Lead Scientist – Water Quality Program

Earth Day; Lawrence (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/Dental insurance

IRA with company match

Flexible scheduling

Job summary

The Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC) is seeking a full-time Lead Scientist to drive our water quality research and monitoring programs from our Lawrence, MA office. You will design large-scale investigations, supervise staff and volunteers, and strengthen partnerships with agencies and communities to protect river ecosystems.

You will lead baseline monitoring, wet/dry weather studies on bacteria, and multi-year investigations to identify pollution sources.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 4+ years of relevant work experience
• Ability to manage multiple projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Experience with data visualization and GIS tools

Responsibilities

• Supervise the Water Quality Program Manager (WQPM) and oversee year-round monitoring
• Adjust program to maintain high scientific standards and efficiency
• Oversee data collection, QA/QC, and uploads to WQX
• Maintain monitoring equipment and supply inventory
• Analyze samples and develop annual reports
• Communicate findings to partners and stakeholders
• Design and implement large-scale multi-year investigations
• Convene stakeholder advisory committees
• Develop new projects from existing programs
• Mentor junior scientists and foster safety

Skills

Project management

Communication skills

Data visualization

Field work

R/Tableau/ArcGIS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science or related field

Master’s degree in environmental science or related field

Tools

R

Tableau

ArcGIS

Visual Basic

Job description

The Merrimack River Watershed Council (MRWC) seeks a full-time Lead Scientist for our water quality program. As Lead Scientist, you will be the driving force behind our research and monitoring programs. Your expertise will shape how we assess, protect, and improve river ecosystems — from designing new large-scale investigations to expanding and strengthening existing monitoring programs, your work will directly influence the health of the watershed. If you have a strong work ethic, passionate drive, and enduring commitment to water and our watershed, consider joining our team.

About MRWC

MRWC is an environmental nonprofit that protects and improves the Merrimack River Watershed for all people and wildlife through science, education, and advocacy. We both protect our watershed from environmental harm and educate and engage residents in restoring our vital natural resources. We work with diverse stakeholders, decision makers aLend communities to address threats including water pollution, habitat loss, aging infrastructure, and climate change. MRWC has a main office in Lawrence, Massachusetts and a secondary office in Concord, New Hampshire. However, MRWC works throughout the entire 5,000 square mile watershed.

About the Position

The Lead Scientist is supervised by the Executive Director and supervises a staff of three and a team of community scientist volunteers. The Lead Scientist will work to expand and manage MRWC’s activities in water quality monitoring and lead engagement of diverse groups of stakeholders to solve water related issues (such as developing formal watershed plans).

The Lead Scientist will supervise ongoing monitoring programs for baseline monitoring of the river, wet/dry weather research to better understand the impact of heavy rain events on bacteria levels, and small-scale hot spot investigations (though these programs are managed on a daily basis by the Water Quality Program Manager).

The lead scientist will also specifically design and implement two large scale multi-year investigations to identify the sources of frequent high bacteria readings in both the Lawrence Dam impoundment and Newburyport Harbor. The Lead Scientist will continue to build MRWC’s robust volunteer network and grow our partnerships with local organizations and key agencies to identify and adopt science-based solutions to water quality issues.

Key Responsibilities

Supervision of Current Water Quality Monitoring Program

• Supervise the Water Quality Program Manager (WQPM) as they conduct MRWC’s volunteer-based water quality monitoring on the main stem of the Merrimack, including regular year-round sampling, hotspot monitoring, wet/dry weather research, data analysis, and technical reporting
• In collaboration with the WQPM, adjust program over time to ensure high scientific standards and improve efficiency
• Oversee WQPM in the management of data collection, data recording, QA/QC and upload to WQX database
• Oversee WQPM in maintenance of water quality monitoring equipment and supply inventory
• Oversee WQPM in the analyzation of samples using in-house IDEXX system
• Analyze data and lead development of annual reports
• Communicate findings to local, state and federal partners through presentations, meetings, and public speaking engagements

Design and Implement Large Scale Multi-Year Investigations

• Convene robust stakeholder advisory committees to guide/support investigations
• Create flexible investigation plans to identify source(s) of pollutants with the flexibility to change course over time as new information emerges
• Initiate and manage iterative testing and tracking with support of staff and volunteers
• In first year(s) in position, two new studies will be designed and initiated, one in the Lawrence Dam Impoundment and one in Newburyport Harbor, both to identify the source(s) of unexplained fecal bacteria spike in both wet and dry weather.
• Identify areas for future investigations

Project and Program Development

• Leverage existing projects and relationships to develop new projects
• Identify key solutions to water quality issues and work with Program Managers and stakeholders to develop projects around those solutions
• Present information to municipalities, water treatment facilities and other partners
• Mentor junior scientists, fostering a culture of scientific excellence and safety

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build enduring local partnerships to advance water quality improvement projects, collaborative solutions, and investments
• Strengthen MRWC’s connections with community members, volunteers, businesses, local organizations, and municipal government departments, particularly in environmental justice communities

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree + 4 years of relevant work experience or Master’s degree + 2 years of relevant work experience. Degree in environmental science, hydrology, aquatic biology, ecology, environmental chemistry, civil/environmental engineering or related field
• Ability to manage and prioritize a wide range of projects.
• Excellent inter-personal, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to develop and carry out scientific studies – design a study, collect data, manage data analysis and draw conclusions
• Experience with data visualization software and programming such as R, Tableau, Visual Basic and Arc GIS
• This position requires field work, including on water, in boats, and on uneven terrain. Employment is contingent on ability to pass swimming and small boating certifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual in Spanish (spoken and written)
• Familiarity and community connections within the watershed
• Experience in WQX

Location/Schedule

This position is based out of our Lawrence, MA office. Regular travel and field work throughout the watershed should be expected. This is full-time exempt with options for flexible scheduling. This position requires early morning and weekend sampling, and occasional evening meetings and weekend events. This position is an in-office position with a regular required presence in Lawrence.

Salary and Benefits

• Starting salary is dependent on experience with a range of $85,000 – $100,000.
• Health/dental insurance (90% employer contribution)
• IRA with company match