Senior Research Technician and Lab Manager

University of New Hampshire; Durham (NH); On-site; USD 44,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of New Hampshire invites applications for the Senior Research Technician and Lab Manager in the Fish and Movement Ecology Lab in Durham. The role supports field and laboratory activities across coastal, estuarine, and freshwater projects, including training students and coordinating data collection.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree in biology or marine science, field experience with boats, and strong data-entry and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, marine science, or related field.
• Experience with field and lab protocols is preferred.
• Comfort with data entry and basic documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead or assist fieldwork in streams, rivers, estuaries, and coastal environments.
• Manage logistics of field and other research activities.
• Conduct and coordinate laboratory research and training.
• Perform general research lab management activities.

Skills

Field work experience

Experience with small boats

Data entry in Excel

Ability to lift 50 pounds

Team collaboration

Willingness to travel to field sites

Education

Bachelor’s degree in biology, marine science, or related field

Job description

The Senior Research Technician and Lab Manager works within the Fish and Movement Ecology (FME) Lab, led by Dr. Nathan Furey. This position will provide field and logistical support across lab projects, including coastal, estuarine, and freshwater ecology projects. Field support includes driving small vessels and using a variety of fisheries gear types and collecting environmental samples and data. The lab manager will also assist in lab logistics, including use of university purchasing system, development of written field and lab protocols, assisting in permit applications, and written reporting. The individual will work closely with all members of the FME Lab and their collaborators, including faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers. This position will support all of the FME Lab’s activities, but will focus on three projects: 1) marine biodiversity monitoring in coastal NH and ME waters, focusing on Atlantic cod and common terns, 2) movements and feeding of Arctic charr in Maine, and 3) interannual survival of rainbow smelt in Great Bay, New Hampshire. The position will require occasional and seasonal travel to field sites and collaborating institutes.

Not all of these skills and experiences are expected of applicants, but rather demonstrate the breadth of potential activities.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

• Lead or assist in field work projects in streams, rivers, estuaries, and coastal environments, including training of students and technicians.
• Manage logistics of field and other research activities.
• Conduct and coordinate laboratory research, including training of students and technicians.
• Perform general research lab management activities.

Requirements

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, marine science, or related field.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Demonstrated interest in fish and movement ecology, with experience in telemetry, diet, or eDNA methods (field and/or lab) a plus.
• Desire and willingness to work with other team members, including postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
• Experience with operating small boats, preferably in field research settings and in estuarine and coastal waters, or working on larger vessels deploying fisheries and oceanographic equipment.
• Comfortable with data entry (Microsoft Excel).
• Experience conducting field work in under harsh conditions (poor weather, ability to lift 50 pounds, camping and living on-site).
• Physical capability and comfort conducting field work in freshwater (streams, rivers, and lakes), estuarine, and coastal systems.
• Experience with fisheries or fishing gear and a basic knowledge of fish biology or fisheries science.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills, including competence with completing electronic paperwork and forms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in closely related field
• Processing otoliths (extraction, sectioning, mounting, and/or reading)
• AAUS scientific diving should be noted in the application.

Budgeted salary is between $45,000 to $52,000 annually, depending upon experience.

Please be advised that this position is supported by external sponsor funding. As such, continued employment in this role is contingent upon the availability of those external funds. If, for any reason, the sponsor funding is reduced or discontinued, employment may be subject to modification or termination in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

Compensation Pay Range

$43,710.00 - $77,920.00

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

Location

Durham