What are the responsibilities and job description for the Biological Technician III position at @Orchard LLC?
Biological Technician III
Woods Hole, MA
@Orchard is hiring Biological Technician Level III to support NOAA Fisheries’ Ecosystem Surveys Branch (ESB). The Biological Technician will collect and process biological samples and environmental data during fishery-independent resource surveys. Work includes at-sea survey participation (100 days annually), data QA/QC, sample processing, and equipment support. This is a hands-on science role that directly supports stock assessments and ecosystem-based fisheries management.
Responsibilities
- Participate in sea-going surveys as a lead/watch chief aboard NOAA and partner vessels (sorting, identifying, weighing, measuring fish/invertebrates, collecting biological samples for age, growth, maturity, genetics, diet).
- Supervise up to 6 sea-going biological technicians.
- Stand scientific watches of up to 12 hours/day at sea.
- Operate electronic data acquisition systems for fisheries and oceanographic sampling.
- Assist with deployment, calibration, and maintenance of survey gear, acoustics, and optical/video equipment.
- Conduct QA/QC of survey data using NOAA protocols; prepare documentation of sampling procedures and metadata.
- Annotate benthic imagery and optical survey data as directed.
- Maintain, repair, and inventory sampling hardware (measuring boards, motion-compensated scales, barcode systems, touch screens).
- Support cruise staging/de-staging, equipment prep, and vessel logistics.
- Contribute to laboratory analysis of biological samples and assist with database management.
- Train new staff at all levels and provide leadership of field parties/watches at sea.
- Summarize survey data and assist with survey & lab related reports
- Contribute to outreach materials such as manuals, protocols, blogs, and newsletters.
- Audit survey data after the completion of each survey.
- Manage and maintain inventory required for the survey.
- Proactive identify areas of improvement for the program.
Requirements:
- Minimum 200 days at sea (Bottom Trawl Survey) or 100 days (Shellfish/Advanced Tech Surveys).
- At least 2 years’ experience with electronic data acquisition systems.
- Experience leading watches/field teams of up to 7 at sea.
- Familiarity with acoustic net mensuration systems (Scanmar, Simrad, Marport).
- Experience querying/analyzing fishery-independent data from relational databases (e.g., Oracle).
- Ability to train staff, conduct QA/QC, and contribute to protocol development.
- Ability to work 12-hour shifts at sea for trips lasting up to 3 weeks.
- Strong teamwork and communication skills in challenging field environments.
- Must meet NOAA OMAO sea duty health criteria and provide proof of recent TB test.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office; familiarity with data entry and QA/QC practices.
- Valid driver’s license.
Compensation: Competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience.
If you are a motivated individual with a passion for continuing your work with NOAA, we want to hear from you!
@Orchard is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, or other protected characteristics.