Coral Propagation & Culture Technician I — Mesophotic Deep Benthic Communities

*Position is Subject to Contract Award

Work in the NOAA Galveston Deep Sea Coral Laboratory to conduct operations of the coral culture facility and care for marine organisms under the guidance of the Program Manager and aquaculture staff. Assists in laboratory studies of diseases and other deleterious agents affecting corals and provides laboratory support in husbandry and facility maintenance

Task #1 - Laboratory & Fieldwork Support Duties

• Assist in maintaining recirculating culture systems, monitor water quality, and report malfunctions to senior staff and the Program/Task Order Manager.
• Assist in routine care of live coral specimens under optimum conditions, including tank setup/cleaning for recovery of ESA coral species.
• Culture live foods and feed corals (Artemia sp., rotifers, algae, etc.).
• Record and report data on water quality and coral animal health; confer with staff and veterinarians on animal care.
• Participate in required training on workplace safety, defensive driving, and basic tool handling/maintenance.
• Complete training: general lab safety, chemical safety/hygiene, defensive driving, MSDS, PPE, fire extinguisher, electric hand tools, acid handling/storage, slips/trips/falls prevention, battery handling/charging, NOAA IT security, and AED.

Task #2 - Data Management Support

• Computer data entry and review using MDBC applications and tools.
• Updating tracking sheets and project management tools.

Task #3 - Outreach & Education

• Answer telephones, provide information to the public, help develop/maintain educational materials, and participate in outreach events such as open houses, career fairs, and teacher education workshops.

• Bachelor's degree in marine sciences or related biology field with at least 2 years of experience maintaining coral culture systems; prior saltwater aquaria/aquatic systems experience desired.
• Knowledge of basic water quality, aquaculture/mariculture, and animal husbandry concepts and methodologies; capable of independently performing scientific tasks using established methods.
• Knowledge of basic plumbing, carpentry, and facility maintenance.
• Capable of following oral and written instructions and learning sea turtle husbandry and recognizing animal behaviors on the job.
• Capable of writing college-level reports and making oral and written presentations.
• Must possess a valid U.S. driver's license.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs sacks of salt into a pick-up truck and work in environments maintained at or near 40°F.
• Desirable: knowledge of marine life (preferably corals) and water quality/animal husbandry.