A.I.S., Inc. (AIS) is a national scientific services firm supporting maritime activities requiring certification of compliance with environmental regulations as well as collecting data for use by Federal, State, Municipal, and other government agencies along the US coastline.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) mandates that Regional Fishery Management Councils identify essential fish habitat (EFH), implement conservation measures, and minimize fishing's impact on EFH. To aid this, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) created "EFH source documents," detailing habitat needs, distribution, and ecological information for species managed by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils. These documents, foundational for EFH assessments, cover life history, feeding, migration, and genetics.

However, the EFH documents, last updated in the mid-2000s, lack recent research and climate impact data and omit some newly managed species. This role’s objective is to collaborate with stakeholders to update these documents with current information on species life history, ecology, distribution, and climate effects.

Primary Function:

The successful candidate will lead efforts to conduct in-depth literature reviews and update all sections of the EFH source documents for all species currently managed by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Councils. In addition, EFH source documents were not previously prepared for a small number of managed species and will therefore need to be newly developed. In total, the candidate will be responsible for updating 38 existing source documents and developing 4 new source documents. This work will be done in close collaboration with the oversight team, compiled of NOAA and MAFMC personnel.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Review all current EFH source documents and relevant scientific literature
• Lead development of new and updated source documents with approval of oversight team
• Meet regularly with the oversight team to ensure product utility.
• Ensure products are “climate ready” in the sense that they should reflect any research literature that explains recent spatial changes in fish habitat use or adjustments to timing of activities such as spawning or migration.

Compensation: Candidates will be paid a salary to be negotiated, and total compensation will vary depending on candidates’ depth of experience. This is a full–time position. AIS benefits package includes health and dental insurance, vacation, sick and holiday benefits.

Minimum Qualifications:

• MS degree in marine, estuarine, environmental science, biology, or other related fields with a strong emphasis in fish habitat ecology,
• Strong demonstrated technical writing experience
• Literature search/research skill
• Experience working collaboratively working with technical documentation

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD degree in marine, estuarine, environmental science, biology, or other related fields with a strong emphasis in fish habitat ecology,

Travel:

• No Travel Anticipated

Location:

• Remote but able to work on Eastern Standard time