Position: Data Specialist and Stranding Network Coordinator Location: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington, USA The Whale Museum is seeking a person to fulfill the role of Data Specialist/Stranding Network Coordinator. Year-round, Full-Time salaried employment with benefits. Established in 1979 as the first U.S. museum dedicated to whales living in the wild, The Whale Museum's mission is to promote stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research. Our facility is located on San Juan Island, northwest of Seattle, Washington. This remote island is accessible only by ferry, boat or plane. This position manages the long-term scientific data that supports the research and provides the substance for education programs and exhibits. Current projects focus on: maintaining longitudinal data sets that track Southern Resident orcas' movement patterns through a 40+ year sighting database; 38 years of marine mammal stranding data; over 25 years of vessel monitoring & trends data; acoustics monitoring data; and a museum collections database of artifacts and recording media. Partnerships with other organizations and researchers are critical to our work. Current partnerships include, but are not limited to, NOAA-Northwest Region, The SeaDoc Society, and John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program. This position works closely with the Executive Director as the Data Specialist to manage several databases, including marine mammal sightings; and as the Stranding Network Coordinator to coordinate the efforts of the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network. This includes coordinating responses for live and dead stranded mammals, managing the necropsy program including maintenance of equipment and supplies, archiving tissue samples and shipping for testing. The successful candidate will also be the primary vessel operator for our stranding boat, the R/V Buzzard. The main field season for stranding network duties occurs between May and October, but responses can occur anytime throughout the year. This position also trains and supervises a volunteer network of approximately 50 people, mentors 2-4 seasonal interns, oversees grant management and routinely moves marine mammals or other items in excess of 50 pounds. A large portion of this job is computer-based, primarily data entry and analysis, database management, and writing. The successful candidate will be highly flexible as response work can occur any time, day or night. Qualifications: a Master's Degree or 5 years' experience in a relevant field, excellent communication skills (oral and written), excellent attention to detail, excellent computer/technological skills (i.e., Microsoft Office particularly Access & Excel, ARC-GIS mapping), grant writing, experience with field work (specifically Stranding Network field response), experience with conflict resolution & public communication, and project management experience. Boating experience with Washington State Boater Education Card are required; diving experience is a plus. A varied skill set and flexibility are major assets. The position will start in mid-July with the opportunity for a brief training period with the outgoing employee. Active review of submitted applications will begin immediately, but applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled. Electronic submissions are encouraged. It is suggested that a PDF compiled with the requested information be submitted. Send cover letter, resume and up to five references (either reference letter or contact information for each reference) to: Jenny L. Atkinson, Executive Director The Whale Museum P. O. Box 945 Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Email: jenny@whalemuseum.org <mailto:jenny@whalemuseum.org> Website: www.whalemuseum.org <http://www.whalemuseum.org> Jenny L. Atkinson Executive Director The Whale Museum P. O. Box 945 (62 1st St., N.) Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Phone: (360) 378-4710 ext. 26 Website: <http://www.whalemuseum.org/> www.whalemuseum.org Mission: to promote stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research.