Vessel Strike Avoidance Observer

AIS Inc•Narragansett, RI

17d•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. Primary Function: AIS is recruiting vessel strike avoidance protected species observers (VSA) to deploy on a vessel conducting cable installation related tasks off the coast of Rhode Island. AIS is looking for individuals with NMFS PSO approval letters to stand watch during while the vessel is under way to record data on protected species sightings and implement strike avoidance protective measures when necessary. The VSAOs will be stationed offshore during 24-hour operations. Duties include but are not limited to identification of protected species; documenting location, documenting behavior and other essential data; documenting data on logs in an organized manner. Candidates will be selected based on their past experience identifying protected species. The VSAO will in opposite shifts during offshore operations which will be conducted 24/7 and will have an average of twelve hours of work per PSO per day. This position is expected to start in late January 2026 for an estimated 1-2 weeks of work. Candidates will be selected based on their experience identifying protected species.

Requirements

Must have current STCW Basic Safety Training (BST), or GWO or BOSIET training.
Must have current CPR/First Aid certification.
4-year degree with major in biological or geophysical sciences
Must be certified by a physician as fit for sea duty including: Not be susceptible to chronic motion sickness Ability to live in confined quarters Ability to tolerate stress Ability to lift objects up to 30 pounds Ability to vigilantly monitor waters surrounding observation platform/vessel for up to 4 hours at a time and not more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period.
Must have passed an approved PSO course/training and provide certificate
Must be NMFS approved PSO (must provide NMFS approval letter)
Must possess a current real ID approved identification
Must not be affiliated with any group that may impair the objectivity or the appearance of objectivity
Must have proof of eligibility to work within the US.

Responsibilities

Identify marine animals using the naked eye and visual technology.
Ability to vigilantly monitor for visual detections of marine mammals around observation location for up to 10 hours in a 24-hour period.
Documenting behavior and other essential data
Documenting data on logs in an organized manner
Operate and maintain field equipment including Garmin GPS, binoculars with reticles, range finder, and high-resolution digital camera with video capabilities.
Conduct personal QA/QC checks on data collected.
Attend daily toolbox, HSE and project related meetings as needed.