JOB POSTING

Research Technician - Temporary

Posted: Open to internal and external applicants.

Reports to: Senior Conservation Research Manager

Status: Hourly/non-exempt, temporary, February through December 2023

Salary: $25-27/hour

Hours of work: Variable schedule, 20-40 hours per week, Monday through Friday

Date needed: February 1, 2023

Position Overview

The Research Technician is responsible for assisting with Seattle Aquarium’s ongoing conservation research projects. This person participates in a variety of research activities including but not limited to: gathering data from diver operated video transects (e.g., species identification and counts), observing and documenting foraging behavior of wild sea otters, maintaining and updating databases, assisting with manuscript preparation and communicating research findings to both scientific and non-scientific audiences via scientific papers, presentations, news media, and web-based channels (e.g., blogs, podcasts, social media).

Essential Functions

This position is responsible for assisting with conservation research activities including but not limited to:

• Assist in the collection of field data on sea otter abundance and foraging activities along Washington’s outer coast.
• Gather temperate (Salish Sea) species diversity and abundance data off of archived SCUBA based diver operated video transects and maintain datasets in various formats in excel.
• Use a programming language such as R to create figures and use a program (e.g., GIS, QGIS, R or others) to create maps for interpretation of both sea otter foraging and rocky reef survey datasets.
• Assist with managing databases, analyzing data, disseminating results and preparing data for publication. Expereince in (or ability to learn and implement) univariate and multivariate statistics preferred.
• Participate in public speaking opportunities as needed to share results with the scientific and non-scientific public, both in-person and virtual.

Additional Responsibilities

• 
  Act as role model for compliance with all safety protocols, especially with regards to the activities that take place in the lab or the field.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others. Must be capable of maintaining strong relationships with research partners such as tribes, federal, academic, private and community organizations.
• Assure the safety of animals, employees and the visiting public from injury or mishap.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Comfort using common database management software such as Microsoft Excel and statistical software such as R.
• Strong analytical, written, and oral communication skills.
• Familiarity with or ability to learn Northeast Pacific fish such as rockfish, lingcod and greenling species (rocky reef surveys) and benthic invertebrate taxa including but not limited to urchins, clams, crabs and mussels (sea otter foraging).

• 
  Familiarity with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, OneDrive) and virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams)
• Must possess organizational skills, be self-motivated and self-directed. Able to seek guidance when needed.
• Experience participating in research projects.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration and team-building skills.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in biology, marine biology, or zoology.
• Demonstrated research experience preferably in the marine environment.

Working Conditions

• This position has the option of being a hybrid position, functioning partially from home using tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other technology. A computer will be provided. Candidates who prefer a hybrid work schedule will need to provide their own internet connection, strong enough to take video calls regularly while working remotely.
• Onsite work is performed at a computer workstation in an open office environment.
• Requires the ability to work in the field in a variety of environmental conditions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus to ensure ability to observe and document both items in a microscope as well as animals in the field through a spotting scope or binoculars.
• Must be able to be on their feet 8 or more hours a day, hike up to 8 miles in one day over rough terrain and on primitive trails carrying a 20-30 pound pack, be physically active through physical motions. Occasionally required to lift more than 50 pounds.
• Travel as needed to e.g., conduct overnight and muti-day fieldwork. Current research projects require regular travel within Washington (less than 25%).

Disclaimer

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performance by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Completed by: Shawn Larson and Amy Olsen Date: January 2023

Reviewed by: Erin Meyer Date: January 2023