Plankton Taxonomist

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Pascagoula, MS, US

7 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $35.00 To $55.00 Hourly

At Saltwater Inc. we believe that high-quality data is vital to the health of our fisheries and oceans: our mission is to provide that data. We are a Women-Owned Small Business and are constantly seeking new team members who share our passion for innovation and environmental wellness.

We are currently recruiting for a Plankton Taxonomist
–Level III. See below Requirements for each Level. This position will work as a contractor for NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Population & Ecosystems Monitoring Division (PEMD) providing support for the below Tasks.

Please note that we are recruiting proactively and do not yet have this position available. If awarded the work, this will be a full-time position. The Contractor shall work at the SEFSC Laboratory in Pascagoula, MS. The Contractor may also be required, on a limited basis, to work on NOAA Ships, charter vessels, and/or small boats to carry out required duties and responsibilities.

The contract has a one-year base period with a potential of three option periods.

• Ichthyoplankton Taxonomy: Duties shall include but are not limited to:
  • Perform microscopic examination and morphometric/meristic identification of marine fish larvae (collected in the Gulf of America) to the lowest possible taxonomic level (e.g., Family, Genus, or Species levels); provide taxonomic verifications of previously identified larval fish specimens.
  • Use microscope-digital imaging systems to image, identify, enumerate, and measure larval fish specimens; conduct analyses (e.g., morphometric measurements, shape analyses) on imaged specimens
  • Conduct life history analyses on larval fish specimens, as needed; duties may include otolith removal, larval ageing, and gut content analysis
  • Maintain updated knowledge of plankton taxonomy and systematics; participate in ichthyoplankton taxonomic and identification workshops, as needed; assist in the training of other staff in larval fish taxonomy, as needed.
  • Assist in prepping specimens for molecular identification/DNA barcoding to verify ambiguous morphological identifications.
• Plankton Sample Processing: Duties shall include but are not limited to:
  • Use standard laboratory methodologies to process plankton samples, including: sample splitting and aliquoting; measures of displacement volume; manual sorting of bulk plankton samples for fish larvae and invertebrate zooplankton taxa
  • Perform microscopic examination and morphometric/meristic identification of marine invertebrate zooplankton (collected in the Gulf of America) to higher level classifications (e.g., Order level)
  • Scan and analyze invertebrate zooplankton using benchtop imaging systems (e.g., Zooscan); develop invertebrate zooplankton reference libraries needed to train AI-assisted taxonomic validation platforms
  • Assist with the tracking, maintenance, and curation of archived plankton samples; assist with the preparation of biological samples for shipping via ground and air carriers using hazardous materials (e.g., dry ice, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and formalin.
• Data Management and Analytical Support: Duties shall include but are not limited to:
  • Perform plankton survey, ichthyoplankton, and zooplankton data entry, edits, and updates.
  • Provide verified identifications and associated plankton data to support SEDARs and other stock assessment forums in support of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; update relevant larval fish databases accordingly.
  • Assist with the management of plankton survey data, and the coordination of plankton data exchanges between the Trawl and Plankton Branch and its SEAMAP and ZSiOP partners.
  • Provide ichthyoplankton and zooplankton expertise for other plankton-related research projects; contribute to research proposals, data summaries, manuscripts, technical reports, presentations and other science deliverables; adhere to SEFSC publication procedures prior to publication of any abstracts or…