Horseshoe Crab Research Technician

Job Details

The contract horseshoe crab research technician will assist the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MADMF) Invertebrate Fisheries Program personnel with a horseshoe crab telemetry study and ongoing horseshoe crab monitoring surveys, as well as at-sea and shoreside biological sampling of other commercially important invertebrates (lobster, whelk, crabs). The incumbent will assist other MADMF personnel as needed.

The Invertebrate Fisheries Technician position is currently a one-year appointment, with the option to amend or extend pursuant to performance, available funding, and at the discretion of MADMF.

Specific duties include

• Operate small vessels in coastal waters
• Deploy, maintain, and retrieve acoustic receivers in coastal waters
• Tag horseshoe crabs with acoustic and conventional tags from shore and various-sized vessels
• Conduct biological surveys in coastal waters, including work on beaches, salt marshes, and aboard small craft.
• Record and organize data, including computer coding and data entry for computer analysis.
• Assist with technical and non-technical report writing and graphical data presentations.
• Operate and maintain field equipment, including specialized environmental data recording instruments, sampling gear, and motor vehicles, including small boats and trailers.

Requirements

• Ability to operate small boats, navigate coastal waterways.
• Ability to work outdoors in non-ideal conditions, sometimes in the middle of the night, and lift 50 lbs.
• Experience collecting data at sea aboard research vessels or commercial fishing vessels.
• Working knowledge of computer word processing and statistical software, including MS Word, EXCEL, and R, and familiarity with basic statistical techniques for summarizing biological data.
• Familiarity with sampling gear commonly employed in the field of fisheries science and associated disciplines.
• Ability to identify marine coastal fish and shellfish.
• Ability to compile, analyze, and present data in tabular and graphical form.
• Ability to communicate effectively with fishermen, other scientists, and the public.
• Knowledge of fisheries biology and management

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with acoustic telemetry animal tagging and equipment maintenance
• Knowledge of sampling design and application.
• Experience working with or around pot/trap fishing gear.
• Experience working as or with SCUBA divers.

Knowledge, Education, and Experience

Applicants must have at least (A) one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, para-professional, or technical experience in freshwater or marine biology or fisheries management work, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions: A Bachelor’s or higher degree with a major in freshwater, marine, fisheries, or wildlife biology; fisheries or wildlife management; freshwater, marine, or environmental science, or oceanography may be substituted for the required experience.

Contact Information

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Closing Date: February 28, 2026