Resource Protection and Field Operations Specialist
The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) settlement was reached under the provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and based on the damage assessment and restoration alternative selected in the DWH Oil Spill Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact (PDARP/PEIS). Goals of the PDARP/PEIS include the restoration of mesophotic and deep benthic communities (MDBC) and species injured by the spill; active management of these communities to protect against multiple threats and provide a framework for monitoring, education, and outreach; and improvement of the understanding of MDBC to inform better management and ensure resilience.
MDBC are vast and complex ecosystems that are a foundation to Gulf of Mexico food webs. Despite the depth of these resources, human activities and environmental perturbations can threaten the health and resiliency of these communities. Potential threats include oil and gas industry activity; fishing (e.g., harvest pressure, damage from bottom-tending gear, impacts from anchoring or lost gear); recreational activities, such as diving and boating; marine debris; invasive species; and climate change. Four MDBC restoration projects, including the Active Management and Protection (AMP) project, were selected for implementation to address these challenges in the November 2019 Open Ocean Final Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment.
The Active Management and Protection (AMP) project intends to utilize existing knowledge and information that emerges from the work of the whole MDBC portfolio to identify activities that can address present threats, prevent future injury, and provide a framework for monitoring, education, and outreach. Restoration activities that prevent future injuries to natural resources from known threats can often have more certain outcomes and be more cost-effective than projects that create new resources, and spatially based management provides a framework for addressing key threats to MDBC.
Activities conducted through the AMP project will identify and evaluate threats to MDBCs in the northern Gulf of Mexico and develop plans to remove or mitigate some of those threats. These activities could include, but are not limited to, the following: removal of marine debris and/or invasive species from MDBCs, installation of mooring buoys to reduce impacts from anchoring, and assessment and remediation of leaking or abandoned oil and gas infrastructure. Field activities would occur at important MDBC sites across the northern Gulf of Mexico, potentially including sites within the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS).
Cardinal Point Captains, Inc. (CPC) is seeking an experienced and qualified individual to provide Resource Protection and Field Operations Specialist support for the DWH AMP project in the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) at the FGBNMS office in Galveston, TX. This position will lead the Threat Reduction efforts of the AMP project with support from the AMP project managers. This will include developing a set of criteria and an evaluation process for assessing the various sites where resource protection and associated threat reduction activities could take place. On an annual basis, a limited number of sites will be selected for threat reduction operations each field season. Conducting this assessment will require coordination across the MDBC portfolio projects and engagement with external stakeholders. After selection, this position will lead the development of mission plans and oversee the implementation of resource protection activities. The work activities include resource protection planning, monitoring, and field operations coordination related to DWH restoration activities in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Conduct inventory and assessment of sites for resource protection activities; develop a site selection report annually.
- Maintain a database of sites of interest for resource protection activities, including sites with documented marine debris, bottom impacts from commercial or recreational activity, large populations of invasive species, etc.
- Support analysis and interpretation of scientific data and mandated policy requirements in support of the DWH restoration goals.
- Provide resource protection planning and monitoring.
- Coordinate field operations related to DWH restoration activities in Northern Gulf of Mexico and FGBNMS.
- Participate in the coordination of resource protection cruises, including lionfish removals, mooring installations, debris removals, etc. Develop mission scope and objectives, identify risk mitigation measures and contingency plans, and incorporate them into mission plans.
- Assist in mobilizing and demobilizing for at-sea expeditions.
- Serve as field party chief in a variety of underway operations for resource protection and restoration activities.
- Provide scientific and research operations support on a project basis.
- Participate in regular project team meetings.
- Assist in development of post-cruise summaries, cruise reports, and project reports, as well as scientific publications.
- Develop science interpretation material related to specific assigned topics.
- Participate in annual adaptive management processes to evaluate project progress and inform future project planning.
- Understand and lead development of technical scopes of work to be implemented via various contracting and cooperative agreement mechanisms for charter vessels.
- Use GIS to map field activities for planning and science communication purposes.
- Coordinate environmental permitting and policy processes. Assist in the preparation of sanctuaries permits, scientific research permits under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and/or other specialized permits when required. Assist in preparation of biological evaluation forms, consultation requests, permits and other documentation needed under Endangered Species Act, Essential Fish Habitat, Marine Mammal Protection Act, National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, Clean Water Act, and/or other statutory authorities as needed for missions. These documents will be submitted for regulatory review by the DWH compliance coordinator.
- Conduct stakeholder engagement activities with a variety of audiences including, but not limited to state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and NGOs. Engagement activities will provide updates on the monitoring and outcomes of resource protection activities, will support the identification of potential resource protection sites, will coordinate resource protection activities, and will facilitate enhanced capacity for management and/or enforcement.
- The place of performance for this work is Galveston, Texas. However, periodic telework work may be authorized in some situations if applicants are within commuting distance of Galveston, Texas. No financial reimbursement is authorized for travel to/from field or office work in Galveston or the surrounding area.
- Advanced Degree (Masters or equivalent) from an accredited college or university in Marine Biology or Science, Physical Sciences, Natural Resource Management, or related scientific fields.
- Experience working with federal government and state agencies.
- Familiarity with GIS, statistical software, remote sensing technologies.
- Ability to implement and coordinate biological and ecological research and resource protection projects.
- Ability to collect and synthesize scientific data, statistical design and analysis, report development, and integration of varying types of data.
- Ability to lead or assist in the implementation of mission plans by participating in offshore, multi-day field work.
- Experience mobilizing research cruises, including tracking personnel and paperwork, purchasing and organizing field gear, and coordinating with research vessel operations staff and crew.
- Knowledge and experience with environmental permitting and policy.
- Able to lift and carry up to fifty (50) pounds to assist transporting equipment and gear.
- Ability to operate a government vehicle.
- Ability to communicate research and monitoring activities to both the scientific community and the general public.
- SCUBA certification (NAUI, PADI, etc.) is not required for this position, but knowledge of dive operations, including technical diving and saturation diving, is preferred.
CARDINAL POINT CAPTAINS INC - Resource Protection and Field Operations Specialist (paylocity.com)
AAP/EEO Statement
CPC is an EEO employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
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