Scientist 7 (Anchorage, AK)

Scientist 7

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Scientist 7 to provide support to the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska Regional Office in Anchorage AK. OAI supplies personnel support services on contract to government and industry clients for marine fisheries and protected species. The person filling this position will conduct important consultation activities aimed at protecting and preserving living marine resources of the Pacific Northwest. This is an exciting opportunity to promote conservation efforts across the region working with an experienced team of federal managers and scientists.The Alaska Region of NMFS oversees sustainable fisheries that produce about half of the fish caught in U.S. waters with responsibilities covering 842 000 square nautical miles off Alaska. The Alaska Region also works to ensure the viability of protected species principally marine mammals and to protect and enhance Alaska s marine habitat. The NMFS Alaska Region Protected Resources Division (PRD) regularly consults on the effects resulting from various federal projects and authorizations on threatened and endangered species under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The person filling this position shall undertake actions necessary to satisfy the ESA consultation requirements of NMFS for both informal and formal consultations. These activities will consider coordinate and respond regarding impacts to endangered species for which NMFS bears responsibility.This is a full time labor-hour non-personal service task order. Government personnel will be responsible for the overall scheduling of project activity and will provide the Contractor s liaison project manager with scheduling information as appropriate. DESCRIPTION OF WORK AND SERVICESThe contractor shall assist NMFS staff with ESA related work concerning NMFS managed ESA species. This work shall consist of a variety of tasks including 1. Providing early technical assistance to federal agencies or their designated non-federal representatives consultants or applicants regarding ESA consultation requirements and measures to mitigate or avoid the taking of listed species. 2. Providing responses to inquiries of federal agencies or their designated non-federal representatives concerning the presence of ESA species within their project areas (i.e. species lists ).3. Conducting ESA informal consultations including communicating with federal action agencies or their designated non-federal representatives review and assessment of information supplied by action agencies to meet consultation needs assessment of project effects relative to ESA standards preparation of Letters of Concurrence assembling administrative records of consultations and completing NMFS consultation tracking database entries. 4. Conducting ESA formal and programmatic consultations including communicating and meeting with federal action agencies review and assessment of Biological Assessments for acceptability to meet the information needed for consultation assessment of project affects relative to ESA standards preparation of Biological Opinions assembling administrative records of consultations and completing NMFS consultation tracking database entries. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCESelected individual(s) must have the following minimum qualifications Bachelor s degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a major directly related in a field of study as related to the requirements of the specific task order with emphasis in fisheries oceanography social science natural science mathematics or hydrology plus five (5) years of experience in related field or combination of such totaling nine (9) years combined education experience. Master s Degree in related field plus one (1) year experience or Ph.D. may be substituted for experience. Additional preferred qualifications include A degree in Wildlife Biology or a related field. Training or practical experience with the ESA particularly section 7. Experience in scientific writing. Experience in preparation of environmental analyses and assessments such as Biological Assessments Biological Opinions and other similar resource evaluations. Experience with marine mammal endangered species management or research. An understanding of the Endangered Species Act biological and ecological concepts related to NMFS-managed endangered species in Alaska and their critical habitats is highly desired. If you are interested in being considered for this position you MUST APPLY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE ONLY. Go to OCEANASSOC.COM click on Now Hiring find the position you wish to apply for click the For More Information link for that position follow instructions on the page to apply. (no emails)When applying for this position you will be asked to upload your resume at the end of the online application. Include your name in the document file name. Sending your resume in readable (not scanned) PDF or Word format is preferred.