Marine Resource Specialist - West Boothbay Harbor

Department of Marine Resources•West Boothbay Harbor, ME

4d•$23 - $32•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a field and technical position based out of Boothbay Harbor and will be responsible for field work coast-wide in the scallop and lobster programs as well as data entry, data management, and maintenance of field and lab equipment. This position supports scallop and lobster monitoring programs. Specific duties include participating in, and sometimes leading, scallop dredge surveys, assisting with data entry and management for these surveys, conducting phone interviews with fleet members, and conducting data collection on commercial fishing boats for the lobster At-Sea Sampling Program and Ventless Trap Survey with associated data entry and data checking from those trips. The focus of this position for about five months per year will be on the scallop program and the remaining seven months per year in the lobster program with overlap between programs throughout the year. The Specialist will conduct 6-8 independent at-sea sampling trips per month during the peak lobster field season (May-Nov). From early winter to spring (Dec-April) the position will assist with scallop surveys, and complete limited lobster sampling trips. Travel in-state is expected and costs including time, per-diem and lodging will be covered directly or reimbursed. The position will support research to inform the management of lobster, scallops, urchin, and groundfish as time allows. This position may include SCUBA diving if applicable. This position will be responsible for the data transfer and maintenance of field computers and may include general data analysis. The position requires interacting with commercial fishers and the public. Work is performed under general supervision. While not conducting field work, the employee is expected to work in the Boothbay office, with the option for remote work three days a week. Field work will occur during weekends.

Requirements

Intermediate education, training, and/or experience in the compilation and summarization of scientific field and laboratory data including coursework or demonstrated experience in natural resource science, management, technology, laboratory, or field work
Strong interpersonal, communication, and computer skills
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects at the same time with high attention to detail

Nice To Haves

Experience with the commercial fishing industry
Familiarity with MS Access, ArcGIS and R
Comfort with computer hardware and relational databases are desirable

Responsibilities

Participating in, and sometimes leading, scallop dredge surveys
Assisting with data entry and management for these surveys
Conducting phone interviews with fleet members
Conducting data collection on commercial fishing boats for the lobster At-Sea Sampling Program and Ventless Trap Survey with associated data entry and data checking from those trips
Conduct 6-8 independent at-sea sampling trips per month during the peak lobster field season (May-Nov)
Assist with scallop surveys, and complete limited lobster sampling trips (Dec-April)
Data transfer and maintenance of field computers
General data analysis

Benefits

Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays , 12 days of sick leave , and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,857.68-$13,950.24 annual value), depending on salary.
Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%.
Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).
Retirement Plan – The State of Maine contributes 14.11% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program.
Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave . Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act .
Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.