The Whale Center of New England is hiring for the position of Assistant Director. The Whale Center is a private, not-for-profit organization based in Gloucester, MA. Incorporated in 1979, our mission is to conduct research on whales and their habitat and to actively engage in marine conservation and education. The Whale Center has long term studies on a variety of marine mammals, including endangered North Atlantic humpback, fin, and right whales, with a long scientific publication history; is the regional stranding respondent for the North Shore of Massachusetts; has seats on a variety of regional committees including the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, the Northeast Implementation Team, and the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council; and operates a public Visitor Center in Gloucester, MA. Full details on the organization can be found at www.whalecenter.org. The Assistant Director is responsible for a variety of tasks, including * Aiding, creating and supervising organizational research programs (including experimental design, literature review, supervision of data collection and analysis, and publication of results); * Coordinating response to reports of live and dead stranded marine mammals on Massachusetts' North Shore (including training of staff and volunteers; organization, archival, and transfer of stranding data; interacting with town, state, and federal agencies regarding strandings; purchasing and maintaining equipment and supplies; and other duties as deemed necessary); * Acting as the captain and chief scientist aboard dedicated research trips (including boat preparation and planning of trip beforehand; assistance in upkeep of research vessel; supervision of behavioral data collection during trip; collection of biopsy and fecal samples; and writing of data sheets after trip); * Acting as a part of the organization's "management team," which includes an active voice in all aspects of the organization's operations in conjunction with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, including oversight of other organizational employees; * Maintaining of office computers and computer network; * Representing The Whale Center of New England on committees and panels related to whale or marine conservation, education, and research; * Acting as an on-board naturalist on commercial whale watching trips, collecting data on such trips, writing data sheets for each trip (including review of photographs for whale identification purposes); * Hiring, training, managing whale watch naturalists for 2-3 whale watch companies; * Contributing articles to the organization's quarterly newsletter, "Flukeprints;" * Assisting in fund-raising efforts for the organization; * Accomplishing other tasks as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Executive Director and/or Board of Directors. During summer season (June through September), hours are variable, but generally long. From October-May, weeks will be a minimum of 45 working hours, at least 75% of which will be during normal office hours (9-5:30 Monday-Friday). Salary will be commensurate with experience, but will likely be in the mid-$30,000 range, plus benefits (which include contributions to health insurance, paid vacation and some paid holidays, sick time, and personal days). Applicants should have experience working with marine mammals, ideally including both large whales and smaller marine mammals, some stranding experience preferred; academic training in biology or a related field necessary, with a M.S. or Ph.D. preferred; good interpersonal and public speaking skills; enthusiasm and flexibility for working as part of a small organization with high aspirations. Applicants should send a cover letter and curriculum vitae, including references and any other related materials, by e-mail to Mason Weinrich, Executive Director, at mason@whalecenter.org. You may also e-mail us with any questions related to the position. We will screen the materials and, if appropriate, arrange an interview (preferably in person but by phone, if necessary). We are hoping to fill this position by the end of August, so send applications as soon as possible. Mason Weinrich mason@whalecenter.org Whale Center of New England P.O. Box 159 Gloucester MA 01930 www.whalecenter.org