Fisheries Biologist -Research Spatial Analyst CCIEA​/CEFI

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission has an immediate opening for a Fishery Biologist 2 - Research Spatial Analyst to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), located in Seattle, Washington. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the science needed to manage the Nation's fisheries, other living marine resources, and their habitats.

NOAA Fisheries and partners want to characterize the intersections between shifting species distributions and availability and economic and social/cultural dynamics in fishing communities. Rebuilding of the US West Coast groundfish fishery began more than 2 decades ago. It is now valued at over $460 million annually for both commercial and recreational sectors. However, there has not been a comprehensive evaluation of the coupled social-ecological outcomes of rebuilding efforts.

Yet regulatory actions curbed harvest directly and altered population trajectories of specific species, while indirectly affecting others that were components of the same habitats and fisheries. In addition, these actions permitted and/or incentivized different fishing behaviors, fisheries participation, and business practices. Furthermore, attainment of allowable catch remains low even for some healthy groundfish stocks. These social and ecological responses occurred against a backdrop of dynamic environmental change, changes in the abundance of protected resources including marine mammals that prey upon groundfish, shifting market forces including related to state-managed shellfish fisheries, and other factors.

The Research Spatial Analyst position provides an opportunity to lead and develop analyses that will significantly improve our understanding of how groundfish and groundfish fisheries responded to rebuilding actions and other changes in the California Current ecosystem and improve science advice to marine resource managers. This project incorporates a wide range of topics and technical areas. A successful candidate will demonstrate both proficiency in one or more technical skills and the ability to collaborate with partners from outside of their own discipline(s).

The Research Spatial Analyst will work collaboratively with economists, ecologists, stock assessment scientists, resource managers, programmers, and data managers to develop analyses that investigate how groundfish and groundfish fisheries responded to rebuilding actions and other changes in the California Current ecosystem.

• Experience with collaboration, building teams, and creating an open and honest environment.
• Experience independently managing projects including balancing priorities and integrating multiple perspectives.
• Programming proficiency in R and R Shiny.
• Ability to both work independently, with minimal oversight, and in groups.
• Experience with Git or other version control systems.
• Experience with conflict management (ability to negotiate and resolve conflict), time management, and risk management.
• Experience setting up and leading project status meetings.
• Experience articulating clear and concise functional requirements.
• Experience preparing and presenting both written and oral briefings, reports, scientific manuscripts, project needs, and concerns.
• Ability to effectively communicate across science disciplines (e.g., economics to ecology to stock assessments) and data management teams.

• Statistical, economic, biological and/or ecosystem modeling experience.
• Data management and code versioning experience.
• Experience with project management principles.
• Fisheries science and/or natural resource economics experience and interests are valuable but not essential.
• Programming expertise in other relevant languages (e.g. Python, Matlab).
• Interest in a career in public service.

Very occasional travel may be required for meetings or presentations at regional/national/international scientific conferences.

A range of experiences and education may be presented. Candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience AND four years of successfully completed education above high school in economics, statistics, computer science, fisheries, data science, or any other field that provides the same knowledge. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.