Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the role of a Data Management Specialist in the Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program. This is a full-year, full-time benefits-eligible position with an expected start date of November 15th, 2026. 

In southeastern Alaska, mortality and serious injury of harbor porpoise incidental to the salmon drift gillnet fishery is of conservation concern. The person hired for this position will work collaboratively with staff from Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), the National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science Center (NMFS AFSC), State of Alaska, and industry members of the SE Alaska gillnet fleet implement and manage an electronic monitoring program to document marine mammal interactions (Alaska Marine Mammal Observation Program, or AMMOP).  In its initial years, this new EM program will collect data required to evaluate harbor porpoise mortality incidental to the state-managed salmon drift gillnet fishery operating within the inland waters of southeastern Alaska. The overarching goal of the project is to design and implement a monitoring program which will provide comprehensive assessment of protected species bycatch.

Our initial scoping phase was implemented in 2024 and 2025 to help us gain knowledge about the SE Alaska drift gillnet fishery, assess logistics involved in the collection of statistically reliable information using electronic monitoring. The continuing scoping years (2026 and beyond) are focused on optimizing the tools necessary to support a long-term scalable electronic monitoring program, responsive to management needs.

We are seeking a person who is a self-starter, can work well with diverse stakeholders, and is proactive and flexible.  This person will be key to getting vessels recruited to the electronic monitoring program and building the relationships with industry so that this is a collaborative and mutually beneficial program.

Position Duties:

• Coordinate with vessels and electronic monitoring (EM) equipment provider (vendor) to get equipment on vessels and operational during 2027.
• Coordinate with AFSC staff on the PSMFC development of communications and training materials, data workflow, database, and data QA/QC processes.
• Support the administrative obligations of the project (supporting the leads at PSMFC and NMFS), including budget management, equipment acquisition, and other related duties.
• Write, edit, and assemble progress reports on achievement of project deliverables; contribute to technical reports and annual reports, as requested and as required by fiscal and grant award reporting guidelines.
• Represent the AMMOP project and PSMFC in meetings with agencies (federal and state), tribes, fishing industry representatives, universities, and consultants. Coordinate activities with affected parties and gain support and acceptance of proposals and recommendations.

Knowledge Required by the Position:

The successful candidate will require strong communication, collaboration, facilitation and leadership skills, as well as data analysis and project management skills related to the natural sciences. Key attributes include but are not limited to:

• Knowledge of principles, methods, techniques, and systems of project management. This includes the ability to provide support to leadership in the areas of:
  • goal setting, budgeting, direction of personnel, travel management, time and attendance management, procurement, contract administration
• Ability to apply sound judgment in the solution of organizational and operational problems in a timely, economical fashion.
• Ability to analyze and summarize data for reporting to a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of key management, staff, government agencies, and private concerns. This requires tact, ingenuity, and resourcefulness.
• Ability to communicate effectively, in both written and oral form, with individuals and groups having diverse backgrounds and technical expertise.
• Knowledge of data and data systems:

• computers and software packages and applications for databases, spreadsheets, and word processing
• data management concepts, principles, and methods
• quality assurance principles
• technical documentation methods and procedures
• analytical methods and common query languages
• the organization's data sets sufficient to: 
• input data; structure information retrievals;
• edit, combine and manipulate data; and/or provide reports for users. 

Essential Functions relative to data management: 

At the lower end of the range, Data Management Specialists (Natural Sciences):

• Compile project data into standardized electronic data formats. This includes accessing filed information and verifying its accuracy and completeness, performing data entry, electronic data transfer, editing, and error checking.
• Extract relevant data which may be presented in many different text and numeric formats, reports, tables, graphics, or figures.
• Maintain local versions of datasets in accordance with established regional database exchange formats and standards.
• Maintain a local archive of current and historical reports and documents. Coordinate the regular transfer of reference materials to archives and libraries.
• Train technical and general users in the use of database applications through individual instruction and/or group presentations.
• Create queries, summaries, and/or maps in response to requests for customized data.
• Prepare and manipulate various data and graphic outputs for use in reports, presentations and internet applications using standardized retrieval scripts.

At the upper end of the range, employees:

• Develop and implement databases and libraries. Includes acquiring new data as well as taking previously created or historical databases or spreadsheets and integrating them. Data sources vary in format including database, spreadsheet, and survey data sets. Custom interfaces may be required.
• Produce written research and statistical reports (including graphs, tables, maps, and text), data sets, and data summaries using a variety of analytical techniques and software tools. This involves the master-level use of database retrieval scripts.
• Document data handling and reporting to ensure consistency and validity of data between and within sites. Files may come from sources that use different computer hardware, software systems/protocols, and different communication packages.
• Maintain and update data catalogs, data catalog directories, and metadata.
• Perform system maintenance and backups. This includes routine database checkpoints, checkpoint verification, tuning, data-process merges, and user account management. Restore files when required.
• Perform Help Desk functions, responding to on-line user inquiries about access to the database and data retrievals, the execution of query scripts, and standard report programs.

Supervisory Controls:

Work is assigned in terms of project goals, objectives, priorities, and, at times, specific tasks.  At the lower end of the range, the employee will exercise initiative in solving common technical and procedural problems.  Unusual issues are referred to the supervisor or higher-graded employee for consultation or review. 

At the upper end of the range, the employee plans and carries out assignments with independence, guided by experience and knowledge to complete the objective.  He/she seeks assistance only on the most unusual issues. Sufficiency of planning and execution, and accuracy of the data produced are normally accepted without detailed review, even for customized assignments.

Guidelines:

Guidelines include PSMFC standards and policies; project work plans; data submission protocol documents; established database structures, data definitions, and data standards; and various hardware and software manuals. 

At the lower end of the range, the guidelines are clear and provide little room for deviation, except as provided in documented precedents or suggestions for alternative data entry and retrieval strategies.  New or revised job requirements or requests for data that cannot be processed within the existing guidelines are discussed with the supervisor or higher level employee.

At the higher end of the range, the employee reviews each work request and selects and interprets guidelines to achieve the desired end product.   

Complexity:

At the lower end of the range, the employee decides what to do by identifying the data content and information structure needed for each processing request and selecting the appropriate routine to set up and format each job. 

At the higher end of the range, data will be in any number of formats.  Computerized data may not be in a form that matches user needs exactly and therefore requires translation into a common format.  Data may be missing or in a format that requires conversion to defined standards.

Scope and Effect:

A high quality, consistent set of biological and geographical data is necessary for effective policy setting, planning, management and research.  Data must be provided in an efficient and timely manner, and in a format that meets the needs of users.

Personal Contacts:

Contacts are with employees in PSMFC; federal, state, or tribal agencies; university researchers, private/non-profit organizations, and the general public.

Purpose of Contacts:

The purpose of the contacts is to exchange information and insure that project goals are being met through coordination, planning, and mutual support.  Communication between contacts resolves problems with data; affords the exchange of information, ideas, and concepts; and allows for the acquisition of products and information. 

Physical Demands:

The work is a mix of sedentary office work and field coordination in harbors and ports.  This requires the ability to navigate on wet and slippery docks and harbor walkways, walk moderate distances.  There are light carrying loads (papers, books, reports, etc.) that require only moderate physical ability and physical stress.

Work Environment:

The work location for office work will be negotiated depending on the successful applicant’s duty station.  Office locations provided by PSMFC are well-lit, heated, ventilated standard business locations.

Location:

Preference is for work location to be out of Juneau, AK but will consider applicants located in SE Alaska port cities, Anchorage and Seattle. 

 PSMFC is an EEO/AAP Employer. We maintain a drug free workplace.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

A range of experience and education may be presented. Candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience** AND four years of successfully completed education above high school in the natural sciences (biology, fishery biology, environmental science, aquatic science, geology, chemistry, physics, mathematics).  An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.

**Specialized Experience is experience that equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled.  To be creditable, Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.