The Galveston Bay Foundation (GBF) is a nonprofit organization located on the Upper Texas Coast that has worked for 35 years to preserve and enhance one of the world’s most productive estuaries—Galveston Bay—as a healthy and productive place for generations to come.
We have diverse programs in land preservation, habitat restoration, water quality and quantity, research, youth education, and advocacy. Our office is located in Kemah, Texas.
The Galveston Bay Foundation is seeking a part-time, temporary summer research assistant for the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program (GDRP). The GDRP is a collaboration between the Galveston Bay Foundation and the Environmental Institute of Houston at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. The Research Assistant will help with the collection, entry, and analysis of bottlenose dolphin population data in Galveston Bay, Texas. The position will entail a combination of field and office work (both in-person and remote). Marine mammal field and photo-identification experience are required. Familiarity with ArcPro GIS, FinBase and R are highly desirable. To learn more about the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program, please visit galvestonbaydolphin.org.
Specific Duties
- Assist in the collection of photo-identification survey data of bottlenose dolphins in Galveston Bay
- Assist in managing a database of dolphin survey photos and associated data
- Oversee a land-based dolphin monitoring citizen-science project
- Perform photo-analysis of dolphin data
- Assist with a variety of data analyses tasks (primarily utilizing ArcPro GIS, FinBase, Excel, and/or R)
- Assist with the development and preparation of program maps, reports, newsletters, etc.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in biology, zoology, marine science, wildlife studies, or related field
- Previous experience with marine mammal field research
- Previous experience performing photo-identification of marine mammals
- Previous experience in small vessel handling
- Competency using word, data and image processing software including Microsoft Office
- Ability to work long field days on a small boat in Texas heat, often in inclement or challenging
- conditions (must have availability Monday-Friday for field work and secure their own housing near Kemah, TX)
- Ability to carefully follow instructions, work independently on sometimes tedious and/or repetitive tasks, and pay close attention to detail
- Be an excellent team member with the ability to communicate and work with others both in person and remotely
- Successfully pass a criminal background check prior to hiring
- Must be a United States citizen or have permanent resident alien status
