North Pacific Groundfish Observer
THIS POSTING IS FOR POSITIONS THAT BEGIN IN SEATTLE, WA IN LATE JAN/FEB
Visit our website at https://www.alaskanobservers.com/ for more information.
Location:
Following a three week training which is held in Seattle Washington, Observers fly to Dutch Harbor, Alaska to begin their first 70-95 day deployment. Full relocation is not required for this position and bunk housing during training as well as while on deployment is provided.
Description of Work:
Observers live and work aboard U.S.-flagged commercial fishing vessels operating in the Bering Sea, North Pacific, and Gulf of Alaska. Observers sample catches for species composition, and for the incidence of salmon, halibut, and crab; they make estimates of total catch; and they collect age structures and gather biological data from target species. The National Marine Fisheries Service uses this information for the purposes of both in-season management and to establish fishing quotas for future seasons.
The vessels we work with make trips of anywhere from one month (this for larger vessels, generally over 150 feet in length, that both catch and process fish) to 14 days (this for smaller vessels, 60 to 135 feet in length, that deliver their catches to shore-based processing plants).
Qualifications:
The National Marine Fisheries Service establishes the qualifications for the positions we have. Prospective observers must have:
1. A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the natural sciences.
2. Successfully completed a minimum of 30 semester hours or equivalent in applicable biological sciences with extensive use of dichotomous keys in at least one course.
3. Successfully completed at least one undergraduate course each in math and statistics with a minimum of 5 semester hours total for both.
4. Computer skills that enable the candidate to work competently with standard database software and computer hardware.
Compensation and Benefits:
Observers receive a salary of $1550 and per diem of $550.00 for their three week training. Following training, observers are deployed to the field and begin making a monthly salary of $4,610.70, and they receive per diem of $53 for each day they are in the field and unattached to a vessel. In addition to providing housing during training, AOI provides housing for any nights spent in Alaska unattached to an assignment, and throughout the post-deployment debriefing process in Seattle. Observers are not required to relocate to work in the North Pacific Program. North Pacific Observers typically maintain residences in their home states and fly to and from Seattle before and after periods of employment. Health insurance is offered, and Observers are enrolled in a pension fund and in addition have the option to participate in a 401k plan.
We encourage observers who are successful during their first trips to return and make additional deployments for AOI. Observers receive incremental salary increases depending on the amount of time they have spent in the field. Currently, our top salary for experienced North Pacific observers is $7,162.80 per month. As our observers gain experience, they also qualify for additional training that enables them to cover assignments that include premium pay of an additional $20.00 to $38.00 per day.
The National Marine Fisheries Service provides observers with survival suits, life-vests, and hard hats, along with all sampling equipment.
How To Apply:
Step 1 = submit the Online Application from our website.
Step 2 = Email your resume and transcripts to AOI Recruiting Coordinator, Samantha Chicos: s-chicos@alaskanobservers.com
Application Tips:
Please email your resume and transcripts as either pdf or word documents.
If you don’t have official copies, you can provide unofficial transcripts. If you are providing unofficial transcripts that do not show your current coursework, please write-in these courses and note that they are “in-progress.”
If you are interested in more than one position, please only apply once and indicate in a cover letter indicating that you are interested in more than one opportunity.
We contact promising candidates to schedule phone interviews, and that contact may come via email or by phone. In addition to your email address, please include a phone number on your resume and make sure your voicemail is set up to receive messages.
If you have any questions about the job description or application process please feel free to contact:
Samantha Chicos
AOI Recruiting Coordinator
1-888-317-9343