NOAA’s AFSC Recruitment Processes Program (RPP) of the Resource Assessment Conservation and Engineering (RACE) Division collects plankton, larval and juvenile fish samples in the Gulf of Alaska, eastern Bering Sea and the Arctic (Chukchi and Beaufort Seas) in support of ecosystem monitoring and studies to understand and predict fisheries recruitment. Research is conducted across the 1.5 million mile span of Alaskan waters, providing data on seasonal fisheries, and developing environmental and biological indices of ecosystem health annually for resource management. Field and laboratory research focuses on understanding the physical/chemical/biological interactions that influence how many fish survive to an age when they become available to the fishery (recruitment). These interactions affect the primary mechanisms that drive fisheries recruitment bottlenecks (the number of fish that survive the first year of life). Results are linked to ecosystem carrying capacity (how many organisms the ecosystem can support) and changes over time. The RPP has a need for an Ichthyoplankton Ecologist to:● Verify Ichthyoplankton Samples

○ Verify the accuracy of samples processed by the Polish Plankton Sorting and Identification Center. This includes plankton samples collected in the eastern Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and Arctic.
○ Examine samples under a dissecting microscope to determine the accuracy of the identifications, counts, and lengths supplied by the Polish Plankton Sorting and Identification Center.
○ Note discrepancies and retrieve pertinent taxonomic literature to assist the sorting center to correct the discrepancies.
○ Follow established, standard AFSC protocols in the laboratory.

● Assure Data Quality, Curate Specimens, and Archive

○ Collaborate with AFSC team members to maintain excellence in the quality assurance and archiving of physical and digital data records and ichthyoplankton specimens.
○ Move specimens into long-term storage in the specimen collection at AFSC, archive physical data in the Records Storage Room, and document identification progress for the AFSC genetic specimen sample library.

● Write reports

○ Contribute to writing assignments necessary for full reporting of plankton sorting and identification tasks.
○ Work with AFSC team members to develop protocols and templates to quantitatively assess and report the precision and accuracy of samples processed by the Polish Plankton Sorting and Identification Center to improve annual reporting.

● Participate in at-sea surveys, if needed

○ Collect data on ichthyoplankton
○ Summarize data for survey reports
○ Anticipated at-sea surveys for the 2023 season would include 2-3 weeks at-sea sometime between July and September

Minimum required qualifications of the Ichthyoplankton Ecologist:

● 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 listed above, with emphasis in fisheries, oceanography, or natural science plus one (1) year of experience in related field or combination of such totaling five (5) years combined education and experience.
● Demonstrated experience with ichthyoplankton taxonomy and microscope work
● Excellent organizational as well as written and oral communication skills
● Current MS Office skillsAbout Lynker

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