Quantitative Analyst (COMPASS Modeling)

aisobservers; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Holiday pay

Job summary

A.I.S., Inc. is seeking a Quantitative Analyst to develop and advance the COMPASS model for river systems, evaluating stressors and management actions across fish life cycles.

You will use statistical and computer modeling to deliver management‑ready products for ESA litigation, permitting, and hydrosystem decisions. The role requires strong R skills, experience in Bayesian or frequentist analysis, and collaboration with NOAA/NWFSC staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in statistics, mathematics, fisheries, ecology, or the natural sciences.
• Three or more years of experience.
• Excellent communication skills and report writing.
• Strong quantitative skills including modeling and data analysis.
• Extensive experience in statistical analysis and modeling in R.
• Familiarity with C or C++ in a scientific modeling context.
• Familiarity with Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to manage workload and work independently or in teams.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and pass a background check.

Responsibilities

• Develop and advance the COMPASS model for river systems to evaluate stressors and actions across fish life cycles.
• Construct models evaluating survival and migration through the hydropower system for ESA litigation support.
• Collaborate with regional managers and researchers to structure and manage data.
• Document reproducible workflows and analyses on open‑science platforms (e.g., GitHub).
• Write reports, contribute to manuscripts, and present results at meetings.
• Ensure analyses use accepted methods and integrate modeling into COMPASS and related life‑cycle models.
• Prepare written status reports and other ad hoc communications.
• Assist field collection of fish and environmental data on the West Coast as needed.

Skills

Statistical modeling

Data analysis

R programming

Excellent communication

Report writing

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in statistics, mathematics, fisheries, ecology, or natural sciences

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

R

Stan

JAGS

Linux shell

Job description

A.I.S., Inc. (AIS) is a national scientific services firm supporting maritime activities requiring certification of compliance with environmental regulations as well as collecting data for use by Federal, State, Municipal, and other government agencies along the U.S. coastline. AIS is looking for a Quantitative Analyst (Comprehensive Passage (COMPASS) modeling) to support National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), Fish Ecology Division (FE).

Primary Function

The Quantitative Analyst supports the FED by developing and advancing the Comprehensive Passage (COMPASS) model to evaluate the effects of stressors and management actions across fish life cycles in river systems. This position applies statistical modeling, computer modeling, quantitative ecological analysis, and other quantitative modeling techniques to produce management‑ready products that inform ESA litigation responses, permitting decisions, and hydrosystem management for Pacific salmon in the Columbia River basin and other West Coast systems. This position is contingent upon contract award and available funding.

Duties / Responsibilities

• Develop and advance the Comprehensive Passage (COMPASS) model for application in river systems to evaluate effects of stressors and management actions across fish life cycles using a combination of statistical modeling, computer modeling, statistical analysis, quantitative ecological analysis, and other quantitative modeling techniques.
• Construct and implement models evaluating survival and migration through the hydropower system (COMPASS model) to address requests by the West Coast Regional Office in support of ESA litigation and permitting.
• Collaborate with regional managers and researchers to structure, synthesize, and manage environmental and biological data relevant to modeling needs.
• Document and share reproducible research workflows and analytical products via open‑science platforms (e.g., GitHub) so that others can easily interact with them and understand what was done.
• Write reports, contribute to journal manuscripts, and present results at regional and national meetings and scientific conferences, as needed.
• Ensure all analyses are conducted with accepted methods and QA/QC, and that modeling components are completed and integrated into COMPASS and life‑cycle models for the Columbia River basin, and others as needed.
• Prepare written status reports and other ad hoc communications as needed.
• Assist with field collection of fish and environmental data in freshwater, estuarine, and nearshore marine environments of the West Coast region, as needed. This involves operating outdoors in sometimes harsh conditions in or around water, and may involve riding in vehicles and/or boats.

Compensation

Candidates will be paid an hourly rate to be negotiated, and total compensation will vary depending on candidates' depth of experience. This is a full‑time position. AIS benefits package includes health and dental insurance, vacation, sick and holiday benefits.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in a field of study related to statistics, mathematics, fisheries, ecology, or the natural sciences.
• Three (3) or more years of experience.
• Excellent communication skills, and experience writing reports and contributing to peer‑reviewed articles.
• Strong quantitative skills including extensive experience in modeling and data analysis.
• Extensive experience executing statistical analysis and modeling in R, with an emphasis on strong skills coding in R.
• Familiarity interpreting or interfacing with C or C++ code within a scientific modeling context.
• Familiarity with common software used in the workplace such as Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to manage workload, stay organized, and produce high‑quality work products efficiently.
• Ability to work both independently and on interdisciplinary teams.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license during the period of performance.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation and be suitable for public trust classification prior to beginning performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related quantitative or natural science field.
• Experience with Bayesian statistical methods and mark‑recapture analysis.
• Experience with Bayesian modeling programs Stan and JAGS.
• Computational experience utilizing command‑line environments (e.g., Linux/shell scripting) for processing data.
• Experience with open science concepts and platforms.

Travel

• Travel is anticipated.
• Personnel may periodically be required to drive Government vehicles; when a Government vehicle is not available, mileage on a personal vehicle is reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.

Location

• 2725 Montlake Blvd. East, Seattle, WA 98112 (Northwest Fisheries Science Center) or at one of the science centers associated field stations.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of A.I.S. to recruit, hire, train, promote, transfer and compensate our employees and provide all other conditions of employment including Company sponsored events without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, lawful alien status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law.

Must be able to work in the U.S. VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Request Priority Protected Veteran Referrals. Equal Opportunity Employer.