Marine Wildlife Response Specialist – Maui

FISH is seeking a dependable and conservation-minded Marine Wildlife Response Specialist to support Hawaiʻi’s marine wildlife emergency response and public outreach network. This position plays a hands-on role in responding to reports involving protected marine wildlife, including Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, and other marine animals. The successful candidate will help receive and assess hotline reports, coordinate and participate in field responses, collect and manage response data, maintain equipment and supplies, support post-mortem examinations, and provide accurate, NOAA-approved information to members of the public. This position requires sound judgment, attention to detail, professionalism, and the ability to work safely under changing and sometimes time-sensitive field conditions.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• -Receive, document, assess, and appropriately route reports of marine wildlife incidents, including strandings, haul-outs, entanglements, injuries, and mortalities received through telephone hotlines, email, partner agencies, or members of the public.
• -Coordinate and participate in field responses involving live or deceased marine wildlife. Activities may include securing response areas, establishing public-safety perimeters, assisting with animal handling or care under authorized direction, and transporting deceased animals for examination.
• -Erect temporary signs, barriers, or other protective measures around Hawaiian monk seals and other protected wildlife to minimize disturbance and promote public safety.
• -Follow all applicable response protocols and requirements established under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and other relevant federal policies and authorizations.
• -Collect accurate field observations, photographs, measurements, and biological samples in accordance with established protocols.
• -Prepare and enter complete, timely records in NOAA-designated systems, including applicable Level A forms, Hawaiian monk seal records, and other incident-response databases.
• -Assist with the coordination and logistics of post-mortem examinations, including sample handling and processing, equipment preparation, carcass transportation, storage, and disposal.
• -Maintain, inspect, and inventory response equipment, vehicles, field kits, personal protective equipment, and supplies to ensure readiness for rapid deployment.
• -Participate in meetings, training, exercises, and response-network coordination with NOAA, the University of Hawaiʻi, volunteers, contractors, and other partner organizations.
• -Support public education and outreach activities at community events, classrooms, fairs, harbors, beaches, and other locations.
• -Share NOAA-approved information and professionally respond to questions from beachgoers, fishers, ocean-tour operators, community members, and other stakeholders.
• -Organize and support volunteers participating in authorized monitoring, outreach, or response activities.
• -Track activities, response outcomes, challenges, and accomplishments, and contribute to recurring progress reports and other required deliverables.
• -Protect sensitive information and comply with all applicable NOAA policies, data-security requirements, safety procedures, response timelines, and reporting deadlines.
• -Maintain readiness for field assignments throughout Hawaiʻi. Response work may occur during evenings, weekends, holidays, and outside normal business hours.
  

• -High school diploma or equivalent.
• -Experience performing or supporting fieldwork and field logistics in Hawaiʻi, preferably in wildlife response, natural-resource management, conservation, fisheries, or another marine-related setting.
• -Experience accurately collecting, documenting, organizing, or entering data.
• -Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace applications.
• -Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with technical personnel, partners, volunteers, and members of the public.
• -Ability to gather, assess, and document detailed information accurately under time-sensitive conditions.
• -Experience working with, organizing, training, or supporting volunteers or community-based teams.
• -Ability to follow established procedures, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information responsibly.
• -Valid driver’s license and ability to complete required defensive-driving or vehicle-safety training.
• -Ability and willingness to work an on-call and variable schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended field assignments when necessary.
• -Ability to safely perform physically demanding fieldwork in Hawaiʻi’s environmental conditions, including heat, sun, rain, uneven terrain, beaches, and areas near the ocean.

• -Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in biology, marine science, conservation, environmental science, wildlife management, natural-resource management, or a related field.
• -Previous experience responding to marine mammal or sea turtle strandings, rescues, injuries, entanglements, or mortalities.
• -Experience assisting with necropsies, biological sample collection, animal handling, or wildlife rehabilitation activities.
• -Familiarity with the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and federal protected-species programs.
• -Wildlife-management, environmental-response, or conservation experience in Hawaiʻi or a comparable island or marine environment.
• -Experience delivering conservation-related public outreach, environmental education, or community engagement.
• -Knowledge of NOAA Fisheries policies, programs, data systems, or protected-species response procedures.
• -Experience supporting work performed under a federal contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or government-funded program.
• -Experience with administrative coordination, activity tracking, financial documentation, or recurring government reporting.

This position is based on the island of Maui, Hawaiʻi. Work will be performed at field-response locations, beaches, harbors, government or partner facilities, public outreach venues, and other locations throughout Maui County, as assigned.

The employee must be able to respond to incidents across Maui, including during evenings, weekends, holidays, and outside normal business hours. Occasional travel to other Hawaiian Islands may be required for training, meetings, or mission support.

Because timely field response is an essential function of this position, the selected candidate must reside on Maui or be willing to relocate to Maui before beginning work.

Authorized travel and mileage associated with marine wildlife stranding responses will be reimbursed in accordance with FISH’s travel and reimbursement policies.

Overtime is not anticipated and is not authorized unless approved in writing by the Contracting Officer before performance.

*This position is advertised through our joint venture, FISH and Lynker Ocean Alliance Team (FLOAT), a partnership between Lynker and Fisheries Immersed Sciences Hawaii (FISH) serving the NOAA ProTech Fisheries 2.0 IDIQ contracting vehicle.

• $20.00-$30.00/hr