Scientific & Technical Support (Remote)

Ocean Associates Incorporated•Seattle, WA

2d•$34 - $39•Remote

About The Position

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking applicants for a Scientific and Technical Support Lead to provide support to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region Office. OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services, and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts. The West Coast Region (WCR) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) provides interagency consultation to federal agencies pursuant to the statutory authorities of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Magnuson‐Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Federal agencies bring their project proposals, which may affect NMFS trust species and critical habitats, to NMFS for scientific, biological, and technical assistance in identifying effects and conservation measures. Through interagency consultation, WCR works closely with tribes, local, state, and Federal agencies, and partners (e.g., corporations, farmers and ranchers, homeowners, non‐profit organizations, trade groups) to find science‐based solutions to complex ecological issues. WCR has a significant interagency consultation workload including critical infrastructure construction, American seafood production, and timber harvest activities. WCR also conducts National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessments. Several Executive Orders (EO) and Presidential Memos (PM) require support and action by WCR, including: EO 14154 Unleashing American Energy, EO 14156 Declaring a National Energy Emergency, EO 14181 Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas, EO 14225 Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, EO 14241 Immediate Measures To Increase American Mineral Production, EO 14276 Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, EO 14285 Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources, EO 14303 Restoring Gold Standard Science, PM Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Generate Power for the Columbia River Basin, and PM Putting People over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and three (3) years’ experience, or Master’s degree, from an accredited college or university in aquatic biology, conservation biology, fisheries management, wildlife management or related field of study
Knowledge of salmonid general life cycles and habitat requirements
Highly proficient English language composition and editing skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Working with diverse interagency teams
Program planning and management in a team environment
Developing performance metrics and milestones
Skill in most common software applications, to include MS Office and Google Workplace

Nice To Haves

Implementation of ESA and MSA regulations and document preparation or experience writing Federal regulatory documents adhering to agency guidance
Experience assessing the impacts of human activities on marine, estuarine, or anadromous species and their habitats as part of a regulatory program
Experience working with tribal governments

Responsibilities

Review, gather, analyze, interpret, and synthesize scientific data and technical information for the purpose of determining environmental impacts on biological resources and aquatic habitats; evaluate the proposed project effects of human activities on fishery resources, protected species, and habitat.
Write combined ESA Biological Opinions, ESA Letters of Concurrence, and MSA responses to action agencies related to their Biological Assessments for listed salmon and steelhead, designated critical habitat, and essential fish habitat under NMFS jurisdiction.
Review biological assessments, permit applications, and/or consultation initiation packages from action agencies for listed salmon and steelhead, designated critical habitat, and essential fish habitat under NMFS jurisdiction and provide feedback and technical support to action agencies.
Provide pre‐consultation technical assistance to action agencies, applicants, or their representatives in response to inquiries. Examples of feedback are sufficiency, accuracy, or completeness; requests for further information for consultation purposes; recommendation of conservation measures, compliance with technical design standards. Feedback shall occur through written or oral communications and in group meetings.
Review applications from action agencies to enroll in existing programmatic consultations and draft letters or emails to enroll applications into existing programmatic consultations.
Prepare environmental documentation pursuant to NEPA.
Prepare draft incidental take permits and other necessary documentation for ESA section 10 activities.
Revise the documents based on review comments received from WCR NMFS and General Counsel staff, technical comments received from the tribes and states, and based on substantive public review comments to complete final versions of the ESA, NEPA and other associated documents.
Coordinate with NMFS fish passage engineers for reviews of proposed designs.
Coordinate with NMFS’ Science Center and other federal, state, or academic researchers in evaluating the status of species and impacts from actions.
Prepare appropriate documentation for each consultation and follow WCR protocols for quality assurance, electronic filing, and consultation tracking.
Coordinate with Project Officer or Geographic Branch Manager on assignments, work products, and project schedule. Coordination calls and meetings as necessary with WCR Team Lead(s).
Participate in WCR teams as necessary to complete the tasks in this contract.
Follow recommendations from agency staff on legal, regulatory, or technical sufficiency and compliance.
Assist in the development and implementation of mitigation banks.
Prepare appropriate documentation for each consultation, status review, or permit, including assembling and managing administrative records as necessary to provide adequate and proper evidence of agency business, timely response to requests for information, and compliance with NMFS internal directives. Assist with compiling responses to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Participate in meetings with action agencies, applicants or permittees, special interest groups, state officials, and tribal representatives, as necessary.