Social Data Scientist

NOTE:  If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact Ocean Associates at 703-388-9548 to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Social scientist for quantitative data management, analyses, and visualization of surveys assessing trends in social and economic conditions of commercial fishing crews and hired captains in the Northeastern U.S.  OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services, and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts.

Background

Crew are vital to the fishing industry and their social and economic circumstances are integral to the well-being of fishing communities. However, very little data on even basic demographic information on crew exists at the regional level for Northeastern U.S. fisheries. Fishing vessel crew and hired captains comprise a significant portion of fishing industry employment, yet very few studies have inquired about the social and demographic characteristics of the individuals who make up this segment of the industry. The majority of economic and social information collected has tended to focus on vessel owners. 

For this reason, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) has implemented the Socio-Economic Survey of Hired Captains and Crew in New England and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries (Crew Survey) since 2011 with the aim of tracking the characteristics of crew and hired captains over time in order to capture trends in socio-demographics, employment, and fishing practices, among other factors.  NEFSC Social Sciences Branch (SSB) researchers have recently completed data collection for the third wave of the survey, following the baseline first wave conducted in 2012 and the second wave in 2018. Data collected include demographic information on crew, wage calculations systems, well-being, fishing practices, job satisfaction, job opportunities, and attitudes toward fisheries management. This data has been used to inform social impact assessments of past fisheries management actions and will continue to be an important component to the policymaking process. The SSB has a need for expert support to develop tools and provide data management for the Crew Survey. General duties will include data analysis, database development, and the creation of tools for data visualizations and outreach.

Tasks 

• Work with our Information Technology Division (ITD) and other partners to appropriately database data from all Crew Survey waves to date and create public-facing tools and websites for broader use and dissemination.
• Develop public-facing tools and websites to showcase these data and provide stakeholders and the interested public with information from these data to better understand trends in crew employment, demographics, job satisfaction and well-being, among other factors critical to this understudied population within our region’s fishing communities.
• [If time and capacity permit] Conduct an analysis using the three waves of collected data to determine the representativeness of the data at various levels of aggregation, such as ground truthing and statistical analyses to determine reliability and accuracy of the data over the course of its three implementation waves to inform future analyses and data collection efforts. 

Start Date: March 1, 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter

Location: Fully Remote

Travel: There may be travel to conferences or fisheries management meetings to conduct outreach and present results.

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with benefits. Salary, commensurate with experience, between $39.00 and $47.00 per hour.

Required Skills/Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a social science or data science field including, but not limited to, social data science, anthropology, sociology, economics, human geography, or marine affairs/policy. Bachelor’s degree and 2 years experience in a related field is also acceptable. 
• Proficiency with quantitative data management and analysis software such as R, SAS, STATA, SPSS, and others.
• Knowledge and experience with software or programs for data visualization, report building, and web app development, such as Tableau, R Markdown, or Shiny. 
• Experience developing web-based applications or tools for data visualization and data queries. 
• Proficiency in written and oral communication.
• Ability to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team.