Marine Resource Specialist Part Time
14 days ago
Santa Rosa
Job Description Job Title: Marine Resource Specialist Department: Kashia Department of Environmental Planning and Natural Resources Supervisor: Director, Oceans and Aquaculture Location: Tribal Coastal Lands and Bodega Marine Lab Hours: 50% Time Wage: $25/hour Position Summary: This is a two-year position with the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians Department of Environmental Planning and Natural Resources, with the possibility of a third year, dependent on performance and funding. Under the supervision of the Director, Oceans and Aquaculture and the Managing Director of Environmental Planning and Natural Resources, the Marine Resource Specialist supports aquaculture and Tribal scientific diving activities for the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians. Over the course of the last decade, the North Coast of California has seen environmental changes, resulting in the collapse of California’s kelp forest ecosystems and the closure of the red abalone fishery. The Tribe is collaborating with scientific partners to pursue the development of Tribal abalone and sea urchin aquaculture (farming) and conservation. As part of this work, Kashia and partners will test new technologies to culture abalone and sea urchins for food and restoration, which the Marine Resource Specialist will support over the term of the position. This position will also participate in scientific data collection via scuba diving with Kashia Tribal divers and collaborators, encompassing sea urchin population monitoring, sea urchin removal, abalone surveys, kelp outplanting, and biodiversity quantification in the coastal regions of Kashia’s Tribal Territories, connected to grant-funded activities. Due to the unique nature of this position, the Marine Resource Specialist will occasionally be required to work outside normal business hours (i.e., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday), including occasional weekends. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Typical duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: Aquaculture: 1. Assembly of aquaculture systems, involving the use of power tools and building equipment to assemble aquaria, pumps, sterilization equipment, and related systems., 2. The purchase and inventory of equipment for aquaculture systems, following the outlined budgets and plans., 3. The setup, maintenance, and general husbandry of sea urchins and abalone being cultured both in aquaculture systems located on Kashia Tribal lands and at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, as part of Tribal aquaculture experiments. This includes routine weekly feeding and cleaning duties; animal welfare checks, and the verification of optimal culture conditions in coordination with the Director for Oceans and Aquaculture and other Tribal staff., 4. The measurement of animals and collection of growth data from experiments on sea urchins and California abalone in coordination with the Director for Oceans and other Tribal staff., 5. The collection of water quality measurements from experiments in coordination with the Director for Oceans and Aquaculture and other Tribal staff., 6. The communication of results from experiments to supervisors and the broader Tribal community in collaboration with the Director for Oceans and Aquaculture., 7. Participation in related experiments with partner scientists at the Bodega Marine Laboratory., 8. Other duties as assigned. Scientific Diving: A) Participation in scientific dives with Kashia Tribal staff and partners at UC Berkeley, The Greater Farallones Association, and Sonoma State University to collect subtidal ecological data supporting ongoing Kashia marine projects. B) Maintenance of equipment, safety records, and compliance with dive safety protocols in coordination with the Tribal Dive Coordinator. C) Coordination with supervisors and external partners to plan and establish new and ongoing scientific diving objectives. D) Collection, maintenance, and analysis of scientific data collected from scuba activities. E) The communication of results and data from scientific diving activities to supervisors, collaborators, and the broader Tribal community. F) Other duties as assigned. Qualifications: Experience in the sciences and/or strong interest in marine biology/ocean conservation. AAUS scientific diving certification, or willingness to complete a rigorous scientific diving certification program in the spring of 2026. Must possess and maintain a valid California driver’s license and be insurable under the Tribe’s driving and diving policies. Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment drug/alcohol screen and background investigation. Special priority may be given to Tribal members currently pursuing or interested in pursuing a career in biology/marine science/conservation. Required Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Certifications: • Ability to be tightly organized, always following safety guidelines., • Ability to be in consistent and close communication with Tribal staff and external dive partners and to follow dive activity plans and collect data safely., • Ability to closely follow instructions from supervisors under changing timelines and environmental conditions., • Ability to maintain physical fitness at the high level necessary for demanding underwater and land-based construction work., • Ability to work odd hours, weekends, and deal with the re-scheduling or canceling of plans with shifting weather and environmental conditions., • Ability to stay in regular close contact with supervisors by cell phone and/or email to deal with unexpected schedule changes or shifting conditions., • Ability to work independently and effectively handle multiple assignments simultaneously., • Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds, including diverse co-workers and university colleagues., • Ability to communicate effectively in the English language, both verbally and in writing., • Skill in operating computers and computer software used for entering and analyzing data from dive surveys and experiments, including Word and Excel, or a strong interest in becoming proficient in this software. Desired Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Certifications: • Knowledge of California marine life, kelp forests, urchins, and abalone., • College-level science coursework experience., • Certification and experience with underwater scuba diving., • Experience maintaining aquaria and ocean life in captivity. Travel Requirements: Job duties will be performed on Tribal coastal lands and at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, located in Bodega Bay, CA, as well as at dive sites throughout the state of California, predominantly in Sonoma County, and at the Kashia Tribal Offices in Santa Rosa, CA. Occasional interactions with the Tribal community or Tribal Council may occur to communicate data, update on activities, and report findings. Travel may be required to participate in trainings, meetings, conferences, presentations, and other events supporting project work. Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work requires travel to various dive locations on the Sonoma Coast and potentially beyond. Projects may demand the Marine Resource Specialist to work under stress, to meet short deadlines, or cope with changing priorities and multiple projects and tasks that are varied in nature. While performing responsibilities as the Marine Resource Specialist, the employee is regularly required to swim, lift, drive, stand, walk, use hands, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus underwater. Equal Opportunity Employer: The Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions pursuant to applicable Tribal and federal law. Indian Preference: Qualified Native Americans will be given preference in hiring and all terms and conditions of employment as required by the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S. 450, et seq.), Tribal law and policy, and other relevant laws. [OPTION TO INCLUDE: If no applications from qualified Indian applicants are received, the Tribe may elect to provide training and employment opportunities to Indians not fully qualified for the position but who have demonstrated a capacity to be trained within a reasonable period of time. Company DescriptionWelcome! The Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria is a Federally Recognized Tribe located in Sonoma County of California. The Kashia Band of Pomo Indians were the first inhabitants of the coastal Sonoma County area around Fort Ross. The Kashia lived in lands that extended from the Gualala River in the North to Duncan’s Point south of the Russian River. From the West, Kashia territory extended from the pacific coast over coastal mountain ranges down the Warm Springs Creek to the confluence of Dry Creek, thirty miles inland. An estimated 1,500 people inhabited this area pre-contact, and migrated seasonally throughout this territory to take full advantage of the resources for their subsistence. By 1870, only 3 villages remained and by 1914, the United States Federal Government began the process of taking land into Trust, establishing the Stewarts Point Rancheria.Welcome! The Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria is a Federally Recognized Tribe located in Sonoma County of California.\r\nThe Kashia Band of Pomo Indians were the first inhabitants of the coastal Sonoma County area around Fort Ross. The Kashia lived in lands that extended from the Gualala River in the North to Duncan’s Point south of the Russian River. From the West, Kashia territory extended from the pacific coast over coastal mountain ranges down the Warm Springs Creek to the confluence of Dry Creek, thirty miles inland. An estimated 1,500 people inhabited this area pre-contact, and migrated seasonally throughout this territory to take full advantage of the resources for their subsistence. By 1870, only 3 villages remained and by 1914, the United States Federal Government began the process of taking land into Trust, establishing the Stewarts Point Rancheria.