ACOUSTICS PROJECT LEAD

MARINE RESOURCE SCIENTIST II

-AGENCY ONLY-

Opening Date:

December 12, 2024

Closing Date:

December 27, 2024 

Location:

West Boothbay Harbor

Position #:

07200-2725

Position Type:

Full Time (Limited Period)

Class Code:

9363

Grade/Salary:

Grade 28 (Supervisory) - $67,184.00 - $95,409.60 Per Year*
*(This includes the 5.5% Salary Adjustment)

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is seeking a candidate for a limited period Marine Resource Scientist II – Acoustic Project Lead position. This position will be part of a three-person management team that consists of the Passive Acoustics Program Lead and two Acoustic Project Leads. The Program Lead and Project Leads will work together to outline the goals and timelines for multiple passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) projects that address critical data gaps and fulfill management needs. Working together the Acoustic Project Leads will manage and conduct the fieldwork needed to operate and maintain a large network of PAM sites for acoustic data collection. This position will also supervise a team of four Marine Resource Scientist I – Acoustic Analysts positions. Supervisory duties include delegating fieldwork and acoustic analysis tasks to staff, setting staff priorities and timelines, leading project meetings, overseeing data quality assurance/quality control, and conducting staff performance reviews. In addition, this position will be responsible for disseminating information about the PAM projects by representing DMR at meetings and conferences, publishing peer-reviewed literature, and making recommendations to DMR’s policy group and Commissioner’s Office. This position may foster and manage collaborations with external partners for various PAM projects as well as seek grant funding opportunities as appropriate. Finally, the position will work across programmatic lines within the DMR’s Division of Marine Mammal Research or the Division of Ecology and the Environment to foster collaboration and maximize DMR’s strengths. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES PREFERRED:

• Previous supervisory and/or project management experience.
• Expertise in cetacean bioacoustics and PAM.
• Prior experience with multi-day overnight offshore research cruises.
• Prior experience retrieving, servicing, and deploying PAM moorings.
• Candidates with experience in automatic detection performance evaluation, acoustic localization and tracking of cetaceans, acoustic density estimation, calculating species detection range, sound propagation modeling, and/or ambient noise analysis and statistics is preferred.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working with Raven Pro 1.6, Ocean Instrument SoundTraps, LFDCS, ArcGIS Pro, R, Python, and/or MATLAB.
• This position requires excellent communication skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

For questions specific to the position, please contact Dr. Anita Murray at: (207) 479-6467 or e-mail at: anita.murray@maine.gov

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Intermediary education, training, or experience in a scientific, technical, engineering field, or a related field with demonstrated experience in the field of marine resource research and/or management or another related field. Previous experience in a supervisory capacity is preferred.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested applicants need to apply online by selecting the "APPLY" button below along with uploading a Cover Letter and a current Resume. In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your Resume includes month and year for any experience listed along with the duties and responsibilities associated with each particular time period. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such. 

If you can't apply online and you require a paper application, please download and print one here: https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/application-process. Paper applications for this posting should be submitted along with a Cover Letter and Resume, before the closing date, to: Natural Resources Service Center, c/o Kristin McCamish, 32 Blossom Lane, Marquardt Building, Augusta, ME 04333-0155. Please be sure that the title, and position number, of the job you are applying for is included.

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No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. 
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96-$13,172.88 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.  
• Health Insurance Premium Credit– Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements. 
• Dental Insurance– The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($358.08 annual value). 
• Retirement Plan– The State of Maine contributes 13.29% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.  
• Gym Membership Reimbursement– Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense. 
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts– Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses. 
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness– The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office. 
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.  
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation– Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions. 
• Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness. 

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. 

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you.  Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting.  If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.