POSITIONย SUMMARYย
The Conservation department implements an ambitious annual roster of field research projects to meet the goals of our institutionalย Conservation Action Plan and in support more broadly of the Aquarium's strategic plan,ย An Aquarium Without Walls.ย Theย Researchย Operations & Safety Manager is a critical support staff position, working across the project portfolio and playing a critical role in ensuring the success of the Research Staff during field activities. The position also oversees logistical elements of field work, management of field data, and training and supervision of seasonal fieldwork staff, including undergraduate research interns. In this capacity, this positionย is responsible forย annual recruitment, training, mentoring, and oversight of these student interns, ensuring positive and educational field experiences while also achieving project goals. This position works closely with all researchย projectย leads to support their activities, including participating in fieldย and labย work when needed.ย
PRIMARYย RESPONSIBILITIESย
- Manages lab and fieldย logisticsย (scheduling, staffing, use of equipment, vehicles, boats, etc.)ย
- Responsible for development and implementation of safety procedures for lab and field activities, including staff training and provision of related equipment/suppliesย
- Manages andย maintainsย field and lab equipment, including procurement, repairs, organizationย
- Oversees data, QA/QC, metadata/storage/sharing (supported by Program Assistant)ย
- Maintains laboratory records, supplies, equipment, and lab securityย
- Manages all samples collected for laboratory processing once onsite at TMA, including inventory, storage, and prioritization/scheduling, including procurement and maintenance of storage facilities/equipment (e.g., freezers)ย
- Supervises 1 full-time direct report (Program Assistant) and part-time/seasonal research staff (interns and technicians)ย
- Supports lab sample processing and field research, as neededย
QUALIFICATIONSย
Education and Work Experienceย
- 5+years of experience in fieldย and/or laboratoryย researchpreferredย
- Bachelor's degree in related fieldย requiredย
- Experiencemanaging people and working with studentsย requiredย
- Experience managing dataย requiredย
- Experience managing ecological field equipmentย and laboratory equipmentย requiredย
- Experience managingย logisticsย for mid-sized teams preferredย
Knowledge and Skillsย
- Excellent written and oral communication skillsrequiredย
- Excellent organization skillsrequiredย
- Proficiencyin MicrosoftOffice (Excel,Word,Powerpoint,Outlook)requiredย
- Proficiencyย in R preferredย
- Knowledge of Long Island Sound species and habitatsrequiredย
- Must be comfortable working outside in all weather conditions, includingon boatsand in mud, and able to carry 35+ pounds over uneven terrain during field researchย ย
- Must be ableto work collaboratively, work independently, andmulti-taskย
- Strong leadership skills with proven ability to accept and delegate responsibility as well as organize tasks and peopleย
- Must be able to reliably commute to the Aquarium and to partner meetings and field sites throughout Connecticutand New Yorkย
The typical work schedule will beย 35 hours per week,ย Monday through Friday from 9am - 5pm, but weekend, early morning, and evening work will beย requiredย for fieldwork and other department activities with advance notice.ย
SALARY:ย $32-34 per hour plusย benefits.ย
START DATE:ย July 1, 2026 (Negotiable)ย
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. This posting is scheduled to remain open until June 5, 2026.