Research Specialist Advanced

William & Mary; New Jersey; On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in Virginia's coastal region seeks a Research Specialist Advanced to lead Atlantic menhaden research efforts. You will supervise field sampling, manage lab processing for age and diet analyses, and work within the Multispecies Research Group to support fisheries management.

You will operate FEED data collection tools on vessels, contribute to reports, and collaborate across projects with a strong emphasis on team science and mentorship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in scientific discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Highly experienced in laboratory, field, and research discipline, most often obtained through experience and demonstrated competencies as a Research Specialist (in the Research Career Path).
• Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods; ability to operate lab/field instrumentation.
• Knowledge of contract budget maintenance; ability to track expenditures.

Responsibilities

• Leads work in the application of lab techniques, field surveys, or research procedures.
• Writes or modifies computer programs to analyze data and generate reports.
• Researches literature related to project/procedures.
• Writes segments of reports and manuscripts.
• Contributes to coordination of grant by tracking budget expenditures.
• Supervises and assists lower-level staff.
• Troubleshoots instrument problems and performs preventive maintenance on equipment.

Skills

Lab techniques

Field surveys

Data analysis

Report writing

Budget tracking

Supervision

R

Python

Matlab

SAS

GIS

FEED

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

FEED

Job description

Job Requisition

JR102041 Research Specialist Advanced (Open)

Job Posting Title: Research Specialist Advanced

Department: CC00497 VIMS1 | RADV | Natural Resources

Job Family: Staff - Environmental Safety

Worker Sub-Type: Regular (benefited)

Job Requisition Primary Location: Nunnally Hall/Fisheries Science

Primary Job Posting Location: Posting Location - VIMS Gloucester

Job Description Summary

School Mission Statement

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) has a three-part mission of research, education, and advisory service. Our over-arching goals are to:

• Make seminal advances in understanding marine systems through research and discovery.
• Translate research findings into practical solutions to complex issues of societal importance.
• Provide new generations of researchers, educators, problem solvers, and managers with a coastal and marine sciences education of unsurpassed quality.

Unit Mission Statement

The primary focus of the Multispecies Research Group (MRG) at VIMS is the collection and analysis of fisheries data in support of resource management and ecological conservation activities in Chesapeake Bay and along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. As such, this group maintains a robust field, laboratory, and analytical infrastructure that is designed to support this mission.

Job Description

Position Summary

The Research Specialist Advanced core responsibilities will be related to the preparation and the execution of survey and tagging operations focused on Atlantic menhaden research. This position will serve as a chief scientist on the MRG's menhaden tagging project and contribute to the laboratory processing biological samples collected in the field. Participation in the MRG's other long-term monitoring surveys will be as needed.

The Research Specialist Advanced will be expected to lead field-based research sampling and tagging efforts, as well as assist with laboratory-based processing of fish hard parts for age determination and fish stomachs for diet analysis. This position will be expected to work well as part of a large team of employees across several research projects, with a focus on Atlantic menhaden research. Field-based sampling will occur on state and commercial vessels, while field data will be collected via a variety of automated data collection equipment using the Fisheries Environment for Electronic Data (FEED) software.

The Research Specialist Advanced role performs advanced to expert level responsibilities in a laboratory, field setting, or for scientific research. This position engages in complex scientific procedures or research for a program manager, principal investigator or project director or by continuing to deliver scientific services while assuming additional supervisory and administrative responsibilities.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Leads work in the application of lab techniques, field surveys, or research procedures.
• Writes or modifies computer programs to analyze data and generate reports.
• Researches literature related to project/procedures.
• Writes segments of reports and manuscripts.
• Contributes to coordination of grant by tracking budget expenditures.
• Supervises and assists lower-level staff.
• Troubleshoots instrument problems and performs preventive maintenance on equipment.

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree in scientific discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience

Highly experienced in laboratory, field, and research discipline, most often obtained through experience and demonstrated competencies as a Research Specialist (in the Research Career Path).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Basic knowledge of qualitative and/or quantitative research methods.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct a variety of research techniques and procedures, operate laboratory equipment, and collect and report basic findings.
• Ability to independently carry out structured research projects and assist in developing research procedures.
• Ability to independently carry out defined procedures and guidelines.
• Ability to operate a variety of lab and field instrumentation.
• Ability to communicate data and research findings.
• Knowledge of contract budget maintenance.

Preferred Qualifications

Education

Master's degree in scientific discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to develop experimental design and research procedures.
• Ability to operate, troubleshoot, and repair a variety of lab and field instrumentation.
• Ability to lead, mentor, and teach basic research processes, safety, techniques and methodology to lower-level employees.
• Ability to oversee and direct basic research operations including laboratory and field duties of lower-level employees.
• Knowledge of computer programming software (such as automating and analysis - R, Matlab, Python, SAS, GIS, webpage, etc.).
• Ability to present data and training to other research groups and external contacts.

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