Data Scientist

Job Description

Job Description

This role supports model development, large dataset management, protocol documentation, publication writing, and presentations for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)

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, data innovation, and ecosystem stewardship, working within the Population and Ecosystems Monitoring and Analysis Division (PEMAD), specifically the Ecosystem Surveys Branch (ESB).

Our team applies cutting-edge technology and data science to better understand the dynamics of marine ecosystems on the Northeast U.S. Shelf. Optical survey data and advanced machine learning techniques are rapidly transforming the way we monitor scallop populations and habitat features, enabling more accurate, timely, and scalable fisheries assessments.

@Orchard is actively seeking a Data Scientist to support NOAA’s development of ML/AI tools for marine resource monitoring. In this role, you’ll build robust data models, manage large cloud-based datasets, develop reproducible workflows, and contribute to peer-reviewed scientific publications. Your work will directly inform stock assessments, fisheries management, and long-term ecological understanding of marine species.

You’ll collaborate with researchers across NEFSC and regional fishery management bodies to ensure that data products are accurate, accessible, and aligned with national sustainability goals. If you're passionate about applied science, scalable analytics, and contributing to data-driven fisheries policy, this role offers an exciting opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Key Responsibilities

As a Data Scientist, you will contribute to advanced acoustic research supporting NOAA’s long-term marine ecosystem monitoring. Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Building machine learning and artificial intelligence models to analyze marine species and habitat data from NEFSC’s advanced technology surveys
• Developing workflows, pipelines, and data storage protocols that support reproducibility and scalability of data products.
• Managing large databases using both local servers and cloud infrastructure.
• Applying statistical analyses to interpret model outputs and refine ecological insights.
• Documenting protocols for data collection, auditing, and analysis, including reproducible code and workflow tracking.
• Producing peer-reviewed publications and technical reports to advance the role of data science in fisheries research.
• Collaborating with internal and external data users across NEFSC, GARFO, and regional Fishery Management Councils.
• Presenting scientific findings at conferences, meetings, and public outreach events.
• Contributing to the preparation of NEFSC reports, funding proposals, and stock assessment materials.
• Presenting research findings at conferences, interagency meetings, and through digital platforms.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

Ideal candidates will possess the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with six (6) years’ experience, or Master's degree with four (4) years’ experience, or PhD with one (1) year of experience; degree and experience must be directly related to the individual requirement.
• Experience analyzing large data sets.
• Extensive experience with identifying, interpreting, analyzing, and applying a range of established approaches and solutions to tests, problems, or issues.
• Experience writing reports or scientific publications.
• Current MS Office and Google Workspace skills.
• Expertise with PL/SQL, R, C, Python, Linux, VIAME, Terraform, and/or other programming languages.

This position includes authorized overtime, travel, and training as required by the project scope. If you are ready to contribute to a vital environmental mission, we encourage you to apply.

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 .