Laboratory & Research Specialist, Senior, College of William and Mary

Position Number
00308V  
Job Title
Laboratory & Research Specialist, Senior  
Role Title
Lab & Research Spec II  
Position Summary
The College of William & Mary is seeking qualified applicants for a Senior Laboratory & Research Specialist for Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) located in Gloucester Point, Virginia. This is a restricted position and contingent on continued funding.
The Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) Trawl Survey and the Chesapeake Bay Multispecies Monitoring and Assessment Program (ChesMMAP) Trawl Survey are designed to collect ecological data from the various fishes and invertebrates inhabiting the coastal waters of the Mid-Atlantic Bight & Southern New England and the Chesapeake Bay, respectively.
The successful candidate will participate in the at-sea field activities associated with each of these surveys, collecting appropriate data and samples from the catches. Currently, an average of 80 days-at-sea, normally occurring from March through November will be expected of the successful candidate annually. Due to the importance of age-specific trophic interaction data in multispecies based management efforts, a major portion of the samples taken at sea will be finfish hard parts for ageing and stomachs for diet analysis.
In addition to the field-related duties mentioned above, responsibilities will include assisting in the processing of the field-collected samples in the VIMS laboratory at the conclusion of each research cruise, maintaining various systems and inventory essential to the NEAMAP and ChesMMAP Trawl Surveys, assisting with cruise preparation, and conducting data analysis and report preparation as needed. The successful candidate will also be responsible for participating in the VIMS Shark Longline Survey in the areas of field sampling, laboratory work, and cruise preparations as needed.  
Required Qualifications
A Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Fisheries & Wildlife Management/Service, Marine Science, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required for this position.
Knowledge of biological fundamentals and scientific principles, particularly in relation to surveys of marine and estuarine fauna, is essential. Familiarity with Chesapeake Bay, other Mid-Atlantic, and Southern New England marine and estuarine fauna is required. Basic knowledge of and skills using personal computers is vital for this position.
Experience working with others on boats, sometimes under physically demanding conditions, is necessary. In particular, experience working on the ocean is a must. The successful candidate must be able to resist motion sickness and stay aboard a vessel (overnight) for days to weeks at a time (consecutively) and work in inclement weather. The individual also must be willing and able to engage in strenuous work (e.g., moving 60-75 lb baskets of fish across the deck of a moving vessel for hours at a time, multiple days in a row).
Experience working on fisheries-independent or fisheries-dependent surveys (most preferably in Chesapeake Bay and coastal ocean of the Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England but, at a minimum, in the Mid-Atlantic and/or New England) is required. Experience processing fishes at sea for scientific purposes is a must (including determination of sex and maturity stage of fishes, removal of stomachs and otoliths, etc.), as is experience using automated data collection systems at sea. Experience with laboratory procedures related to finfish ageing and diet analysis is essential.  
Preferred Qualifications
With respect to prior survey work, experience on fisheries-independent surveys (and, in particular, trawl surveys) is preferred over experience with fisheries-dependent surveys. Experience with the Scantrol (FM-SAS) automated data collection system is also preferred. Experience with laboratory procedures as related to fish age determination and diet analysis for fishes of the Mid-Atlantic and/or Southern New England region is preferred.  
Location
VIMS - Gloucester  
Pay Range
Up to $31,352  
University Salary Range
View Salary Range
U06  
Job Open Date
06-05-2012  
Job Close Date
06-29-2012
Job Category
Operational FT  
Documents which can be associated with this posting:
Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter
Other Doc  
Does this position accept online applications?
Yes  
If this position will work less than 12 months please indicate how many months
 
Special Application Instructions
 
Conditions of Employment:
(Example overtime/week-end/holiday work required; hours of work if not 8-5 work schedule for hourly positions)
Employee is required to participate in field work as scheduled. This may include overtime, weekend, and holiday hours and may require up to 30 consecutive days away from home on a commercial fishing vessel.
The College of William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check.  
William and Mary is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access employer and actively encourages applications from minorities, women, disabled persons and veterans.