Senior Bioacoustics Scientist

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage passive acoustics research projects to collect and analyze acoustic data addressing marine mammal distribution, ecosystem ecology, and anthropogenic impact questions.
• Provide fieldwork and analytical services for current and future passive acoustic projects focused on multiple cetacean species.
• Support research planning and execution, management coordination, and administrative needs related to passive acoustics research.
• Work in the acoustics lab, conduct fieldwork related to acoustic data collection, analyze anthropogenic and biological sound sources, archive data, write reports or manuscripts, and present results.
• Provide general laboratory assistance, including data archiving, computer maintenance, and construction and maintenance of acoustic hydrophone recorders and associated oceanographic equipment.
• Participate in fieldwork as needed, including deployment and retrieval of drifting and moored hydrophones; deployment and real‑time monitoring of towed hydrophone arrays, sonobuoys, and/or gliders; visual observation of anthropogenic and biological activities; and assistance with oceanographic data collection.
• Drive government vehicles when necessary to complete assigned tasks.
• Analyze and interpret archived acoustic data to detect, localize, and classify biological and anthropogenic sound sources.
• Conduct advanced analysis to address NOAA Fisheries Passive Acoustic Ecology Program research objectives, including leading or developing research ideas.
• Upload metadata to SEFSC acoustic databases and servers and maintain deployment and detection databases.
• Participate in periodic SEFSC, MMTD, and Passive Acoustic Ecology team meetings with Program Leads, NOAA Fisheries staff, and Center leadership.

• Ph.D. from an accredited college or university with a major directly related to the requirements of the task order, with emphasis in acoustics, fisheries, oceanography, natural science, or mathematics.
• 10 years of experience in related fields.
• Experience analyzing anthropogenic noise in the marine environment using acoustic metadata databases and scientific bioacoustics software programs, such as Pamguard or Raven, to analyze cetacean sounds.
• Experience programming in MATLAB and/or R.
• Experience building, maintaining, and repairing real‑time acoustic hydrophones, including towed hydrophone arrays and sonobuoys, and autonomous hydrophones, including drifting and/or moored hydrophones.
• Experience with the implementation of legislative mandates, such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, for highly endangered marine mammal species, such as Rice’s whales or North Atlantic right whales.
• Preferred qualifications include:
  Experience in NOAA Fisheries cetacean bioacoustics research.