Shellfish Biologist II- Dive Safety Officer

Are you passionate about marine biology, shellfish conservation, and protecting valuable natural resources? The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is seeking a knowledgeable and motivated Shellfish Biologist II – Dive Safety Officer to support the management, conservation, and enhancement of treaty-reserved shellfish resources throughout the Tribe’s usual and accustomed fishing area.

This is an exciting opportunity to combine hands-on marine research, fisheries management, interagency collaboration, and scientific diving operations while contributing to the long-term sustainability of important marine resources.

Working under the supervision of the Fisheries Program Manager, the Shellfish Biologist II – Dive Safety Officer will serve as the technical lead for intertidal and subtidal dive fisheries, with a particular focus on intertidal bivalves, geoduck, sea cucumber, and sea urchin fisheries. This position will also serve as the Tribe’s Dive Safety Officer (DSO), overseeing scientific dive operations and ensuring compliance with established dive safety standards.

The primary area of interest is the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, from Green Point to Admiralty Head, within the broader Point No Point Treaty Area.

Essential Functions Technical and Communications Support for Harvest Management:

Collect and/or access and analyze shellfish population data (with a focus on intertidal and subtidal dive fisheries), review management options in consultation with other biologists, and make recommendations to the Shellfish Management Biologist regarding management options, harvest schedules and proposed regulations.

Notify Tribal fishers of fishery schedules, quotas/harvest limits and regulations.

Monitor and evaluate harvest activities to ensure that harvest proceeds in an orderly and structured manner, and that harvest levels are consistent with resource conservation and management agreements.

Prepare technical and/or harvest reports and maintain shellfish population and catch accounting databases, including fish ticket entry and reconciliation.

Interagency Coordination and Information:

Serve as liaison to other Tribal, State and Federal fisheries officials to represent JST in technical issues affecting shellfish and marine and coastal habitats, including participation in interagency technical working groups, in JST’s usual and accustomed fishing area.

Maintain current information on scientific and technical developments affecting Tribal shellfish resources.

Field Operations:

Duties include performing shellfish habitat and population surveys for intertidal and/or subtidal species, monitoring shellfish condition and water quality, collecting and processing biological data, and shellfish enhancement implementation as required.

Responsible for researching, purchasing, and maintaining all field equipment and gear used for shellfish research and management activities.

Technical Support for Enhancement and Aquaculture:

Duties may include planning shellfish enhancement projects; designing water quality and/or marine biotoxin sampling regimes; data tracking and communications related to on-going water quality/biotoxin monitoring; and tasks/reporting related to shellfish sanitation program requirements.

Provide technical support to Tribal shellfish aquaculture operations as needed.

Dive Safety Officer (DSO):

Ensure that all diving is done in compliance with the Tribe’s Dive Operations Manual.

Responsible for approval and monitoring of all scientific dive operations; custody of administrative and dive-related medical records of all divers under his/her auspices; custody of all staff diving equipment records used in diving operations, inclusive of maintenance and service performed; schedule periodic dive proficiency training;…