Senior Fisheries Scientist & Quantitative Ecologist

Senior Fisheries Scientist & Quantitative Ecologist

Location:

Seattle, WA

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Position:
Senior Fisheries Scientist & Quantitative Ecologist |

Location:

Seattle, WA | Salary Range: $90,000 - $125,000 | Status:
Full Time; with benefits

Note: This role is contingent upon contract award.

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

Benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K with match, Life Insurance, and PTO.

• Collect fish and environmental data in freshwater, estuarine, and nearshore marine environments along the West Coast, including outdoor work in harsh conditions and near water.
• Operate or travel in vehicles and boats, support towing/trailers when authorized, and provide occasional multi-day field support on research vessel surveys.
• Conduct laboratory work and process biological or environmental samples following established protocols.
• Perform literature reviews to identify, extract, and synthesize data and published relationships among ecological outcomes, environmental stressors, and habitat metrics.
• Perform quantitative data analysis and develop clear scientific visualizations that communicate ecological patterns and management implications.
• Collaborate with NOAA scientists and interdisciplinary teams to develop decision-support tools that improve transparency and efficiency in fisheries management and permitting.
• Document sample collection, storage, processing, analytical methods, assumptions, and QA/QC procedures for reproducibility.
• Maintain analysis products, scripts, protocols, and research outputs in accessible repositories and collaborative platforms.
• Prepare written status reports and contribute to technical reports and peer-reviewed manuscripts; present results at regional meetings and scientific conferences.
• Deliver high-quality scientific products on schedule while independently managing priorities and participating in field, laboratory, and team activities.

• Strong knowledge of fisheries ecology, quantitative ecology, natural resource management, and ecological processes affecting marine and anadromous species.
• Familiarity with Pacific salmon and other species/habitats managed by NOAA Fisheries in the West Coast region.
• Quantitative skills in ecological modeling, statistical analysis, data interpretation, and scientific visualization.
• Working proficiency with R and Git Hub or comparable statistical and version-control tools; ability to adopt NOAA-approved scientific software and collaborative platforms.
• Knowledge of reproducible research, open-science concepts, workflow documentation, and organized data and code management.
• Ability to apply established field, laboratory, data stewardship, and QA/QC protocols and document compliance with those protocols.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including technical reporting, peer-reviewed publication, and presentation of scientific results.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work independently, manage a dynamic workload, stay organized, and collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary scientists, natural resource managers, and tribal representatives.

• Bachelor s degree or higher from an accredited institution in fisheries, ecology, natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, oceanography, hydrology, or a closely related field.
• Three or more years of directly relevant experience; an advanced degree in a related field may substitute for experience per contract requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with fisheries or ecological research, quantitative analysis, field or laboratory activities, and scientific communication.
• Experience supporting NOAA Fisheries, NWFSC, another NOAA science center, or a comparable federal, state, tribal, academic, or research fisheries program is strongly preferred.
• Prior experience with Pacific salmon, West Coast marine and anadromous species, life-cycle modeling, ESA/MSA-related science, or management decision-support tools is highly desirable.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver s license and be able…