Job Description

Stranding, Disentanglement, and Right Whale Recovery Technical Support (short name)

Technical Assistance with right whale recovery efforts, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation, Stranding, and Disentanglement Response Programs (full name)

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking applicants for two full-time Environmental Specialist III positions to support the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) Protected Resources Division (PRD). They will provide technical assistance with right whale recovery efforts, marine mammal and sea turtle conservation, stranding, and disentanglement response programs. 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.

Description: The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Protected Resources Division Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Program develops and implements measures to respond to, conserve, and protect endangered and protected marine mammals and sea turtles. This includes implementing recovery programs for endangered marine mammal and sea turtles through the Endangered Species Act and protecting marine mammals from commercial fisheries interactions through take reduction planning under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This also includes responding to animals in distress through the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network, and Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network.

Tasks: Provide technical assistance with each of these programs, as needed based on prioritization, through the following:

Right Whale Recovery efforts:

• Provide support to the regional right whale recovery and take reduction team coordinators in planning and executing take reduction team meetings;
• Develop and assemble meeting materials, conduct literature reviews, take notes and draft meeting key outcome reports, maintain research and management priority lists to support team coordinators. As needed, provide administrative assistance to PRD Grant and Scientific Permit Review Programs by tracking incoming review requests for permits and projects;
• Provide administrative support for the Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Team, including copying, mailing, filing, ordering supplies and equipment answering phones, note taking, arranging meetings, setting up and providing technical support for webinars, copying documents and preparing incoming and outgoing mail and budget tracking;
• Prepare administrative records for actions including copying, organizing, indexing and numbering all relevant documents;
• Provide assistance in conducting education and outreach pertaining to the MMPA and ESA;
• Assist team coordinators in drafting technical reports, outreach documents, taskers, and briefing materials as needed; and
• As needed, review right whale serious injury and mortality data and coordinate and support analysis and curation of gear that has been removed from marine mammals and sea turtles.

Stranding and Disentanglement program support:

• Provide policy and analytical support for the development of policies to reduce entanglements of marine mammals through the amendment of take reduction plans;
• Conduct data entry of various marine mammal and sea turtle stranding and disentanglement data and perform audits and quality control to ensure accuracy. This includes data on large whale unusual mortality events (UME) and sea turtle cold stun and entanglement events. Also, obtain large whale data from the network, and compile and deliver reports to inform NEFSC serious injury/mortality determinations on a monthly basis;
• Provide coverage, as needed, to sea turtle and marine mammal stranding and disentanglement coordinators on regional stranding and disentanglement response hotlines;
• As needed, provide administrative assistance to PRD Grant and Scientific Permit Review Programs by tracking incoming review requests for permits and projects;
• Provide administrative support including copying, mailing, filing, ordering supplies and equipment, and budget tracking;
• Prepare administrative records for actions including copying, organizing, indexing and numbering all relevant documents;
• Administrative support including answering phones, note taking, arranging meetings, setting up and providing technical support for webinars, copying documents and preparing incoming and outgoing mail;
• Provide assistance in conducting education and outreach pertaining to the MMPA and ESA;
• Weekly and Monthly data summary reports shall be required summarizing data generated from stranding or entanglement events including marine mammal UMEs and sea turtle cold stun events, if triggered; and
• As needed, coordinate and support analysis of gear that has been removed from marine mammals and sea turtles.

Start Date: Contingent on receiving the award for this contract.

Location: Gloucester, MA; or a mutually agreed upon remote work site.

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position, overtime is not anticipated. Salary is commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefits package.

Required Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in an environmental science or associated discipline (e.g., biology, ecology, fisheries biology, marine biology, natural resource management, conservation biology, landscape ecology, or restoration ecology)
• Level 1: Minimum one (1) year of relevant experience, with up to seven years total relevant experience.
• Level 2: Minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience, with up to 14 years total relevant experience.
• Ability to work effectively both individually and collaboratively in a team/group setting.
• Ability to receive constructive feedback and implement appropriate action.

If you are interested in being considered for this position, please APPLY THROUGH OUR ADP WEB PORTAL, AT THE LINK AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE.

Only qualified applicants that meet minimum experience or background requirements stated above need apply. When applying for this position you will be asked to upload your resume at the end of this online application.

Applicants should submit a resume that includes the following:

• Cover letter that briefly describes how you meet the required and preferred qualifications listed.
• Work history for past 10 years or since last full-time education.
• Education.
• Previous experience or training with similar requirements.
• Three professional references.
• Include your name in the document file name.
• Upload your resume in readable, not scanned, PDF or Word format (PDF is preferred).

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: Not Disclosed.

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