Ocean Career: Aquaculture Marine Policy Specialist at AIS

Aquaculture Marine Policy Specialist

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Oregon-Washington Coastal Office (OWCO) is responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act (MSA). Through programs conducted under each of these statutes, NMFS seeks to protect and preserve our nation's living marine resources through scientific research, fisheries management, enforcement, and habitat conservation. NMFS West Coast Region works closely with tribes, local, state, and Federal agencies, and our stakeholders and partners (e.g., corporations, farmers and ranchers, aquaculture operations, homeowners, non-profit organizations, trade groups) to find science-based solutions to complex ecological issues.

A.I.S., Inc. is looking for an Aquaculture Marine Policy Specialist to support and facilitate responsible action in these programs that follow relevant statutes and are reasonable to stakeholders.

• Provide interdisciplinary expertise related to program and project management, business processes, best practices and procedures, database management, and meeting facilitation.
• Coordinate daily with their Project Officer or Geographic Branch Chief on assignments and work products.
• Respond to inquiries and provide pre-consultation technical assistance from action agencies, applicants, and their representatives.
• Review consultation initiation packages for accuracy and completeness and develop requests for further information sufficient to support initiating consultation.
• Consult with action agencies and their representatives or applicants as required to ensure action agency compliance with each statute, as needed. Communicate with Geographic Branch Chief to coordinate NMFS response to each consultation.
• Prepare appropriate documentation for each consultation and follow West Coast Region protocol for quality assurance.
• Work cooperatively with North Puget Sound, Central Puget Sound, and Lower Columbia River/Washington Coast Branches and OWCO Division members as necessary to ensure efficient completion of work and consistency across the Division.

Candidates will be paid an hourly rate. This is a full–time position. AIS benefits package includes health and dental insurance, vacation, sick and holiday benefits.

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a major in biological sciences, engineering, or natural resource management, and an emphasis in fisheries, oceanography, social science, natural science, mathematics, or hydrology, plus five (5) years of experience in a related field or combination of such totaling nine (9) years combined education/experience.
• Must have knowledge and expertise of NOAA Fisheries policies and programs, as well as experience with planning, and Federal financial management and operations.
• Must have experience with or knowledge of the requirements of ESA section 7(a)(2), MMPA section 101(a)(5)(D), or MSA section 104-297 and their respective consultation processes.
• Excellent writing and editing skills for English-language composition.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Computer skills in the most common software applications, including Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite, and email.
• Experience with, or knowledge of, the requirements of the ESA, MMPA, NEPA and/or MSA and the consultation processes described above.
• Experience with, or knowledge of, shellfish, netpen and seaweed aquaculture.
• Valid driver's license.

• Master's Degree in related field plus one (1) year experience or Ph.D. may be substituted for required bachelor's degree and 9 years of experience.
• Experience providing biological, economic, or social analyses to support recommendations for natural resource conservation measures.
• Experience assessing the impacts of human activities on marine, estuarine, or anadromous species and their habitats as part of a regulatory program.
• Experience developing policy or procedures for the management and conservation of protected species including marine fish, mammals, or sea…