Azura is seeking a Diadromous Fisheries Analyst to support the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Protected Species Division (PSD). This position requires a high level of population modeling experience. The Analyst will work closely with an oversight group consisting of NOAA Fisheries Service, Maine Department of Marine Resources, and Maine Sea Grant/University of Maine faculty.

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) that originate from U.S. rivers are listed under the Endangered Species Act as five Distinct Population Segments (DPSs). The New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina, and South Atlantic DPSs are listed as endangered, and the Gulf of Maine (GOM) DPS is listed as threatened. There is strong fidelity for individuals to return to the natal river for spawning, but individuals belonging to different DPSs mix in marine and estuarine water at other times of the year (Waldman et al. 2012; Kazyak et al. 2021).

Some abundance estimates are available for specific life stages of specific DPSs, but there are no complete abundance estimates for any of the DPSs, and there is limited information on the distribution of Atlantic sturgeon DPSs in marine waters. Additional information is needed to inform assessments of the effects of proposed federal activities on Atlantic sturgeon DPSs and to identify and conduct recovery actions for each DPS.

The Diadromous Fisheries Analyst will work closely with the oversight group and provide skills in population abundance modeling for open populations and/or robust design for capture-recapture studies, as well as statistical and organizational skills, to support this project.

Place of Performance and Work Schedule

The preferred place of performance is the Greater Orono or Bangor, Maine area. A remote location within the U.S. may be considered as an alternate place of performance. Work is full-time (40 hours per week, Monday through Friday) and expected to last approximately one year. During workdays, candidates must be able to respond to all communications within 24 hours and conduct calls and meetings as necessary during normal business hours. Some travel to in-person meetings may be required. This position is not open to visa sponsorship or relocation assistance.

Compensation and Benefits

• Rate: $47/hour
• Competitive benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; life and disability insurance; and paid time off for vacation, sick leave, and federal holidays.

Duties

The employee will perform a variety of tasks to support this project. Specific tasks may include the following:

• Develop and implement a new approach and methodology to estimate population abundance for each of the five DPSs of Atlantic sturgeon. Initial focus on the Gulf of Maine DPS with completion target of September 2025 with assistance from Maine Department of Marine Resources and University of Maine faculty. Target date for other abundance estimates is 1 March 2026.
• Integrate separate DPS models and develop a novel coast-wide population model to improve current methods and highlight data gaps, shortcomings, and needs.
• Work with the oversight group to coordinate efforts - organize and build regular (every 1-2 month) meeting agendas, network with related ongoing and planned sturgeon work, and track progress on core elements of the sturgeon information needs for management within scope of work.
• Closely coordinate with USGS/ASMFC sturgeon contractor working on spatial distribution and NEFSC bycatch analyst 
• Write technical memorandums with the oversight group and document all project analysis in a shared repository and fully brief federal staff on methods and analytical details.
• Generate abundance estimate for the Gulf of Maine DPS
• Generate abundance estimates, as possible (or gap analysis as appropriate), for each DPS and coastwide for Atlantic sturgeon
• Conduct Data Consolidation with Regional Telemetry Nodes in Atlantic sturgeon DPS U.S. distribution in conjunction with the U.S. ATN with focus on data consolidation and data network collaboration. Integrate these data with GOM data as they become available in summer 2025.
• Publish population methods in technical series or peer-reviewed journals as determined by the oversight group.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a scientific field
• Proficient in capture-recapture modeling and R programming language(s)
• Experience with robust design models for capture-recapture studies
• Process-oriented and attentive to detail
• Excellent reading comprehension and writing skills
• Ability to multitask and work with short deadlines
• Strong skills with MS Office and Google Suite applications
• Eligibility to work in the U.S.

• Candidate must be able to obtain a Public Trust Clearance which requires passing a thorough background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy degree in a scientific field
• Experience with GIS

Thank you for applying. Azura Consulting LLC (Azura) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal or state law. We strongly encourage all qualified persons to apply for this position.

This recruitment process can take several weeks. Once we narrow the applicants, we conduct virtual interviews with chosen applicants and make a final selection. The chosen candidate then undergoes a federal background investigation which often takes 6 to 16 weeks; the candidate either passes or fails based on NOAA's regulations. Contingent upon satisfactory completion of this investigation and United States work authorization verification, Azura will formally offer the position to the preferred applicant. If the applicant fails this investigation, the next applicant who meets the position's criteria will be contacted. Azura will notify all other applicants if they are not chosen for the position.

About Azura

Azura is a woman-owned small business headquartered in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We offer 'big city' resources with 'small town' customer service. Our primary consulting services are focused on natural resources, professional writing and editing, and educational outreach and communication. Please see our website above for more information.

Resources for Applicants

77 FR 5880. (February 6, 2012). Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened and Endangered Status for Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon in the Northeast Region.

77 FR 5914. (February 6, 2012). Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Listing Determinations for Two Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) in the Southeast.

Kazyak, D.C., White S.L., Lubinski B.A., Johnson R., and Eackles M. (2021). Stock composition of Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) encountered in marine and estuarine environments on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Conservation Genetics. 22:767–781.

Waldman, J.R., T. King, T. Savoy, L. Maceda, C. Grunwald, and I. Wirgin. (2013). Stock origins of subadult and adult Atlantic sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus, in a non-natal estuary, Long Island Sound. Estuaries and Coasts. 36:257–267.