Field Scientist - Cooperative Fisheries Research

Job Description

Job Description

Field Scientist – Cooperative Fisheries Research

Falmouth, MA (WHOI); Pocasset, MA; and Narragansett, RI

This role involves significant time on board research vessels and collaborating and collaborating with stakeholders throughout the North East Region.

Join @Orchard in supporting a critical national mission with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). This opportunity places you at the intersection of marine science and community partnership, working within the Cooperative Research Branch (CRB) to strengthen the science that underpins the sustainability of our nation’s living marine resources.

Your work will directly support ecosystem-based fisheries management by fostering collaborative research with the commercial and recreational fishing industries. By building trust and working side-by-side with industry partners, you will help collect vital biological and environmental data, ensuring that NOAA’s scientific assessments are informed by practical, real-world knowledge. This is a chance to be a bridge between communities, turning your passion for field science into a tangible impact on the stewardship of U.S. marine ecosystems.

@Orchard is actively seeking a versatile and community-oriented Field Scientist to champion cooperative research initiatives. In this role, you will be a key liaison between the scientific community and commercial fishing partners, responsible for the planning, execution, and support of joint research projects at sea and ashore. This role requires a unique blend of field expertise, technical skill, and outstanding interpersonal abilities. You will be responsible for everything from training fishermen on scientific protocols and deploying advanced data collection equipment to analyzing samples in the lab and contributing to scientific reports. If you are a self-reliant, adaptable scientist who thrives on collaboration and is skilled at working in challenging field conditions, this position offers an unparalleled opportunity to contribute to transparent and effective marine science.

Key Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will be diverse, spanning field operations, data management, and stakeholder engagement.

Field Operations & Technical Support

• Participate in research trips aboard commercial fishing vessels, coordinating scientific and vessel crews and implementing sampling protocols.
• Provide expert technical assistance at sea and ashore, including troubleshooting electronic data acquisition systems.
• Train industry partners on the use of scientific equipment and data collection procedures.
• Deploy, retrieve, and maintain fishing gear and scientific instruments.
• Collect, sort, and process fish catch, including biological sampling, tagging, and dissection.
• May operate small vessels for NOAA mission-related projects.

Data, Sample & Equipment Management

• Maintain, service, track, and repair laboratory and field equipment; assist in building custom equipment like measuring boards and camera apparatus.
• Manage fishery-related databases, including data entry, error-checking, auditing, and manipulation.
• Process biological specimens for analysis of age, growth, maturity, genetics, and diet.
• View and analyze video data to characterize ocean habitats and catalogue marine organisms.
• Contribute to the development of scientific protocols, data practices, and data collection software.

Collaboration & Communication

• Organize logistical support for industry participants, including recruitment, training, troubleshooting, and ongoing communication.
• Contribute to technical proposals, reports, manuscripts, and outreach materials (manuals, newsletters, web content).
• Participate in industry meetings, scientific symposia, and workshops to present cooperative research findings.
• Work independently and facilitate interactions among team members with diverse skill sets.

Project & Team Support

• Assist with the procurement of supplies and adherence to research permits.
• Meet regularly with CRB leadership to debrief on activities and recommend enhancements.
• Assist in the training of newly hired staff.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Education & Professional Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries, Marine Biology, or a related biological science, OR several years of equivalent, relevant professional experience.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in fisheries science or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience collecting biological data on commercial fishing vessels.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and build positive relationships with members of the commercial fishing industry.
• Experience using and troubleshooting scientific and fishery electronic data collection hardware and software.

Skills, Knowledge & Certifications

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to lead or assist field teams in adverse conditions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in the MS Office suite and Google Workspace (G Suite) tools.
• A valid state driver’s license.
• Must hold or be able to obtain the following certifications:
• NSC Defensive Driving Course
• First Aid / CPR / AED (American Heart Association or equivalent)
• Valid Safety-At-Sea Training

Established in 2010, @Orchard LLC has an exceptional reputation, providing staffing solutions to time-sensitive, talent scarcity issues to deliver better talent management ROI. Our specialty lies in the critical area of program talent acquisition and resource management, not in one narrow skillset, but across many areas of technical and functional delivery. To learn more about our other exciting opportunities, visit our Jobs Page at .