Computer Scientist - Acoustic Telemetry Data Processing

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is now accepting applications to fill the role of a Computer Scientist - Acoustic Telemetry Data Processing. This is a part-time temporary position located in Cook, Washington. 

Project Description
We are seeking a Computer Scientist to support the processing and analysis of fisheries acoustic telemetry data. The position will work with Innovasea HTI 307 kHz acoustic telemetry data collected from a telemetry array used to monitor fish movement and location. The successful candidate will use National Instruments LabVIEW and related graphical programming tools to process raw acoustic data files and identify detections associated with known transmitters. Detection records will be summarized and exported with corresponding timestamps for subsequent analysis. These detection results will then be processed through a positioning algorithm to estimate fish locations within the telemetry array. The position requires substantial experience developing and maintaining LabVIEW applications and specialized expertise working with acoustic telemetry data.

Position Objective
The primary objective of this position is to process raw Innovasea HTI 307 kHz acoustic telemetry data into reliable, time-stamped transmitter detection records that can be used to estimate fish positions within an acoustic telemetry array.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The Computer Scientist will:
· Process raw Innovasea HTI 307 kHz acoustic telemetry data files.
· Identify and extract detections associated with known acoustic transmitters.
· Generate and export time-stamped summaries of transmitter detection results.
· Prepare detection data for use in a positioning algorithm.
· Run or support processing of detection results through a positioning algorithm to estimate fish locations within the telemetry array.
· Develop, operate, maintain, and troubleshoot National Instruments LabVIEW applications used in telemetry data processing.
· Apply graphical programming techniques to support efficient processing, quality control, and analysis of acoustic telemetry data.
· Review processing outputs to identify data-quality or processing issues and ensure that resulting detection records are suitable for position estimation.

Schedule and Duration
Work schedule: Part Time - variable hours per week
Position duration: Not to exceed 520 hours total

About the Successful Candidate
The ideal candidate will combine advanced LabVIEW development skills with hands-on experience processing Innovasea HTI acoustic telemetry data. This position is particularly suited to someone who can move comfortably between software development, large or specialized scientific datasets, and fisheries telemetry analysis while producing reliable data products for subsequent fish-position estimation.


Essential Functions: (The functions listed are characteristic of the type and level of work associated with this group and pay band. They are not all-inclusive. Individual positions may perform some or all, as well as other similar work.)
?Design, develop, and maintain data management systems that meet current and future business requirements.
?Design, develop and maintain databases. Recommend new or modified standards, methods, and procedures.
?Define, allocate, and modify storage capacity.
?Develop data dictionaries, data models, metadata repositories, and other data management tools.
?Produce database design schema for integrating source data into data management systems.
?Ensure data compliance with data exchange formats and database structure.
?Monitor and optimize database performance and tune database operations.
?Troubleshoot database problems.
?Advise participating state and tribal agencies of new database features, provide technical guidance, and assist with database design and implementation.
?Generate complex queries and reports. Oversee data distribution systems, including user interface and reporting capabilities.
?Participate in the design of data mining and data warehousing systems.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:
Candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience which demonstrates:
•Knowledge of the customary approaches, techniques, and requirements appropriate to database management;
•Knowledge of planning sequences necessary to accomplish assignments where this entailed coordination with others outside the organizational unit and development of project controls; and
•Adaptation of guidelines or precedents to the needs of the assignment.
The Specialized Experience must equip the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, the Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression position.

Knowledge Required by the Position:
At the lower end of the range, the employee has broad knowledge of and ability to apply:
?Database management concepts, principles, and methods including database logical and physical design, normalization, storage capacity management, and back up and recovery.
?Data flow design and business process design.
?Sources, characteristics, and uses of the organization’s data assets
?Database management systems, query languages, table relationships, and views.
?Data mining and data warehousing principles.
?The characteristics of physical and virtual data storage media.
?Data administration and data standardization policies and standards in developing and managing large-scale, multi-agency databases.
At the upper end of the range, the employee uses mastery-level knowledge, skills and abilities in the above areas.

Physical Demands:
The work is sedentary with moderate walking between workstations and carrying folders, reports, and similar light loads.

Work Environment:
The work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. There are the normal risks of an office environment.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Experience
Candidates must possess:
· At least five years of experience developing applications using National Instruments LabVIEW.
· Demonstrated expertise processing Innovasea HTI 307 kHz acoustic telemetry fisheries data.
· Experience processing raw acoustic telemetry files for known transmitter detections.
· Experience generating time-stamped detection data and summary outputs.
· Knowledge of data-processing workflows associated with acoustic telemetry systems.
· Ability to troubleshoot software, data-processing, and analytical workflow issues.
· Ability to work independently with technically specialized datasets and software applications.

Desirable Skills
Preference may be given to candidates with:
· Strong graphical programming experience.
· Experience developing or modifying algorithms and data-processing routines within LabVIEW.
· Experience working with acoustic telemetry positioning algorithms.
· Experience analyzing fish movement or fisheries telemetry datasets.
· Experience performing quality assurance and quality control on acoustic telemetry detection data.