Ocean Career: Smithsonian Biological Science Technician

Biological Science Technician

The Biological Science Technician will be part of the Coastal Carbon Network (CCN) and will have as primary duties collating, curating and archiving published and unpublished datasets on coastal wetlands' soil properties and maintaining the Coastal Carbon Atlas (CCA). In addition, as secondary duties, the Biological Science Technician will contribute to field research and data analysis for studies on coastal wetlands soil organic matter composition and fluxes, and changes in soil surface elevation in responses to changes in flooding and salinity levels across (but not limited to) multiple sites in Chesapeake Bay and Florida.

Additional opportunities involve engaging and collaborating with other SERC affiliated labs and projects such as the Global Change Research Wetland (GCREW), an open skies natural observatory dedicated to unraveling the complex ecological processes that confer stability on coastal marshes as they respond to global environmental change.

• The position requires a Bachelor's degree (Master's degree preferred) in Biology, Ecology, Marine Science, or related field.
• Competent data entry and carpentry skills are required preferably using R statistical computing environment.
• Demonstrated experience in coastal wetlands research is required (experience with soil sampling and sample processing for organic matter, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus determination).
• The applicant must be detail-oriented, responsible, and prepared to work in challenging field conditions (working on boats and within wetlands, hot and cold days, handling sample collections and instrument deployment/maintenance/use in the field).
• Practical knowledge of field research procedures in ecology of coastal wetlands, including delimitation of transects and plots for determination of wetlands vegetation biomass and traits as well as sampling of soil profiles.

The position requires a Bachelor's degree (Master's degree preferred) in Biology, Ecology, Marine Science, or related field.

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Salary: $51,442 / year

Final date to receive applications:
July 28, 2025