Ocean Career: Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Oceanographic Instrumentation Technician

Oceanographic Instrumentation Technician

With more than 130 employees in Oregon and Idaho, we work to put fish back in the rivers, protect treaty fishing rights, share salmon culture, and provide direct services to tribal fishers along the Columbia River.

The CRITFC Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction (CMOP) program is a nationally recognized research program that includes an oceanographic observation network and numerical modeling capabilities dedicated to understanding the linkages between the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. The CMOP observation network consists of buoys and dock-based stations in the Columbia River estuary and plume that track physical and biogeochemical water properties.

More information about the CMOP program at CRITFC can be found here and tfc.org.

We seek an experienced and mechanically inclined Oceanographic Instrumentation Technician to join our growing CMOP team. This role is part instrumentation technician, part field scientist, and has a strong potential for professional advancement. The new hire will work closely with the Lead Oceanographic Technician at CRITFC's CMOP Field Station, located at Clatsop Community College's Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station campus in Astoria, OR.

• Maintain buoy and dock-based ocean instrumentation to track physical and biogeochemical conditions in the estuary and coastal ocean.
• Maintain other sensors and stations around the estuary used for data gathering and telemetry.
• Service dock-based instruments approximately two days per week.
• Travel by boat to deploy, recover, and service buoys (approximately 20 trips per year).
• Calibrate instruments and monitor instrument performance to ensure data quality.
• Troubleshoot mechanical, optical, electrical, and programming issues with instruments.
• Integrate instruments into buoys and stations.
• Service ocean instrumentation, including wiring the instruments.
• Devise mechanical and electrical solutions with the rest of the CMOP team to optimize instrument reliability.
• Maintain comprehensive notes and records on observatory development, operations, and maintenance.
• Build strong professional relationships at Clatsop Community College and within the Columbia River estuary science and marine community.
• Perform all parts of this role with a safety mindset.
• These duties will be performed working with the Lead Oceanographic Technician and training will be provided.

• At least three years of experience working with ocean, estuary, or similar instrumentation.
• Experience conducting or contributing to ocean or estuary research.
• Experience working at sea.
• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Strong electrical aptitude.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong project management and self-management skills.
• Willingness to seek technical or other assistance to solve problems.
• Enjoyment of collaboration.
• Willingness to roll up your sleeves and do what needs to be done to help the CMOP team and others.
• A strong desire to be of service to a tribal organization or enrolled membership in a tribal organization. Knowledge of or dedication to learning tribal history and customs of CRITFC's four member tribes.
• Formal education in oceanography or a related STEM field. Extensive experience with ocean and estuary research and/or instrumentation can substitute for formal education in the field.

This job occasionally requires driving a CRITFC vehicle or your own vehicle for business (mileage compensated), and therefore you must be able to meet the terms of the CRITFC Motor Vehicle policy. Per the policy, applicants are required to have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record for the past three years. This includes a three-year record clear of the following:

• Reckless Driving
• Driving Under the Influence
• Suspension or revoked license
• No more than two at-fault accidents
• No more than one major violation or two minor violations

CRITFC offers competitive compensation and an exceptional benefits package, including medical, dental, 401(k), 12 days of vacation (to start), 13 paid holidays, and paid sick time. We provide professional development opportunities, promote from within, and have a Native hiring preference as part of our commitment to our people. As a result, you will find a work environment that supports and inspires our shared goals of protecting the natural world and the tribal cultural connection to it.