Marine Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomist (Natural Resource Scientist 2)

The Environmental Assessment Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Marine Benthic Invertebrate Taxonomist (Natural Resource Scientist 2) position.

This position is locatedin our Headquarters Office inUpon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Join our Marine Monitoring Unit in this dynamic role where you will perform specialized natural resource research focused on evaluating the abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrate species to assess status and trends in the Puget Sound benthos.

In addition to strengthening your knowledge base of Puget Sound taxa, you will frequently get out from behind the microscope to participate in a variety of activities including leading sediment field work, reporting results via interactive story maps, and generating educational and taxonomic reference materials.

In this role you will need to pay close attention to technical details, take initiative, possess effective communication skills with a wide range of audiences, and work well independently while also embracing a team-oriented mindset.

Agency Mission : Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission : The mission of the Environmental Assessment Program is to measure, assess, and communicate environmental conditions in Washington state.

Telework options for this position : This position will have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint.

This position will be eligible for a telework schedule, with work conducted both remotely and in the office as determined by business needs.

Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in other information.

Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline : This position will remain open until filled; we will review applications on July 1 , 2024 . In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before June 30 , 2024.

If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.

Please Note : We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following :

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference.

Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering :

• A healthy life / work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
• An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
• Continuous growth and development opportunities.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Diversity : We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

Equity : We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive. Inclusion : We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

Respect : We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.

Duties

What makes this role unique?

Puget Sound is a diverse ecosystem with a growing list of over 1,200 marine benthic infaunal taxa, many of them lacking formal descriptions.

In this role you will have the unique opportunity to contribute to the Sediment Team’s long-term benthos dataset for Puget Sound, maintaining both quality and consistency.

Success in this role requires excellent attention to detail, keen observational skills, proficiency in synthesizing information from literature and voucher specimens, and the ability to collaborate with regional taxonomists and other agency staff.

What you will do :

• Perform sorting and sorting quality assurance of marine benthic samples using specialized knowledge of marine benthic invertebrate taxonomy.
• Taxonomically identify Puget Sound benthic invertebrates to genus and species level and perform size classification for biomass estimates.
• Support senior staff in the maintenance and expansion of the Puget Sound benthic invertebrate reference and voucher collection and database.
• Lead field work preparation and implementation for the marine sediment monitoring program.
• Perform shipboard collection, processing, and preservation of sediments and benthos with expertise in the operation of sediment sampling gear.
• Conduct data quality assurance reviews.
• Formulate and justify conclusions and recommendations and write sections of sediment monitoring publications in both scientific and social media format that are specific to the taxonomy and ecology of the benthic invertebrates.

Note : This position is allotted a budget to purchase protective field gear.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications :

Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time.

We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked.

Examples of the proration calculations are :

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months : (30 / 40) x 20 months 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months : (20 / 40) x 12 months 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience.

See below for how you may qualify.

A total of seven (7) years of experience and / or education as described below :

• Research work experience in marine ecology, marine benthic ecology, or marine invertebrate zoology.
• Education : involving a major study in marine ecology, marine benthic ecology, or marine invertebrate zoology.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position :

Possible Combinations

College credits or degree as listed above

Years of required experience as listed above

Combination 1

No college credits or degree

7 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits

6 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (AA degree)

5 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits

4 years of experience

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree

3 years of experience

Combination 6

A Master's Degree

1 year of experience

Combination 7

A PhD

No experience required

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment :

Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Desired Qualifications :

Experience in collecting, processing, and analyzing marine sediment and benthic invertebrate samples, including familiarity and experience with marine invertebrate taxonomy.

Note : Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.