Our research crews brave all types of weather and environmental conditions to capture and band birds and bats. The crew here are capturing sea ducks.

Now hiring: Quantitative Ecologist

Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) seeks a conscientious, detail-oriented, and methodical scientist to conduct marine ecology research, risk assessment, and conservation, focusing on offshore wind and wildlife issues for our non-profit organization in Portland, ME. We are a scientific nonprofit group dedicated to environmental research and monitoring that supports the protection of biodiversity and ecological health. BRI’s mission is to assess emerging threats to wildlife and ecosystems through collaborative research, and to use scientific findings to advance environmental awareness and inform decision makers. Successful candidates must possess a genuine interest in supporting BRI’s mission and a strong desire to be part of a dynamic and purpose-driven work environment.

The Quantitative Ecologist will work on a range of projects relating to renewable energy development and the effects of anthropogenic activities on wildlife. The Quantitative Ecologist will join the Quantitative Wildlife Ecology Research Lab (QWERL) and support BRI’s team dedicated to Applied Science and Planning in Renewable Energy and the Center for Research on Offshore Wind and the Environment (CROWE). These are growing, collaborative programs dedicated to advancing knowledge of our offshore environments and applying this to the conservation of natural resources. Specifically, the position will focus on implementing collision risk models, conservation projects, and the use of boat-based, digital aerial, and individual tracking data in offshore wind risk assessments. The position will focus on quantitative and marine ecology, with the option to work on a range of other projects, based on the candidate’s skills and experience.

Responsibilities

• Advance movement models to describe habitat use in three-dimensional space for species at risk of collision with offshore wind energy infrastructure;
• Work collaboratively to develop offshore wind decision support tools like the Stochastic Collision Risk Assessment for Movement (SCRAM) tool to inform offshore wind risk assessments;
• Provide ecological, technical, and decision science support for state and federal agencies, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to address environmental issues relating to offshore wind energy development;
• Conduct quantitative analyses, modeling, and literature reviews;
• Use R and ArcGIS (and/or Python) to manage and analyze survey, tracking, and other types of ecological data;
• Design and technically support marine ecosystem risk assessments and planning efforts for renewable energy development projects, including research and report writing;
• Write and publish papers in scientific journals;
• Travel to give presentations at meetings and communicate project results;
• Work with a collaborative team of colleagues to achieve project objectives, where this position will often play the role of analytical lead or support staff;
• Coordinate collaborative working groups to achieve research goals; and
• All other duties as directed or assigned. Depending upon the applicant’s areas of expertise, this may include conducting fieldwork in support of BRI’s research projects (such as at-sea surveys, seabird tracking, or Motus station deployment) and/or conducting statistical analyses of survey, movement, or other datasets.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

The successful candidate should be independently motivated, detail-oriented, methodical, highly organized, a strong communicator, a collaborative team member, and a creative analytical thinker. Essential qualifications include:

• An M.Sc. or Ph.D. in wildlife ecology, marine biology, statistics, behavioral sciences, or a related field;
• Strong proficiency in R coding, with experience and the ability to analyze spatial distribution and/or movement data, ideally focusing on seabirds;
• Expertise in developing and implementing hierarchical movement modeling frameworks to describe positions, position uncertainty, movement states, habitat use, and environmental drivers of behavior;
• Experience developing and troubleshooting models within a Bayesian Framework (e.g., BUGS, JAGS);
• Hierarchical movement modeling expertise in developing and implementing frameworks to describe positions, movement states, habitat use, and environmental drivers of behavior;
• Experience with data visualization and mapping for scientific reports and publications and/or online resources;
• Strong scientific and technical communication skills, including published work in scientific journals;
• Strong work ethic and ability to effectively prioritize and address needs as they arise;
• Capacity to work independently as well as collaboratively with a project team; and
• An ability to learn and integrate new information into logical or statistical frameworks

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Skills in web application development (e.g., RShiny apps)
• Experience with git workflow for collaborative code sharing and/or other QA/QC processes;
• Experience with multiple types of tracking data;
• Adeptness at facilitating working groups, stakeholder engagement activities, decision science efforts, and other collaborative efforts focused on coordinating individuals to set and achieve goals;
• Strong familiarity with the ecology of avian and aquatic taxa, specifically in the eastern United States;
• Familiarity with offshore wind energy and wildlife issues, including wildlife monitoring technologies used at offshore wind farms;
• Experience working with offshore wind energy stakeholders such as environmental non-profits, offshore wind energy developers, state and federal regulators, or others;
• Ability to conduct relevant fieldwork such as offshore bird or marine mammal surveys;
• Experience and/or interest in leading and/or managing offshore wind decision-support projects focused on risk assessment, mitigation, and/or monitoring;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional work and/or travel outside of normal business hours; and
• A valid US driver’s license.

Compensation and Employee Benefits

BRI is committed to salary equity. We strive to meet federal Grade-Step (GS) levels that align with education and experience. BRI offers a fully paid employee health insurance premium, optional dependent coverage, dental, LTD, life insurance, 401k with match, and generous paid PTO and holidays. Costs associated with work travel are reimbursed. Ultimately, BRI’s benefits package, workplace flexibility, international travel options, professional development opportunities, and ability for vertical movement within the organization create an unparalleled workplace culture. BRI is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and as such meets Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) interests in the US.

To Apply:

Send a cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@briwildlife.org with subject “Quantitative Ecologist,” addressed to: Biodiversity Resource Institute, Attn: Quantitative Ecologist, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME 04103*, 207.839.7600. www.briwildlife.org. Candidates should be prepared to submit and explain a sample of relevant R code they have written (ideally in a Bayesian framework), upon request.

All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status

Now hiring: Marine Staff Scientist

Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) seeks a conscientious and detail-oriented Marine Staff Scientist to work on offshore wind and wildlife issues for our non-profit organization located in Portland, Maine. We are a scientific nonprofit group dedicated to environmental research and monitoring that supports the protection of biodiversity and ecological health. BRI’s mission is to assess emerging threats to wildlife and ecosystems through collaborative research, and to use scientific findings to advance environmental awareness and inform decision makers. Successful candidates must possess a genuine interest in supporting BRI’s mission and a strong desire to be part of a dynamic and purpose-driven work environment.

The Marine Staff Scientist will be part of BRI’s Center for Research on Offshore Wind and the Environment (CROWE; and work on projects related to offshore wind energy development, including such projects as the Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (https://www.nyetwg.com/) and managing bird- and bat-focused research as part of Project WOW (https://offshorewind.env.duke.edu/).

Responsibilities

• Provide ecological, technical, and decision science support for state and federal agencies, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to address environmental issues relating to offshore wind energy development;
• Conduct quantitative analyses, modeling, and literature reviews;
• Organize and develop technical programs for stakeholder workshops and meetings;
• Develop scientific manuscripts, presentations, and reports;
• Develop public-facing websites, fact sheets, and other materials;
• Work collaboratively to manage and coordinate research and stakeholder engagement projects; and
• All other duties as directed or assigned. Depending upon the applicant’s areas of expertise, this may include conducting fieldwork in support of BRI’s research projects (such as at-sea surveys, seabird tracking, or Motus station deployment) and/or conducting statistical analyses of survey, movement, or other datasets.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

The successful candidate should be detail-oriented and have a track record of excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Essential qualifications include:

• Master’s degree in biology or a related field, with substantial experience in marine systems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including scientific and technical writing as well as an ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders
• Excellent organizational and logistics skills
• Quantitative programming experience in R, Python, and/or ArcGIS
• Strong work ethic and ability to effectively prioritize and address needs as they arise
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, and willingness to work collaboratively with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional weekend work or overnight travel

Other Requirements

Other desired characteristics or skills include a strong familiarity with the aquatic taxa of the eastern United States, particularly New England and/or the New York Bight; decision science expertise; experience working with offshore wind energy stakeholders, including environmental nonprofits, offshore wind developers, state and federal regulators, fishermen, and others; familiarity with the known and potential impacts of offshore wind energy development on wildlife; field experience with surveying birds, bats, and/or marine mammals; and a sense of humor.

Compensation and Employee Benefits

BRI is committed to salary equity. We strive to meet federal Grade-Step (GS) levels that align with education and experience. BRI offers a fully paid employee health insurance premium, optional dependent coverage, dental, LTD, life insurance, 401k with match, and generous paid PTO and holidays. Costs associated with work travel are reimbursed. Ultimately, BRI’s benefits package, workplace flexibility, international travel options, professional development opportunities, and ability for vertical movement within the organization create an unparalleled workplace culture. BRI is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and as such meets DEI interests in the US.

To Apply:

Send a CV, writing sample, and cover letter to jobs@briloon.org with subject “Marine Staff Scientist” or mail to Biodiversity Resource Institute, Attn: Human Resources, 276 Canco Rd., Portland, ME 04103 207.839.7600 www.briwildlife.org.

All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status