Lynker Corporation, in partnership with TechGlobal, is seeking a Quantitative Ecologist to support NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Marine Mammal and Turtle Division (MMTD). This proposed role will support data management, statistical analysis, model development, simulation development, technical reporting, and scientific communication for marine mammal research and management priorities. Hiring for this position will be contingent on contract award.

Background paragraph:

SEFSC MMTD provides scientific support for the conservation and recovery of marine mammal populations guided by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, regulatory policies, and Guidelines for Assessing Marine Mammal Stocks. MMTD research supports abundance estimation, monitoring of abundance trends, identification of units to conserve, life history, ecosystem understanding, and evaluation of restoration activities addressing Deepwater Horizon impacts.

• Support MMTD data management and analysis, including application of statistical models and/or development of simulations to address complex scientific problems.
• Evaluate animal movement and habitat ecology.
• Develop spatially explicit statistical models representing animal abundance.
• Develop and implement models of marine mammal population dynamics.
• Develop quantitative risk assessment approaches evaluating effects of natural and man-made stressors on marine mammal populations.
• Design projects, including collection and management of data and documented workflows in accessible software tools.
• Develop analytical approaches to address complex questions in marine mammal spatial and/or behavioral ecology related to MMTD priorities, legislative mandates such as the MMPA and ESA, and administrative priorities and policies.
• Identify key data gaps and develop or propose approaches to improve or modify data collection efforts.
• Participate in fieldwork as needed, including driving government vehicles when necessary to complete tasks.
• Participate intermittently in field data collection efforts, including providing advice and assistance with data collection and data management protocols.
• Work with other MMTD team members to formulate analytical solutions to marine mammal management questions that integrate existing data streams within NOAA.
• Develop written technical reports and peer-reviewed publications documenting project findings.
• Disseminate scientific results through presentations to diverse stakeholder groups.
• Attend planning and coordination meetings with MMTD researchers, either virtually or in person.

• MS degree or higher in Marine Science, Biology, Oceanography, Ecology, Statistics, or a related field of study; or BS degree in Marine Science or a related field of study plus five years of relevant experience.
• Experience with statistical analysis to investigate species-environment relationships, management of large datasets, and visualization of model outputs, including species distribution maps and other products.
• Experience with the implementation of legislative mandates, such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, for highly endangered marine mammal species, such as Rice’s whales or North Atlantic right whales.
• Experience developing survey/sampling design, relationships, and queries to support analyses of biological data from marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles, plus ancillary environmental and oceanographic data collected for long-term research studies.
• Experience collecting marine biological data for research programs in support of government resource management recommendations.
• Experience providing technical advice to different stakeholders and research collaborators on marine science, marine mammal research, and conservation.
• Proficiency in R/Python, GIS, or similar statistical analysis software for marine biological applications.
• Ability to organize, process, disseminate, and archive complex biological and environmental datasets and applications using the latest data management tools, especially cloud-based solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to present technical information to a non-technical audience and publish and present research findings at peer-reviewed forums, including conferences, workshops, and leadership briefings.

• Experience working with oceanographic and/or climatological data.

This task will be based at a SEFSC laboratory in Miami, FL; Beaufort, NC; or Pascagoula, MS. Fieldwork may be required on an as-needed basis. Facility access is from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for tasks requiring facility access. Work shall be performed during normal facility operating hours, five days per week, not to exceed 40 hours per week except when overtime is approved in advance.

Travel is anticipated and authorized for this task order, subject to COR approval prior to travel. Travel may include fieldwork to collect biological and environmental data from different surveys and/or platforms, including aerial, ship, or unmanned systems; fieldwork in support of MMTD marine mammal and turtle research and outreach; and participation in meetings, workshops, conferences, and prescribed training.