Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position requires a working knowledge of aquaculture practices and biosecurity measures. Incumbent will assist with and/or perform care and husbandry for marine organisms to support restoration projects conducted at KML. Incumbent will perform tasks, including but not limited to cleaning seawater tables, performing water changes, maintaining life support systems, preparing food and feeding animals. Incumbent will maintain accurate animal care logs to ensure compliance with land-based FWC Master Coral Nursery standards and protocols and communicate with KML Permitting and IACUC Coordinator to ensure all clients have appropriate permits to conduct their restoration activities.

As a requirement, incumbent must have sufficient boat handling skills to safely operate small vessels up to 40-foot length in marine coastal waters. This position will require captaining nearshore research vessels. Incumbent must have depth of knowledge of scientific sampling in the coastal marine environment as this position is located at the Keys Marine Laboratory. Position will perform specific tasks that will include assisting visiting university education and research groups at KML and on the water as vessel operator. Incumbent will assist visiting researchers at KML which may include site selection, sampling, and data collection, and data management and transfer. Tasks may include contribution to the design and execution of research protocols, data analysis, and preparation of publications.

As a requirement, incumbent must be currently certified as a SCUBA diver with a minimum of 50 open water dives (Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver certifications, and/or AAUS diver status). Incumbent must be able to attain AAUS scientific diver status within 2 months to support KML's SCUBA mission critical to support scientists, graduate students, and undergraduates in their collection and sampling of specimens in the field and act as lead science diver as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Coral Care and Husbandry required with a working knowledge of aquaculture practices and biosecurity measures. Incumbent will assist with and/or perform care and husbandry for marine organisms to support restoration projects conducted at KML. Tasks will include but not limited to providing care and husbandry, cleaning seawater tables, performing water changes, maintaining life support systems, preparing food and feeding animals. Incumbent will maintain accurate animal care logs to ensure compliance with FWC Master Coral Nursery standards and protocols and communicate closely with KML Permitting and IACUC Coordinator to ensure all clients have appropriate permits to conduct their restoration activities.

Pilots and navigates KML vessels through coastal waters of the Florida Keys to engage in marine research. Inspects the vessels for readiness, prepares gear, and plans routes and float plans prior to departure. Ensures proper maintenance and use of survival equipment. Supervises the work of scientists, undergraduates, and graduate students to ensure they are safe while performing field work. Must be able to make decisions regarding mission aborts, cancellations, or postponements due to weather or for other safety reasons. Ability to tow small trailers (