MARINE RESOURCE SCIENTIST I

-ANTICIPATED VACANCY-

Opening Date:

September 23, 2024

Closing Date:

October 07, 2024

Location:

West Boothbay Harbor

Position #:

07200-2756

Position Type:

Full Time (Limited Period)

Class Code:

9362

Grade/Salary:

Grade 24 - $54,537.60 - $76,460.80 Per Year*
*(This includes the 5.5% Salary Adjustment)

The Department of Marine Resources, Bureau of Marine Science, is seeking motivated, independent individuals to fill a vacant Marine Resource Scientist I limited period position in West Boothbay Harbor.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: The position will lead the design and implementation of surveys needed to directly quantify the offshore lobster resource and fishery. This is a program that comes directly from the requests and DMR data gaps identified by lobster industry collaborators, and they will be involved in each aspect of the new surveys that arise from this effort. 

Specific duties include: 

• Designing and implementing a new fishery dependent offshore ventless and commercial trap research program inclusive of industry outreach and engagement meetings.
• Assisting with a trap-based lobster survey to be executed in the State of Maine Offshore Wind Research Array.
• Assisting with existing lobster program surveys.
• Analyzing and summarizing the data collected through these programs to be shared with the lobster industry and regional management bodies.
• Creating outreach products and events tailored to the concerns of the Maine lobster industry as well as peer-reviewed publications to share survey work with research communities.
• Travel throughout the state to meet with vessel owners, potential survey participants, and provide equipment troubleshooting support, as needed. Overnight travel may be necessary depending on the distance traveled.

While not conducting fieldwork, the employee is expected to work in the Boothbay office, with the option for remote work three days a week. Field work may require working on weekends. 

Desired skills include: 

• Ability to effectively communicate with commercial fishermen across the Maine coast
• Ability to assist with industry outreach, data entry, and office tasks
• Ability to summarize program findings and contribute to peer-reviewed scientific literature
• Ability to identify and contribute to research proposals for competative research funds
• Experience with handling commerical fishing equipment
• Knowledge of the commercial fishing industry including:

       •    state and federal laws, rules, and regulations 
•    fishing practices and techniques
•    historical and recent sociological-economic factors affecting coastal communities

• Experience in R/RStudio
• Experience with GIS products
• General experience with survey design
• Experience with general productivity software, including Microsoft Office, TEAMS, SharePoint and Git/GitHub.

For questions specific to the position, please contact the Hiring Manager, Anna Dorrance, at: anna.n.dorrance@maine.gov

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Entry level education, training, or experience in a scientific, technical, or engineering discipline with demonstrated experience in the field of marine resource research and management or another related field.

Preference will be given to applicants who have experience working alongside fishing industry members and have knowledge of MS Access, GIS (ArcPro), and statistical software such as R.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "APPLY" button below along with uploading a Cover Letter, and current Resume. In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your Resume includes month and year for any experience listed along with the duties and responsibilities associated with each particular time period. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such. 

If you can't apply online and you require a paper application, please download and print one here: https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/application-process. Paper applications for this posting should be submitted along with a Cover Letter and Resume, before the closing date, to: Natural Resources Service Center, c/o Kristin McCamish, 32 Blossom Lane, Marquardt Building, Augusta, ME 04333-0155. Please be sure that the title, and position number, of the job you are applying for is included.

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No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. 
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96-$13,172.88 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.  
• Health Insurance Premium Credit– Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements. 
• Dental Insurance– The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($358.08 annual value). 
• Retirement Plan– The State of Maine contributes 13.29% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.  
• Gym Membership Reimbursement– Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense. 
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts– Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses. 
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness– The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office. 
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.  
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation– Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions. 
• Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness. 

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. 

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you.  Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting.  If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.