Biological Technician
Remote
Job Summary
Conduct sea-going surveys aboard NOAA and partner vessels, performing species identification, sample collection, and 12-hour stand watches. Operate electronic data acquisition systems, deploy and maintain survey gear, and execute QA/QC of data using NOAA protocols. Assist with laboratory analysis, database management, and equipment inventory while supporting cruise staging and vessel logistics. Train new staff and lead field parties for Levels II and III. Summarize survey data and contribute to outreach materials including manuals and newsletters. This role supports NOAA Fisheries' Ecosystem Surveys Branch in fishery-independent resource surveys throughout the Northeast U.S., with assignments on vessels ranging from 5 to 140+ days annually.
Required Qualifications
- Experience working aboard research or commercial vessels
- Ability to work 12-hour shifts at sea for trips lasting up to 3 weeks
- Strong teamwork and communication skills in challenging field environments
- Must meet NOAA OMAO sea duty health criteria and provide proof of recent TB test
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Familiarity with data entry and QA/QC practices
- Valid driver's license
- Basic familiarity with marine species ID in the Northwest Atlantic (fish/invertebrates)
- Minimum 2 years' experience identifying fish and invertebrates in the Northwest Atlantic
- At least 1 year of experience with survey bottom trawls or shellfish dredges
- Experience with fishery sampling hardware (electronic boards, scales, barcode systems)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to work independently
- Minimum 200 days at sea (Bottom Trawl Survey) or 100 days (Shellfish/Advanced Tech Surveys)
- At least 2 years' experience with electronic data acquisition systems
- Experience leading watches/field teams of up to 7 at sea
- Familiarity with acoustic net mensuration systems (Scanmar, Simrad, Marport)
- Experience querying/analyzing fishery-independent data from relational databases (e.g., Oracle)
Desired Qualifications
- Coursework or experience in biological sciences preferred
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