Marine Reserves Ecologist (Natural Resource Specialist 1)

About the role

As a Marine Reserves Ecologist (Natural Resource Specialist 1) based in Newport, Oregon, you will work with the Marine Reserves Project Leader, Assistant Project Leader, and Quantitative Ecologist to carry out the ecological monitoring for Oregon’s five marine reserve sites. This position is part of ODFW’s Nearshore Ecology Program and supports a long-term monitoring and research program designed to meet the state’s goals, objectives, and policy mandates for marine reserves.

Responsibilities

• Assist with sample design and planning
• Lead collection of data at-sea
• Perform data entry and database maintenance
• Conduct data analysis and GIS mapping
• Present information in public forums and write reports
• Conduct extractive surveys (e.g., hook-and-line) and non-extractive surveys (e.g., intertidal)
• Oversee SCUBA surveys and deploy oceanographic sensors (e.g., temperature and oxygen)
• Participate in underwater visual surveys (e.g., using remotely operated vehicles)
• Coordinate and lead volunteers in the field
• Deploy and retrieve equipment (e.g., moorings, oceanographic sensors, crab pots)
• Oversee vessel deck operations, providing direction and instructions to vessel captain and crew
• Record field data
• Use GIS software for study design, trip planning, and analyses
• Work as part of a team to produce data summaries, graphics, reports, and presentations

Minimum Qualifications

To be considered, applicants must meet one of the following:

• Three years of biological/ecological/oceanographic experience performing studies, research, or resource management activities in a fish or marine program
• Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries or Wildlife Science, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Biological Oceanography, Marine Fisheries Management/Science, or a closely-related field with at least 45 quarter (30 semester) hours of biological/ecological/oceanographic coursework

Desired Attributes

• Experience working in marine environments, preferably the Pacific Northwest
• Ability to work at sea for multi-day surveys
• Experience coordinating and leading volunteers in the field
• Experience with marine ecological surveys
• Experience presenting research to technical audiences, policy decision makers, and the general public
• Experience writing outreach material, reports, and peer-reviewed publications
• Experience in database maintenance and use (e.g., Microsoft Access)
• Experience with oceanographic sensors and their calibrations (e.g., oxygen) as well as post-processing of collected data
• Experience using R software to evaluate, combine, summarize, visualize, and statistically analyze complex datasets
• Experience with ArcGIS, including creating and editing shapefiles and spatial analyses
• Preference may be given for a graduate degree with a focus in marine science