The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) is recruiting a Research Technician for the Synchro Program, a co-design lab for synchronizing technology evolution for industry, ocean science, and conservation.
This new initiative will work to realize the power of developing and mature ocean observing tools and teams for understanding, managing, and sustaining ocean resources. Synchro will establish a co-design lab and testbed in Monterey Bay that accelerates progress to bring new tools into operation with impact. This entails work with low cost sensor production and evaluation, field testing and evaluation access for teams to undertake testing and demonstrating technology on regional infrastructures, and a co-design case study initiative with a focus on addressing needs for baseline and impact assessment for prospective offshore wind energy developments. This work will include facilitating work with maturing sensing modalities including eDNA, imaging, passive and acoustic monitoring, animal telemetry and more.
The Synchro Program Office will be housed alongside the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) Program Office at MBARI. The role works closely with other CeNCOOS staff and collaborators to coordinate testing activities and program administration. This involves coordination of facilitating technology developers with access for testing and evaluation with a number of facilities around Monterey Bay including the Stanford Hopkins Marine Station, University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML), and California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), as well as co-design efforts led by the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions (COS).
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- In consultation with other experts, this position is responsible for the operation, integration, maintenance, and calibration of oceanographic equipment and instruments deployed on Synchro moorings and systems. Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Perform maintenance of oceanographic instrumentation and ensure reliable operation prior to deployment.
- Assist with the integration and testing of scientific sensors.
- Assist with the development, deployment, and maintenance of Synchro mooring platforms.
- May be required to go to sea for specified periods.
Qualifications:
- Minimum associates degree or equivalent and five years related experience required.
- Previous experience in the maintenance, operation, and integration of standard oceanographic instrumentation is required.
- Demonstrated experience in the deployment and recovery of oceanographic moorings is preferred.
- Experience with basic electronic test equipment is required. Working knowledge and operation of PC based computer applications is required.
- Experience with UNIX/Linux is required and familiarity with C is a plus.
- SCUBA diving experience is desirable and Scientific Diver certification is a plus.
- Must be willing and able to go to sea.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work with diverse groups of people are required.
