Fisheries Data Specialist (Field)

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is seeking to hire a Fisheries Data Specialist (Field) (1 opening) for deployment in St. Paul, AK, USA. This announcement serves as the notice of this opportunity.

The IPHC is a public international organization and, as such, is able to consider applicants regardless of nationality or location. However, for this port duty station, housing is provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and they have restricted entry to USA citizens for the 2025 fishing period.
 
OVERVIEW:
 
Under the direction of the Port Operations Coordinator (POC), who reports to the Executive Director, the Fisheries Data Specialist (Field) (FDS(F)) positions are responsible for the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s (IPHC) port operations in a designated port. The FDS(F) will act as the lead on all duties in their assigned location including, but not limited to, collecting logbooks, fish tags, and biological specimens, and representing the IPHC Secretariat in the field. Pacific halibut landings can be highly variable in time and space; therefore, this position requires being on call for extended hours, including Saturdays. Ideal candidates have strong interpersonal and organizational skills including the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a rapidly changing work environment, and the ability to collaborate and cooperate with members of the Secretariat, as well as outside contacts and stakeholders.

Employment date: Port specific start dates are subject to change due to the length of the fishing period and fleet behaviour.
 
    15 June 2025
    
Duration: Port specific end dates are subject to change due to the length of the fishing period and fleet behaviour.

    30 August 2025
 
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary Duties

1. Prioritize office and field-based tasks and meet deadlines in a rapidly changing work environment;
2. Follow random sampling procedures to collect biological samples from Pacific halibut, including fork length, weights, tissue samples and otoliths for stock assessment and other purposes;
3. Collect and edit fishing records from vessel logbooks and landing records for Pacific halibut;
4. Collect Pacific halibut tags and tag-associated information;
5. Enter all biological and logbook data into applicable software and provide input to improve or update software as needed;
6. Package and ship logbooks and biological samples to IPHC Headquarters in Seattle, WA, USA, as directed, to meet deadlines;
7. Write reports on sampling technique which are reviewed to ensure proper sampling procedures are being applied in the field;
8. Serve as the representative of the IPHC Secretariat in port and relay information between stakeholders and the IPHC Secretariat while adhering to confidentiality policies and procedures.

Secondary Duties

1. Contribute to the IPHC’s social media presence by drafting posts and providing photos on relevant information about their port(s) while adhering to IPHC’s confidentiality policies and procedures, and norms of professionalism; 
2. Train other Fisheries Data Specialists (Field) on a topic(s) during pre-season training and as needed;
3. Submit administrative requirements (e.g. timecards, mileage reports, leave, gear and expense requests, etc.) on time using Secretariat utilized software applications; 
4. Provide logistical support for the IPHC’s Fishery-Independent Setline Survey (FISS) and other research activities, when needed;
5. Process and enter data as assigned (e.g. historical records, logbook data, etc.); 
6. Comply fully with all IPHC policies, including but not limited to the Business Ethics and Conduct, and to declare any actual or potential perceived conflicts of interest;
7. Secretariat staff are prohibited from holding or being the beneficiary for any interest in the Pacific halibut industry;
8. Carry out other duties as assigned as part of a small and flexible organisation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bachelor’s degree in biology, fisheries or related field or equivalent work experience in this same field;
2. Proven ability to effectively collect fisheries data and biological structures, while following random and representative sample collection protocols;
3. Proven ability to work cooperatively and professionally with people with diverse backgrounds, responsibilities, and positions and who have varying degrees of understanding of fisheries data collection methods and the impact of fisheries data on fisheries management;
4. The ability to work independently and the organizational skills to balance a shifting workload in a deadline driven work environment.

DESIRED

1. Experience collecting, editing, and entering data in the field;
2. Experience with fisheries monitoring, or other wildlife monitoring, especially Pacific halibut is especially welcome;
3. Experience working with Microsoft Office 365 (i.e. Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Excel, Word, PowerApps).

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Salary: This position is rated as an IPHC-GS-7. FDS(F) work an on-call Monday through Saturday, not to exceed 40 hours per week.

• FDS(F) in the Port of St. Paul will be paid at an IPHC-GS-7.3 rate (US$5,038.64 per month);
• Current FDS(F) at a salary level above the rates described above, will be held at their current IPHC-GS rate (port dependent).     

Benefits: The IPHC offers a highly competitive and generous benefits scheme. Benefits include but are not limited to the following.

• 100% employer paid medical coverage option, and dental insurance;
• 100% employer paid life insurance, AD&D, Group Specified Disease, Group Accident, short- and long-term disability. Employees must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) to participate;
• Employer funded health reimbursement arrangement (HRA). Employees must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) to participate;
• Life Flight Membership Benefit;
• 403(b) savings program with a 7% base salary contribution by the employer commencing on the first day of employment, and up to 5% matching in addition to the 7% after 6 months of continuous employment. Employees must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) to participate.

Travel expenses: The IPHC may provide transportation (most direct and economical means from your designated home location to and from your duty station) and/or any in-person training that may be required, as well as applicable Per Diem allowance (lodging, meals, and incidentals) in accordance with relevant IPHC travel policies.

APPLICATION

Deadline: 18 April 2025. An initial review of applications will occur on 18 April 2025 with the intent of determining if sufficient caliber candidates are available to fill the position. The position will remain open to source a list of reserve candidates.
 
Applications must be submitted through the IPHC website at https://www.iphc.int/the-commission/opportunities. For your application to be considered eligible, you must submit: 1) a response to the major duties and responsibilities (2 pages maximum); 2) a curriculum vitae; and 3) transcript(s) for any post-secondary degree(s) earned (unofficial transcripts are acceptable).

A satisfactory background check is a condition of employment.

For more information about this position, please email IPHC_PersonnelServices@iphc.int and cite Position Reference Number 2025-002
 

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