs and colleagues) in field research on reef fish and benthic ecology, primarily in the Florida Keys. The incumbent will support the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program’s (CRCP) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). SEFSC is co-lead for biological components of this program in the U.S. Atlantic and Caribbean, which includes monitoring fish and benthic communities for all U.S. territories in the region. The incumbent may also assist with other SEFSC funded coral and fish research projects as needed. The position is based at the SEFSC Facility on Key Biscayne, FL. Participation in field activities as a scientific diver will include extensive (50 + days per year), single to multi-day field trips to the Florida Keys and U.S. Caribbean and may require long hours and/or weekend days. When not in the field, the incumbent should complete data entry, as well as other duties including survey site planning and written products as assigned by the PI. These research projects should assist in the preparation of reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations.The incumbent should be versed in a variety of programming languages used to perform statistical analyses of data.The incumbent is expected to perform these duties with only general supervision from PI and is encouraged to use his/her creativity to improve work produced. SUPERVISION RECEIVED The incumbent will work with investigators at SEFSC and the Rosenstiel School as well as other collaborators, to assist and/or lead daily activities including field work and data entry. He/she will be expected to perform some qualified activities (i.e., field day preparation, survey site planning, field sampling, and identification training) with minimal supervision. Incumbent will work under the guidance of PI, NCRMP staff, and Senior Research Associates for identifying areas of need in product production and will lead the production of some products. They will be expected to accept supervisory responsibility of casual workers/interns for some qualified activities (i.e., field day preparation and sampling). The incumbent will be under the general supervision of the Director of CIMAS and is expected to report as required to the Director of CIMAS on the progress of work. GUIDELINES AND ORIGINALITY A high degree of ingenuity is required for successful execution of field observations and experiments in the ocean environment. The incumbent is expected to work under the PIs general guidelines; however, the incumbent is encouraged to demonstrate leadership and creativity to improve daily field operations, data analyses, and/or product development.

Requirements

• A minimum education is a B.S. degree in marine ecology or related field and/or experience in SCUBA-based marine fieldwork and at least two years of relevant work experience.
• Fluency in English and US citizenship are required.
• A SCUBA certification is required, including experience as a scientific diver, and advanced and rescue certifications are preferred (dives up to 100ft).
• The individual must have a 1) a current AAUS affiliation; 2) a current Agency affiliation (state or federal); or 3) have a recent (AAUS or agency) affiliation and/or the ability to pass a rigorous dive physical, possess a rescue diver certification and have over 250 logged dives.
• Expertise surveying/identifying reef fish species and/or sessile benthic organisms in Florida/Caribbean is required.
• Comfortable working from small boats while at sea as well as larger liveaboard dive vessels in remote (e.g., limited/no communication services) locations.
• NOAA Small Boat Component Course, MOCC, or equivalent boating certification.
• Experience trailering vessels up to 30 ft.
• Experience operating small vessels (<30ft) during live boat dive operations
• Current First Aid, CPR, and O2 Administration certifications.
• Nitrox certification or ability to obtain one prior to employment.
• Valid FL Drivers License and clean driving record.
• A Curriculum Vitae/resume and contact information for three people who can provide letters of recommendation are required.

Nice To Haves

• Experience conducting fish surveys using NCRMP methods and ability to train others in field identification is strongly desired.
• Familiarity or experience with NCRMP (or other SCUBA-based fish sampling program) based protocols is preferred.
• Experience with data analysis and interactive web documents (e.g., SAS, R, R-Markdown, GitHub, etc.) as well written reports and/or peer-reviewed publications is desired.

Responsibilities

• Participate in field research, including preparation, maintenance, and breakdown of supplies/gear and coordination with PI, NCRMP staff, and divers as needed.
• Data entry, QA/QC proofing, and editing data for database submission.
• Assistance in and/or lead the preparation of written and web products (e.g., tech memos and web reports).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level