Overview
Lynker Corporation is a leading provider of professional, scientific, and technical services supporting ocean, coastal, and fisheries science and management. With a strong foundation in scientific integrity and a commitment to innovative, data-driven solutions, Lynker supports mission-critical programs across NOAA and other federal agencies. As part of our continued growth, we are seeking a skilled and dedicated Assistant Safety Lead to support the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (NEFOP). This position will contribute to the delivery of high-quality observer coverage across several Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Federal and state fisheries. (This will be a contingent position, based upon contract award). Lynker will be operating under FLOAT – the FISH and Lynker Oceans Alliance Team – a Joint Venture Prime contract holder for NOAA ProTech Fisheries 2.0. This position does require travel to several different porrt locations located in the Northeast from Maine to North Carolina, USA.
Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
Assist the FMO Safety Lead with planning, coordinating, and executing safety practices to enhance observer coverage throughout the region.
Support all facets of observer safety training, including coordination with safety training staff, development of safety training agendas, co-teaching as requested, scheduling pool time, overseeing in-water exercises, scheduling vessels for training, evaluating observer performances, and preparing exercises, workshops, quizzes, and audiovisual materials.
Ensure compliance with National Observer Program Safety Training Standards and FMRD standards.
Monitor the use and oversight of Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) Visual Inspection Card (EVIC).
Oversee observer’s inReach usage, serving as the inReach POC, updating the monitoring plan, and providing emergency response support.
Process Safety Checklists and review results.
Assist with the repacking, issuance, and servicing of life rafts; coordinate with servicing companies and manage logistics for servicing.
Participate actively in the NMFS Safety Advisory Committee (SAC) as an alternate for the Operations Specialist.
Assist with FMO Safety Working-group Advisory Team (SWAT) meetings, including agenda creation, meeting notices, conference arrangements, minute-taking, and task follow-ups.
Respond to information requests and coordinate with the FMO Safety Operations Specialist.
Perform general office tasks as needed.
Conduct general research projects involving internet research and problem-solving.
Travel to meetings pertinent to the safety of fisheries observers.
Engage in periodic regional outreach events as assigned.
Deploy on shadow trips, trip trainer trips, and probation/priority (Data Quality) trips as needed.
Availability for periodic overtime and weekend assignments.
Collaborate with the TDQ Data Quality team to support observers facing safety data collection challenges.
Document communications with observers and industry members, investigating safety incidents and reporting findings to the safety operations specialist.
Track safety certifications of observers and FMRD staff, prioritizing refresher training needs.
Investigate new safety equipment on commercial vessels, ensuring compliance with federal regulations in consultation with USCG.
Serve in an on-call capacity for after-hours safety phone rotations.
Contribute to the updating of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and after-action meetings as needed.
Engage regularly with Safety leads and FMO operational staff on safety efforts, observer and contractor performance, research, protocol development, regulatory requirements, and observer debriefings.
Qualifications
Contractor Qualification Requirements:
- Minimum one (1) year of experience in marine fisheries information programs or science-based programs.
- B.Sc. in Marine Biology, Fisheries, or a related field.
- Knowledge of fishery science, management, and analytical techniques.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in both office and field environments.
- Experience with UNIX-based computers and network systems.
- Ability to perform duties related to at-sea observations.
- Experience in conflict resolution and mentoring, derived from formal training or practical experience.
- Expertise in program planning, management in a team environment, developing performance metrics, and milestones.
- Experience working with diverse interagency teams.
- Proficiency in GIS, statistical packages, Oracle, and SQL programming language.
- Proficiency in MS Office and G Suite tools (Gm