Harmful Algae Bloom Specialist, Olympic Natural Resources Center
Job Location Detail: Forks, WA
Hybrid: Less than 100% but varies per week
Salary: $4,216 – $5,667 per month
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The Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC), part of the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, has an outstanding opportunity for a Harmful Algae Bloom Specialist (Research Analyst 3) to join their team.
Project Analyst for the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) monitoring program which is a community-based partnership that provides an early warning to coastal communities of harmful algal blooms (HABs) that threaten coastal shellfisheries. The Analyst will train and coordinate field technicians from several agencies and coastal tribes, including the Makah, Quileute, Hoh Tribes, and the Quinault Indian Nation in the monitoring and mitigation of HABs. The Analyst will work closely with scientists from the WA Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Health. Close collaboration with the Puget Sound monitoring partnership, SoundToxins, strives to create a unified Washington State HAB monitoring program. The Analyst will also improve sampling and analytical lab methodologies and protocols, including using advanced technologies, such as the autonomous surface vehicle called Lightfish, to assist with event response to threatening HABs. Validation and implementation of rapid toxin test kits will allow coastal labs to rapidly respond to immediate HAB threats. Regular data reports, resulting from routine and emergency event sampling to shellfish managers and researchers (weekly to semi-monthly,) assist with promoting shellfish safety statewide. Travel to training classes and annual HAB meetings is possible, with supervisor approval.
ORHAB is managed by the Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC), a campus of the University of Washington, in Forks WA, which features a specialized HAB laboratory. This lab is located in a convenient location to coastal sampling sites, and is an approximately 4-4.5 h drive (including a ferry trip) from the main University of Washington campus in Seattle, WA. Forks is the duty station for the Analyst with flexible teleworking considerations, especially to accommodate data entry needs.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Perform sampling of coastal surf zone for HABs including whole water, net tow, shellfish, chlorophyll, toxin, nutrients, and basic meteorological and oceanographic observations.
- Perform laboratory analysis of phytoplankton, seawater, and shellfish, including phytoplankton taxonomy and abundance, and detection of biotoxins with rapid tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Establish and maintain a harmful algae culture collection.
- Lead deployments of surface autonomous vehicle for HAB sampling in Washington State and analyze samples collected by the vehicle in a timely basis. Assist with maintenance of the surface autonomous vehicle and ensure its safe transport to coastal deployment sites.
- Ensure that data are entered into the HAB database in a timely manner to assist with shellfish safety operations conducted by the Washington State Department of Health.
- Facilitate rapid response to HAB occurrences, including sampling along the Washington coast. This includes accommodation of other ORHAB technician’s duties during their absence.
- Ensure that collaborating coastal technicians with other agencies are sufficiently expert to carry out accurate taxonomic identification of plankton species and toxin detection essential to early warning of HABs by holding periodic HAB monitoring workshops, either online or in person. Assist in planning and conducting annual ORHAB meetings.
- Conduct public outreach and education about ORHAB and HAB related issues such as presentations to local schools and colleges, community groups, distribution of outreach materials, prominent presence at local public events in the form of booths and public talks.
- Determine and coordinate the supply distribution, sample collection, and laboratory analysis for the ORHAB monitoring program and reporting of combined data with comprehensive analysis to ORHAB partners and stakeholders.
- Posted: March 14, 2025
- Job Type: Staff
- Application deadline (expired): 03/18/2025
- Organization: Olympic Natural Resources Center
- Qualifications: MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS A Bachelor's Degree including college-level course work in statistics AND two years of work experience as a Research Analyst II OR Equivalent education/experience. Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS Formal training in HAB taxonomy and experience in phytoplankton taxonomy, toxin analysis by ELISA, database maintenance, and report writing. Ideally the candidate would also have some experience in sterile cell culture and have proficiency using computer programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- How to apply: Apply on website: https://uwhires.admin.washington.edu/ENG/Candidates/default.cfm?szCategory=jobprofile&szOrderID=244056
- Location: Forks, WA
- Web address: https://uwhires.admin.washington.edu/ENG/Candidates/default.cfm?szCategory=jobprofile&szOrderID=244056
Contact Information
Vera Trainer
verat@uw.edu