Biological Laboratory Technician (Temporary, Multiple Openings)

This is a temporary 12-month position based at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s (AFSC) Kodiak Laboratory in Kodiak, Alaska.

About the role

Reporting to the Professor, the Temporary Biological Laboratory Technician will support research and assessment on Alaskan crab species. These roles contribute to critical studies on economically important species—primarily commercial crab populations—and examine how environmental conditions like temperature and ocean acidification influence their development and reproductive success.

Responsibilities

• Experimental Research – 45%
  • Support the setup and execution of seawater lab experiments, including construction of experimental systems
  • Collect and record data; take biological measurements and samples; perform animal dissection
  • Conduct physiological trials, including respirometry and feeding rate assays
  • Input and process data; perform QA/QC; analyze digital images
  • Perform analytical chemical analyses, including alkalinity titration, spectrophotometric pH determination, and bomb calorimetry
• Laboratory & Animal Care – 30%
  • Perform daily laboratory tasks, including instrument calibration, maintenance, cleaning, and inventory management
  • Assist in animal husbandry, including feeding, tank cleaning, and water quality monitoring
• Field Research – 25%
  • Participate in annual trawl surveys in the eastern and northern Bering Sea, including living 3–4 weeks continuously at sea (not more than 60 days/year)
  • Conduct species identification and biological measurements/sample collection for both fish and crab species
  • Support local field work, including day trips on small boats out of Kodiak
  • Provide top-side support for dive operations

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries, Oceanography, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, or a related field
• One year of experience in laboratory or field research

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Additional Qualifications

• Basic computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office
• Ability to work as part of a dynamic team including good communication skills
• Eagerness to learn new skills
• Attention to detail; particularly related to scientific analyses and data collection
• Physically fit: able to lift 50 lb on the back deck of a moving vessel

Working Conditions

• Occasional weekend or holiday work may be required
• Includes travel to Dutch Harbor (Bering Sea) for trawl surveys
• All necessary laboratory and field safety training, including hazardous chemical handling and cold-water survival at sea training, will be provided

About the Team

Successful applicants will join the Crustacean Assessment and Ecology Program at NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) Kodiak Laboratory, working primarily under the supervision of Dr. William Christopher Long, Research Ecologist/Research Fishery Biologist, and Jennifer Gardner, Research Fisheries Biologist. The team conducts applied research on the biology, ecology, and physiology of Alaskan commercial crab species, with a focus on how environmental stressors such as temperature and ocean acidification affect development, reproduction, and survival. Technicians will work closely with this small, collaborative team in both laboratory and field settings, gaining hands-on experience across experimental design, animal husbandry, seawater chemistry, and at-sea data collection in support of stock assessment and climate-resilience research.

Pay

Annual pay range: $66,000.00 – $84,000.00