Chemical Tracer Analyst

Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) is seeking a candidate to submit in response to a request for proposal to support the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) Environmental Fisheries Science (EFS) Division’s Environmental Chemistry Program (ECP). OAI conducts research, offers policy advice, and provides personnel support services to government and industry clients for marine fisheries and protected species.

Description

The ECP at the NWFSC has conducted research on NOAA trust resources, focusing on developing state‐of‐the‐art analytical methods to generate high quality data neededto understand the effects of human and environmental factors on the health and ecology of aquatic organisms. These research efforts support assessments on the impacts of toxic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems and examination of predator‐prey relationships and their marine distribution. This knowledge is vital to the development of strategic management plans for NOAA’s marine and freshwater resources and includes developing advanced sampling and analytical methods for toxic contaminants and other chemical and biochemical markers; modifying existing analytical methods to measure chemical markers in a wide range of matrices and species; and establishing quality assurance protocols and criteria for analytical measurements.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) established the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) (Title IV) in 1992. The MMHSRP operates in support of the Recovered Protected Species goal of National Marine Fisheries Services’ (NMFS) Strategic Plan. The NWFSC serves as the NMFS lead for the biomonitoring components and quality assurance of chemical analyses of marine mammals and their potential prey for the Program. Information generated by these components addresses deficiencies in data quality and quantity on the levels of toxic chemicals in marine mammals, refines methods and approaches for understanding linkages between exposure and specific biological effects (e.g., disease) or biological processes, and improves the dissemination of the information to constituents and resource managers. The collection and dissemination of these data increases our understanding of the causes of disease and mortality events in marine mammals and provides high quality data to assess the status and trends in contaminant accumulation by U.S. marine mammal populations. Furthermore, these data will provide a measure of the quality of their habitat. The work associated with this taskorder will enable the NWFSC to complete chemical tracer analyses of marine mammals and their prey in a timely manner and ensure that the data are of high quality for inclusion in peer‐reviewed reports and publications.

The employee shall provide assistance in conducting studies on environmental factors affecting fishery resources, including exposure to pollutants, as it relates to the protection of NOAA trust resources including fish and marine mammals. The employee shall be responsible for assisting with marine mammal tissue collection as needed, tissue/fluid processing and preparation of marine mammals and their prey, as well asextraction and cleanup of marine organisms for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios, chemical contaminants, including petroleum‐related polycyclic aromatic compounds and their metabolites, persistent organic pollutants, and other chemical tracers (e.g., lipids). Duties shall include sample preparation, sample extraction using an accelerated solvent extractor or solid phase extraction and cleanup of sample extracts using gravity flow cleanup columns and automated cleanup using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with size exclusion chromatography. Additional responsibilities of the employee shall include operation and assistance in maintenance of accelerated solvent extractors, HPLC system, gaschromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS) systems, organization and maintenance of sample extract and sample freezer inventories, and assistance in writing sample preparation and analyses protocols for peer‐reviewed publications and reports.

Tasks

Key tasks include the following:

• Task One: The employee shall collect, prepare, extract, cleanup, and analyzesamples of marine fish and seafood (e.g., Pacific herring, salmonids, mussels) and associated quality assurance samples for persistent organic pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their metabolites, and lipid content using analytical protocols established by the NWFSC. The employee shall archive any remaining tissue samples and sample extracts in the appropriate storage area and maintainfreezer inventories of these samples and sample extracts.

• Task Two: The employee shall homogenize, freeze dry, and analyze marine fish andseafood samples (e.g., Pacific herring, salmonids, mussels), as well as the associated quality assurance samples, for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratiosusing analytical protocols established by the NWFSC. The employee shall archive any remaining tissue samples in the appropriate storage area and maintain freezer inventories of these samples.

• Task Three: The employee shall assist NWFSC staff in operation and maintenanceof accelerated solvent extractors (ASEs), HPLC, and GCMS systems used in chemical tracer analyses of marine organisms and their prey, using protocols established by the NWFSC.

Start Date: Estimated to start in Summer 2023

Location: Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.

Travel: Travel is not anticipated for this task order.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university with a major directly related in a field of study as related to the requirements of specifictask order with emphasis in chemistry, fisheries, oceanography, social science, natural science, mathematics, or hydrology, plus three (3) years of experience in related field or combination of such totaling seven (7) years combined education and experience.
• Ability to work effectively both individually and collaboratively in a team/group setting.
• Ability to receive constructive feedback and implement appropriate action.

Additional preferred qualifications include:

• Experience in operating and maintaining accelerated solvent extractors (ASEs), high-performance liquid chromatographs (HPLCs), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry systems (GC/MS).
• Experience in preparation, extraction, and cleanup of tissues of marineorganisms and their prey for determining trace levels (parts per billion) of chemical tracers using GC/MS, including persistent organic pollutants, petroleum‐related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as gravimetric lipid determinations.
• Experience in tissue sample preparation for analyses of stable isotope ratiosof carbon and nitrogen. This includes experience in freeze drying tissues.
• Experience in following performance‐based laboratory quality assuranceprotocols, including following clean‐laboratory practices for chemical tracer analyses.

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:

• Cover letter that briefly describes how you meet the required and preferred qualifications listed.
• Work history for past 10 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).

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $25.00 - $37.00 per hour

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=9a93435d-91d4-4a65-8a21-2de9187df1dd&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=486655&source=CC2&lang=en_US