This position will provide professional services and support to accomplish Marine Mammal Branch (MMB) and Protected Resources Division (PRD) goals and responsibilities to support natural resource damage assessments, spill prevention control, monitoring of restoration plans, or other work related to a fishery management, resource protection, habitat conservation, or a specified scientific research project. This position is FULLY REMOTE, however the Disaster Response Support Consultant selected MUST reside in the South East Region of the US, or be willing to relocate, for the purpose of keeping down regional cost related travel for the job. The objective of this work is to:

• Screen restoration projects to determine if there is a nexus to MMPA and identify opportunities to implement BMPs or make recommendations to minimize the risk of "take” under the MMPA, reduce liability, avoid the need for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) or Incidental Take Authorization (ITA), and promote conservation

• Streamline processes by identifying projects that can reduce risk by implementing reasonable BMPs versus every restoration project seeking a "take” authorization which is akin to rule-making

• Practice early engagement on restoration activities which will greatly increase the conservation value of those activities for NOAA trust resources and their habitat in the Gulf of Mexico

• Improve understanding of fishery interaction in areas where there is not a Take Reduction Team (TRT) (e.g., Gulf of Mexico)

• Gather information relevant to developing plans and protocols for marine mammal disaster response through outreach, information sharing, and communication activities related to reducing bycatch and other impacts to marine mammals in the Southeast

• Enhance disaster response preparedness to enable rapid responses to disasters

• Ensure disaster responses lessons learned are archived and applied to future events through event debriefs, gap analyses, risk assessments, and protocol development to improve initial response and on-scene expertise

Disaster Response Support Consultant Tasks and Deliverables

Enhance Marine Mammal Disaster Response Preparedness

• Assist the Marine Mammal Disaster Response Coordinator (DRC) with enhancing disaster response preparedness to enable rapid responses to disasters affecting marine mammals

• Enhancing the ability to respond, investigate, and assess the health of cetaceans during disasters in the Gulf of Mexico through facilitating scientific studies and the development or application of tools, techniques, and standard protocols addressing detection, response, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring

• Maintain updated information on available equipment, per the Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) project "Reducing Impacts to Cetaceans during Disasters by Improving Response Activities” to respond to various marine mammal disaster scenarios

• Assist the DRC with identifying equipment and strategic locations for disaster response caches

• Work with the DRC to assess, evaluate, and document stranding network capabilities for disaster response scenarios on an ongoing basis following new protocols and meetings

• Complete literature reviews for relevant topics as requested and prioritized by DRC, which may include but are not limited to: dolphin inhalation physiology, current technologies for real-time polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) measurements, oil spill thickness quantification, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) studies for large whales, hearing and vocalization thresholds for marine mammals in the Southeast, and pros and cons of current PAM technologies for detecting marine mammals in mass stranding situations

• Complete synthesized citation lists of all publications referenced for various projects

• Assist with meetings and note taking for project planning calls (e.g., monthly team meeting calls, weekly DRC meetings, subgroup meetings)

• As needed, draft summary reports, work plans, and other documents (e.g., meeting summaries, protocols)

Planning and Executing Disaster Response Working Group Meeting Support

• Assist the Disaster Response Coordinator in the planning and logistics of a Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Working Group (GOMDRG) for disaster assessment and planning

• Assist DRC with workshop planning (e.g., timing, location, facility needs, etc.)

• Assist DRC with developing workshop agenda

• In coordination with DRC, periodically review expertise of GOMDRG technical experts to ensure adequate representation for various types of disaster scenarios

• Record minutes during GOMDRG (or other) meeting(s) and draft initial GOMDRG summary report for review by the DRC

• Assist DRC with developing standard workshop reports following meeting(s)

Delivery Schedule:

• Workshop report drafts shall be produced 2 months following meetings, with final reports no later than 6 months following meeting

Report Writing and Protocol Development

• Based on workshop outcomes and recommendations, draft an area specific disaster response gap analysis and risk assessment

• In coordination with the DRC, write plans and protocols to address disaster response scenarios identified by the GOMDRG (e.g., hazing protocols to avert mass strandings)

Identify and Prioritize Data Gaps and Development Needs for Overall Disaster Response

• Assist the DRC plan/organize an Expertise Working Group meeting and will draft a meeting report from notes taken during meeting

• In coordination with the DRC, track milestones and task reports, and shall attend Data Gap study calls

• Based on working group outcomes, assist the DRC in any literature reviews necessary to facilitate development needs identified

Delivery Schedule:

• Expertise Working Group meeting date TBD

• Milestones for current Data Gap study are on-going through a phased approach and the Contractor will need to follow the established timeline

• Literature reviews will be required to be completed prior to, and following, decisions made by the Expertise Working Group (dates of meeting subject to change)

Outreach

• Facilitate outreach to marine mammal and disaster response experts to gather information relevant to developing plans and protocols for marine mammal disaster response

Meetings

• Attend Protected Resources Division and Southeast Regional Office meetings and provide updates on related tasks as requested

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in an associated discipline (e.g., biology, marine biology, coastal or aquatic sciences, coastal and marine habitat or living marine resource conservation and management)

• Six (6) to eight (8) years of specialized experience directly related to the position

• Knowledge of marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico region

• Experience interacting with Marine Mammal Stranding Networks

• Experience with marine mammal stranding events in disaster scenarios (e.g., mass stranding events, live whales, oil spill response specific to marine mammals)

• Strong initiative, independence, and task/time management skills

• Strong project management skills including project scheduling

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing

• Ability to read, understand, and summarize scientific papers/reports related to marine mammal health and physiology

• Ability to listen, participate in, understand, and efficiently summarize in writing in-person and virtual meetings related to marine mammal health and physiology

• Documented strong writing skills and ability to synthesize information into documents (e.g., summary reports, protocols, standard operating procedures) using citations and references

• Ability to communicate and work well with others

• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Gmail, Google docs, Endnote, and PowerPoint

Preferred:

• Demonstrated experience working within an Incident Command Structure (ICS)

• Experience with Deepwater Horizon (DWH) injury assessment for marine mammals and/or implementation of DWH restoration projects

• Experience facilitating meetings among diverse stakeholders

• Proficient with Microsoft SharePoint

Job Details:

• The place of performance will be offsite but located within the State of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas. There is no requirement to be onsite at a NOAA facility. The Contractor shall be responsible for selection and provision of any office space.

• Daily work hours may range between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday, but the contractor must be available between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm (normal business hours). Work hours may deviate from normal business hours to accommodate attendance at meetings, workshops, or conferences.

• Travel may be required

About Lynker

Lynker is a growing, employee owned, small business, specializing in professional, scientific and technical services. Our continually expanding team combines scientific expertise with mature, results-driven processes and tools to achieve technically sound, cost effective solutions in hydrology/water sciences, geospatial analysis, information technology, resource management, conservation, and management and business process improvement.

We focus on putting the right people in the right place to be effective. And having the right people is critical for success. Our streamlined organization enables and empowers our talented professionals to tackle our customers' scientific and technical priorities – creatively and effectively.

Lynker offers a team-oriented work environment, and the opportunity to work in a culture of exceptionally skilled and diverse professionals who embrace sound science and creative solutions. Lynker's benefits include the following:

Lynker is an E-Verify employer.

Lynker is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.