Benefits:

Competitive salary

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Title - Scientific Support Client - NOAA Location - Remote

Background The purpose of this task order is to provide professional and technical support to the NOAA West Coast Region (WCR), in order to execute NOAA’s mission under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Magnuson‐Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Federal Power Act (FPA), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Under this task order, the contractor shall provide program implementation, regulatory coordination, and other scientific services. The contractor shall ensure all requirements and reporting are conducted in accordance with the ESA, MSA, MMPA, FPA, NEPA and other applicable laws and regulations.

Task Key tasks include the following:

● Task 1: Assist CCVO staff with studies, reports, workshops, and meetings related to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)/hydropower facilities as they relate to fisheries issues, particularly Chinook salmon, steelhead, and green sturgeon, pursuant to the Federal Power Act.

○ Studies shall include, as applicable and requested by NMFS, dam removal analyses, analyses of fish passage options over dams, analyses of habitat expansion efforts, analyses of biological and technical/engineering feasibility of fish passage and biological analyses of impacts of hydropower facilities,, and expert reviews of analyses completed by other parties.

● Task 2: Assist CCVO staff with the development, assessment and implementation of actions related to water infrastructure projects and Endangered Species Act consultations in the California Central Valley.

○ Implement long‐term water operations ESA biological opinion and Record of Decision, including components of the action, terms and conditions, coordination, technical reviews, and drafting of scientific analyses and documents associated with implementation.○ Attend real‐time operations interagency meetings to discuss approaches to and implementation of ESA consultation actions, providing technical reviews on studies and proposals, and assisting in the preparation of presentations.○ Assist CCVO staff with Collaborative Science and Adaptive Management Program (CSAMP) participation and associated implementation of the ESA biological opinion on the Central Valley Project (CVP) and products, including the Collaborative Adaptive Management Team (CAMT) and associated subgroups and efforts.

● Task 3: Support technical activities of the Sacramento River Science Partnership (SRSP), informing the implementation of the CVP ESA biological opinion:

○ Work in coordination with the SRSP to implement the science plan for the upper Sacramento River.○ Participate (as a non‐voting member) in, contributing to, and, as applicable, chairing partnership subcommittee meetings and efforts to assist with the development of short- and long-term studies.

■ These activities may include agenda development, meeting/workshop support, leading and actively participating in discussion, assisting team in collaboration, providing scientific analyses or review, coordinating subteams and studies, recording and tracking action items, creating short documents or summary material as required by each meeting.

○ Complete recommended studies, evaluations, and syntheses that directly inform operations of Shasta Dam and water operations in the Sacramento River and theeffects of those operations on the conditions supporting the recovery of NMFS listed species.

Qualifications:

Candidate must meet the following minimum qualifications: The proposed contractor must have experience in the following: ● A minimum of 10 years of experience working on issues involving Pacific salmon population dynamics and ecology, complex ecological interactions, and effects of hydroelectric facilities on Pacific salmon. ● A minimum of 10 years of experience with the Endangered Species Act as it relates to endangered and threatened salmonids ● A minimum of 10 years of experience in the fisheries field. ● Contractor must have proven record of working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders ● Contractor must have a thorough understanding of the scientific work products and area of expertise of NOAA Fisheries Science centers ● Contractor must have the ability to quickly achieve a thorough understanding of the NMFS Biological Opinions for the Long‐term Operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, as proven through experience with similar projects. ● Working knowledge of salmonid ecology in the Central Valley and current science efforts relating habitat to salmonid survival, behavior, and management ● Working knowledge of communities represented by the identified stakeholder partnership groups, including CAMT and SRSP

Additional required qualifications include: ● Candidate must possess a Ph.D. in a field of study as related to the requirements of this task order with emphasis in fisheries, biological sciences, or natural resource management. Additional preferred qualifications include: ● Contractor should have a subject matter expertise or knowledge of NOAA Fisheries projects within the previous three years.

This is a remote position.