Field Party Chief / Survey Component Lead – Level II (Mesophotic Deep Benthic Communities)

*US Citizenship Required

*Position is Subject to Contract Award

SEFSC-PEMD personnel are critical collaborators in restoration work in response to the 2010 DWH oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This aspect of the project involves surveying mesophotic and deep benthic reef communities (50 - 1800 m in depth). The survey utilizes a variety of survey platforms (e.g. ROV, AUV) to detect, classify and enumerate assemblages of corals, sponges, octocorals, crustaceans, mollusks, fishes and other fauna. Tasks should include: Field Party Chief, Survey Watch Stander for Mesophotic Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) surveys conducted on NOAA Ships and Small Research Vessels and participate on other PEMD resource surveys, as requested.

a) Survey Duties

Tasks shall include but is not limited to:

• Assists the MDBC Project Management Leads in coordination of survey preparation, execution, and completion including: setting schedules, coordinating supply/equipment needs, and selection of survey vehicles (e.g. AUV).
• Writes cruise instructions and cruise reports on time and follows through on necessary paperwork for participant clearance forms.
• Knowledgeable in data collection MDBC SOPs, and execution of at-sea mapping and ground truthing missions as Field Party Chief or Watch Leader.
• Pre- and post-survey inventory and maintenance of equipment and gear.
• Coordinating daily vessel activities, personnel, vessel position and movements, ports of call and weather and sea conditions.
• Conducting data collection, biological and/or environmental sampling and logging and processing data and/or samples under field conditions, as required and according to prescribed MDBC SOP.
• Report to the MDBC Project Leads with weekly progress updates or any time there are issues that require alteration to the survey plan.
• Complete incident reporting procedures as necessary in accordance with applicable NOAA Small Boat Program requirements (small boat operations only)

b) Laboratory Duties

Survey Component Lead requires subject matter expertise and leadership on a component of the MDBC survey. Primary duties focus on video annotation to derive habitat and fish detection and enumeration. Collected video data is annotated using a semi-automated multi-stage process including 1) automated processing using C-Vision tools, 2) human-in-the-loop review and correction, 3) data review and QA/QC, 4) data output/ingest into GCRF Oracle databases, 4) updating GitHUB data for updates and project management.

• Subject matter expert for identifying marine fishes in all life stages from mesophotic and deep reef habitats of the Gulf of America.
• Video annotation, review, and data QA/QC of ROV-based footage.
• QA/QC and review of data entry.
• Management of review and tracking sheets.
• Updating project management tools for status updates.
• Updating annotation tracking sheets.

c) Data Management Support

Survey Component Lead duties involve leading some aspect of data projects as a subject matter expert (e.g. data applications) on MDBC databases to ensure data standardization, quality, requests/delivery, backups, and security. Basic duties include data entry, QA/QC, and validation. In the near future these will also include determining and setting standards for automated data outputs to ensure interoperability and democratization of datasets.

• Utilize inventory of existing bathymetric information in U.S. EEZ of Gulf of Mexico between 50 and 1800 m into MDBC database. Task to be coordinated with NCEI and NCCOS-Biogeography Branch.
• Helps manage the MDBC database, associated data entry applications and MDBC survey SOP (including metadata).
• Manage data backups and security with OMI personnel.
• Work with MDBC personnel to integrate new automated data output and to meet standards for interoperability of AI/ML algorithms and libraries.
• Manage video data annotation entry projects
• Maintain project management tools to keep projects on track.

d) Analytical Support

Survey Component Lead roles involve preparing and collating data for analysis, assistance with statistical approaches and synthesis of data (e.g. species density calculation and graphs). Advanced duties involve working with datasets to produce higher level reports and assistance with manuscripts for peer review. Basic duties include data preparation and validation prior to analysis, assisting in drafting reports and manuscripts, and review.

• Collation of existing biological data inventory products and data mining of existing acoustic bathymetric data for mesophotic and deep benthic reefs located within the United States - EEZ of the Gulf of America.
• Maintain knowledge of relevant scientific literature, provide support for data analyses and develop data summaries.
• Maintain updates in analysis projects using project management tool.
• Develop data reports, and presentations. Assist in preparing manuscripts for publication in accordance with SEFSC publication review and publishing procedures.
• Coordinate abstracts, presentations, and any resultant publications.
• Attends professional meetings and publishes advances in peer review literature.

e) Outreach and Education

Participate in public outreach and education efforts. Examples of outreach and education activities include marine science education at local schools, participating as judges for local science fairs, conducting and participating in outreach and education tours of the SEFSC facilities and NOAA ships (in conjunction with federal employees), manning of outreach booths at local fairs and festivals.

f) Scientific Meetings

Contractor may be required to prepare for and present, facilitate, or participate in various position related workshops, scientific meetings, symposiums, and public forums. Events consist of, but are not limited to the following:

• Attend scientific meetings (e.g., American Fisheries Society, Larval Fish Conference, Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists, Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography) and present scientific results, as required.

• MS Degree in Marine Science or a related field of study or BS Degree in Marine Science or a related field of study plus three (3) years of relevant experience.
• Computer literate and experienced with common word processing, database, statistical, and graphics programs. Capable of writing reports at the college level and making oral presentations.
• Knowledge of ArcGIS including Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions for use in planning missions and evaluation of spatial distributions.
• Knowledge of MDBC field sampling protocols, in order to lead or participate in surveys.
• Functional knowledge of ROV, AUV and UUV operations, including ability to develop logistical plans for at-sea operations using these assets;
• Experience as lead data collector on at sea surveys. Knowledge and skills in using shipboard software that handles data streams for hydrological, and biological data.
• Proficient in the use of fish, invertebrate, and protected species identification books and keys. Knowledge and identification of reef taxa from the Gulf of America.
• Expert knowledge of major structure forming invertebrates found in mesophotic and deep benthic communities of the Gulf of America.
• Knowledge of procedures when encountering endangered or threatened species.
• Sea going contractors who participate on research cruises on Office of Marine and Aviation Operations' NOAA ships will be required to annually/biennially (age dependent) submit a NOAA Health Services Questionnaire (NOAA Form 57- 10-01) and Tuberculosis Screening Form (NOAA Form NF 57-10-02) to OMAO health services to determine fitness for sea duty. Sea going contractors must have a current tetanus vaccine (once every 10 years).