Marine Scientific Observer

Job Details

As part of the ObsMer program of the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (DGAMPA), we are recruiting a Marine Scientific Observer in Royan / La Rochelle to collect data on fishing and accidental capture of marine mammals in gear .

More specifically, your duties will consist of:

• Contacting, developing and leading a network at the local level;
• Communicating with and convincing fishing boat owners to take you on board;
• Prepare and check the safety equipment and materials to be deployed;
• Embarking on professional fishing and/or scientific vessels to collect data and/or deploy scientific instrumentation;
• Check the quality of your data and enter it electronically into Ifremer's software.

You may also occasionally be required to:

• View and annotate images from cameras installed on ships, aircraft or ROVs;
• Enriching databases for the creation of artificial intelligence algorithms aimed at automating data processing;
• Perform comparison procedures between onboard observations and the viewing results;
• Participate in the drafting of procedures, minutes, reports and commercial offers.

SINAY will train you in the identification of mammals, fish, birds, and other protected species, as well as in maritime safety, protocols, and software . You will join the port of Les Sables d'Olonne and become part of a close-knit team spread across the entire coastline. You will be able to rely on an experienced Observer and a Project Manager to help you progress and provide guidance.

Initially, you will work primarily on programs related to fisheries management and the accidental capture of cetaceans (ObsMer/ObsVentes).

In a second phase, you may also be required to work on environmental monitoring projects for port and/or offshore wind farm construction sites.

There are opportunities for advancement  to other roles (Neighborhood Representative, Campaign Manager, etc.) and/or other positions (Project Manager, Account Manager, etc.) after a few years. Advancement is based on internal opportunities and individual performance.

To learn more, feel free to consult the following content:

• Videos:

o For a fishing focus, Florian (Expert Observer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUaDl8XJi9k and Claire (Observer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63PBNmvaEd8&t=8s

To discuss progress and development, Timothée (Expert Observer) and Sarah (former Observer) can be found here: https://www.welcometothejungle.com/fr/companies/sinay

• Articles : https://sinay.ai/en/insights/
• News and activities: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sinay/

Requirements

What we are looking for in our Marine Scientific Observer:

• Bac+2/3 in oceanography / marine biology / marine environment / fisheries and aquaculture sciences;
• Knowledge of the marine fauna of the English Channel and the Atlantic: fish, birds, turtles, mammals;
• A real attraction to fieldwork (collecting data at sea, no data analysis required!).
• Excellent physical condition to go to sea in difficult conditions (waking up in the middle of the night, swell, cold, smells, …);
• Seriousness and rigor in the application of strict scientific protocols;
• Excellent interpersonal skills: ability to communicate with local stakeholders (fishermen, shipowners, committees, etc.), to argue and convince, to develop a relationship of trust;
• Experience at sea, particularly in the field of fisheries with scientific expeditions (IFREMER, IRD or ICCAT programs), is a real plus!

Key information:

• Job type:  technician.
• Contract:  Fixed-term contract of 6 months (renewable).
• Start date  : as soon as possible.
• Location  : attached to the port of Royan or La Rochelle.
• Education level  : Bac+2/3.
• Experience  : field experience, including sea voyages.
• Remuneration  : €1924 gross/month for a beginner Observer + quarterly bonuses based on targets for sea days completed.

Interview process:

• A selection questionnaire,
• An interview with the Project Manager and an experienced Observer.

Contact Information

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