Research Specialist

NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) seeks a highly qualified candidate for a Research Specialist position on an interdisciplinary research team of contract and federal employees. The position will support the NOAA NCCOS Marine Spatial Ecology Division (http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/), which is a nationally recognized scientific research program that conducts spatial ecological analysis, statistical modeling, ecological forecasting, and predictive mapping to support marine ecosystem management, conservation, and spatial planning. The candidate will be employed via a contract to work as part of the Coastal Resilience, Restoration, and Assessment Branch located in Beaufort, North Carolina.

The ideal candidate will possess experience in ecological research, designing and managing databases, and conducting GIS-based analyses to assist with projects evaluating the biodiversity and coastal protection benefits of nature-based solutions in coastal ecosystems. A strong background in marine sciences is preferred.

Core Responsibilities

• Assist with designing, managing, and querying databases associated with coastal protection and biodiversity services provided by living shorelines.
• Assist with living shoreline data QA/QC, synthesis, and analysis, including statistical and geospatial analyses.
• Assist with in-situ ecological research using methods such as transects, quadrats, GPS, wave and gauges.
• Assist with shoreline change analyses in coastal ecosystems, including salt marshes and oyster reefs.
• Synthesize and interpret outputs and protocols in the context of applied management, conservation, and restoration scenarios.
• Contribute to presentations, reports, and peer-reviewed publication(s).

Qualifications Required:

• Working towards degree in ecology, environmental sciences, biology, oceanography, conservation, or related field.
• Knowledge of marine science and coastal ecosystems.
• Experience with databases and conducting geospatial analyses in ArcGIS.
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting.
• Ability to perform fieldwork in remote and harsh environments, often on small boats, and lift over 50 lbs.
• Experience with standard productivity software platforms including but not limited to Microsoft Office (i.e., MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint).
• Highly-organized, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task and manage time to achieve project objectives, meet deadlines, and work independently and collaboratively.
• Non-U.S. citizens must possess current documentation authorizing employment in the United States and meet the minimum-security requirements for access to federal facilities.

Preferred skills:

• Experience analyzing remotely sensed data in coastal ecosystems.
• Experience conducting statistical analyses in R, Python, Matlab, or equivalent.
• Experience installing and analyzing data from research instrumentation such as wave gauges and pressure sensors.
• Strong organizational and data management skills including experience working with large data sets and computationally complex tasks.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral scientific communication
• Experience with small boat operations.

CSS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer who provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or genetic information. In addition to federal law requirements, CSS complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.