Fisheries Social Scientist

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking a social scientist needed for survey of current social and economic conditions of commercial fishing crews and hired captains in the Northeastern U.S. This position will support the Social Sciences Branch of the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts.

Description:

Crew are vital to the fishing industry and their social and economic circumstances are integral to the well-being of fishing communities. However, very little data on even basic demographic information on crew exists at the regional level for Northeastern U.S. fisheries. Fishing vessel crew and hired captains comprise a significant portion of fishing industry employment, yet very few studies have inquired about the social and demographic characteristics of the individuals who make up this segment of the industry. The majority of economic and social information collected has tended to focus on vessel owners.

The aim of this survey is to track the characteristics of crew and hired captains over time in order to capture trends in socio-demographics, employment, and fishing practices, among other factors. Data collected as part of this effort have been used to inform social impact assessments of past fisheries management actions and will continue to be an important component to the policymaking process. The results of this survey will not only help fisheries managers understand what is going on in crew members’ lives but also the impacts of management decisions on commercial crew.

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Social Sciences Branch has need for social scientist support to conduct the Socio-Economic Survey of Hired Captains and Crew in New England and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries. The survey is the third wave of data collection following the baseline first wave conducted in 2012 and the second wave in 2018. Data to be collected include demographic information on crew, wage calculations systems, well-being, fishing practices, job satisfaction, job opportunities, and attitudes toward fisheries management.

General duties will include travel to select ports throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic to conduct survey interviews, distributing outreach materials, literature reviews, drafting technical memoranda and peer-reviewed manuscripts, and attending meetings and workshops on an as needed basis. Specific tasks to be performed are the following:

Tasks:

Conduct survey interviews with commercial fishing vessel crews and hired captains at selected ports throughout the New England and Mid-Atlantic states.

Conduct data entry, data management, and quality control of survey interview data using statistical and database management software.

Assist in data analysis and reporting of results, including the preparation of a technical memorandum, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed journal manuscripts.

Start Date: April 1, 2023. Total of 5 months with the possibility of renewal.

Location: On-site location in Woods Hole, MA, or remote work in New England or the Mid-Atlantic.

Travel: Travel is required. Travel to selected ports to conduct survey interviews will be necessary. Ports selected will be throughout the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. There may also be travel to conferences or fisheries management meetings to conduct outreach and present results.

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position lasting 5 months with the possibility of renewal. Overtime is not anticipated. Salary is commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefits package.

Required Skills/Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a social science field including, but not limited to, anthropology, sociology, economics, human geography or statistics.
• Training or experience in statistics for the social sciences.
• Knowledge and experience with statistical software such as R, SAS, STATA, SPSS, MaxQDA, and others.
• Proficiency in written and oral communication.
• Ability to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to work effectively both individually and collaboratively in a team/group setting.
• Ability to receive constructive feedback and implement appropriate action.

Desired Skills/Qualifications:

• Experience or training in GIS and/or geo-spatial analysis.
• Experience or training in fisheries, marine or natural resource management.
• Interest in the socioeconomic conditions and well-being of fishing and coastal communities dependent on marine resources.

Only qualified applicants that meet minimum experience or background requirements stated above need apply. When applying for this position you will be asked to upload your resume at the end of this online application.

Applicants should submit a resume that includes the following:

• Work history for past 5 years or since last full-time education.
• Education.
• Previous experience or training with similar requirements.
• Three professional references.
• Include your name in the document file name.
• Upload your resume in readable, not scanned, PDF or Word format (PDF is preferred).

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