Advanced Field Operations & Data Modernization Scientist

Openings at Innovate!, Inc

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Location: Seattle, WA

Salary Range: $115,000 - $135,000

Position status: Full Time; with benefits

Location: On-site at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington (WA) or at associated field stations in WA or Oregon

Position: Advanced Field Operations & Data Modernization Scientist

Reports To:

FLSA:
Exempt
Posted: 7/15/26

Contingent upon contract being awarded

JOB DESCRIPTION

Innovate! Inc. is seeking a highly experienced Advanced Field Operations & Data Modernization Scientist to modernize NOAA Fisheries’ long-term marine and estuarine field programs by integrating digital data collection technologies, rigorous eDNA sampling, automated ship-to-shore workflows, standardized scientific databases, and rapid data products while protecting survey continuity and scientific integrity.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead biological and environmental data collection during estuarine and marine field and ship surveys, maintaining safe and consistent operations.
• Drive transition from analog field recording to digital collection platforms such as electronic measuring boards, ruggedized tablets, mobile applications, and other emerging field technologies.
• Continuously evaluate and implement technologies that improve at-sea efficiency, data quality, and continuity of long-term survey time series.
• Develop rigorous eDNA field protocols and oversee collection, preservation, labeling, metadata capture, anti-contamination procedures, and sample chain of custody.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison with Omics laboratory personnel to ensure samples are appropriately prepared for downstream bioinformatics processing.
• Design, implement, test, and maintain automated ship-to-shore data pipelines connecting raw field observations to organized, accessible scientific databases.
• Develop scripts and workflows that rapidly generate preliminary data products, cruise summaries, standardized datasets, and visualizations immediately following field operations.
• Maintain and optimize project databases, standardize historical and newly digitized datasets, and ensure data are accessible and analysis-ready for interdisciplinary teams.
• Direct mobilization and demobilization of scientific equipment and use modern inventory tracking systems to maintain deployment readiness and accountability.
• Develop comprehensive digital SOPs covering data collection technologies, eDNA sampling, database structures, QA/QC, and data-processing workflows.
• Author technical reports, contribute to peer-reviewed manuscripts, and present field modernization approaches and results at regional and national scientific meetings.

• Demonstrated experience supporting marine, estuarine, and freshwater field operations, with the ability to work safely and effectively in laboratory, office, vessel, and remote field environments.
• Experience implementing and supporting digital field data collection technologies, including electronic data capture, standardized field protocols, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures.
• Knowledge of fisheries and aquatic ecosystem monitoring techniques, biological sampling methodologies, environmental data collection, and scientific data management practices.
• Experience supporting environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling programs, biological sample collection, chain-of-custody procedures, contamination prevention protocols, and coordination with analytical laboratories.
• Proficiency in developing, maintaining, and optimizing scientific databases, digital workflows, and standardized data management processes to improve efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility.
• Experience automating scientific data processing workflows using scripting languages such as Python and R to improve data integration, validation, reporting, and reproducibility.
• Experience utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial data to support field operations, environmental analysis, and natural resource management.
• Familiarity with mobile GIS and digital field collection platforms such as ArcGIS Field Maps, Survey
  123, or comparable mobile data collection technologies.
• Ability to prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs), technical documentation, workflow documentation, inventory records, and operational guidance supporting field activities and scientific programs.
• Experience generating technical reports, field summaries, data visualizations, and presentation materials that communicate scientific findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational,…