Independent Contractor Fram Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Title: Fisheries Survey Technician (Survey Support)

Client: NOAA Fisheries / Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) – Fisheries Resource Analysis & Monitoring Division (FRAM) / Fisheries Engineering & Acoustic Technologies Team (FEAT)

Location: Newport Research Station, Newport, OR (ship-based and land-based)

Period of Performance: Base Year + up to 4 Option Years

Employment Type: Full-Time Contract; up to 100 sea days/year; up to 16 hours/day while at sea

*Position is Subject to Contract Award

The Fisheries Survey Technician provides sea-going, field, and laboratory support for the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center's Fisheries Engineering & Acoustic Technologies (FEAT) Team, operating out of the Newport Research Station in Newport, Oregon. The incumbent supports the Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (acoustic-trawl survey), which provides a West Coast-wide, fishery-independent estimate of Pacific Hake (Merluccius productus) age-structured biomass and distribution under the U.S.–Canada Pacific Whiting/Hake International Agreement, and collects data on critical ecosystem components including krill, pelagic rockfish, and oceanographic conditions. Work spans pre-survey staging, at-sea biological sampling and wet lab processing, sample tracking, post-survey closeout, stomach content analysis, and database entry. The Technician follows established FEAT/FRAM protocols and maintains ongoing communication with government staff throughout all phases of the survey.

Pre-Survey & Staging

• Work with FEAT and FRAM staff to stage and de-stage equipment before and after field projects.
• Maintain hake survey equipment before, during, and after the acoustic-trawl survey.
• Complete all trainings required by NOAA, NMFS, NWFSC, and FEAT prior to survey deployment.

At-Sea Survey Operations

• Participate in sea-going surveys aboard NOAA research vessels or similar charter platforms for up to 100 days per year and up to one month at a time, working up to 16 hours per day.
• Assist with routine wet lab processing procedures for trawl catches at sea.
• Operate data collection software and devices at sea as needed.
• Follow established protocols for data collection; keep detailed notes of any issues or deviations.
• Provide operational assistance to troubleshoot equipment problems.

Post-Survey & Laboratory

• Help close out the survey by storing equipment and biological samples.
• Track samples collected at sea and transfer fixed samples for storage and analysis.
• Analyze collected fish stomach contents and enter diet information into the project database.
• Work with FEAT and FRAM staff to organize and inventory all gear.
• Contribute to final survey reports; submit all images, notes, and data collected in the field to FEAT/FRAM staff.

Communication & Compliance

• Maintain regular communication with FEAT/FRAM staff regarding progress on assigned deliverables.
• Adhere to NOAA IT security and data privacy/confidentiality policies; may be required to sign a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).
• May be asked to provide services for other FRAM surveys.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent experience in fisheries (two (2) years).
• Ability to go to sea as part of a team to record at-sea data and provide operational assistance to troubleshoot equipment problems.

Sea Service & Physical Requirements

• Willing to spend up to four (4) weeks at a time on board a vessel, working up to sixteen (16) hours a day.

Administrative Requirements

• Must hold a valid U.S. Passport.
• Must complete (or have recently completed) marine safety training.
• Must submit to and pass a NOAA background check (processing may take 60–90 days).
• Must submit specific medical information to be medically cleared to sail aboard NOAA vessels at least 30 days prior to cruise departure.

• Training in the scientific method and basic statistical methods, as demonstrated by completion of at least 20 undergraduate-level credits in the sciences.
• Minimum of ninety (90) days of demonstrated at-sea field capability, with extended time at sea of at least seven (7) days at a time.
• Demonstrated use of a systematic key to determine identification of fish and invertebrate species.
• Demonstrated experience identifying Northeast Pacific fishes.
• Experience analyzing fish stomach contents.
• Some experience with data management, analytical reporting, and environmental and biological data.

• NOAA IT Security
• NOAA Safety Training
• Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment (SASH) Prevention and Response Training – IAW NAM 1330-52.222-70(b)(6) (required for all contractors; contractor-provided)
• Records Management 101

This position operates in both land-based laboratory/station settings (Newport Research Station) and aboard NOAA research vessels or similar charter platforms. At-sea work is physically demanding, requiring extended hours, with exposure to variable marine weather and sea conditions. Overtime is anticipated and authorized. Travel to and from survey ports is required and reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations, with prior Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) approval. Government-furnished IT equipment, field gear, and lab supplies are provided for performance of all work under this contract.