Shellfish Positions Available

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Announcements will be removed after 3 months unless otherwise indicated in the post.

Broodstock Manager (Washington State, USA): This position will be based out of the Shelton, WA Taylor Shellfish Co, Inc. facilities, but will require traveling to Bay Center (Willapa Bay), South Sound and Discovery Bay.  The broodstock manager will be in charge of tracking and taking care of all broodstock for commercial (ready to be used by the hatcheries) and research (Taylor Genetic Improvement Program (TGIP)) purposes. The manager is responsible for providing proper husbandry for the broodstock from seed to adults and then supplying the hatcheries with broodstock for spawning (principally diploid, triploid and tetraploid Pacific oysters). This position includes the following responsibilities: (these responsibilities will be much more detailed in our SOPs): Oversee at least 2 employees and manage their schedules and payroll;Receive and deploy the seed from the hatcheries to the farm; Provide husbandry for the commercial broodstock following appropriate oyster growing techniques to insure optimal growth and survival. These techniques might differ from “normal” commercial techniques, as it is very important to keep all the different lines or families handled separate. (SOP’s will be provided); Selecting oyster from requested broodstock groups for delivery to hatchery facilities. Oysters will be chosen based on desirable performance traits outlined in SOP’s; Handle all broodstock needs (collection, cleaning, and coordinate delivery) for the hatcheries to maintain production for the following species: Manila clams,Specialty oysters (Olympias, Virginicas, Kumamotos),Pacific oysters and other species when asked; Aid in collecting and the coordination of broodstock samples for our annual APHIS exams; Provide husbandry for the TGIP research groups.  Since these groups are part of a breeding program, the husbandry will follow different protocols and needs to be discussed with the research department. The farm will house several hundred families that need to be tracked and kept separate: Provide assistance and labor during the major phases of the TGIP program (Bulk seed deployment in June-July, Test experiment replication in Sept, and Seed performance assessment in October-November); Keep the broodstock database up to date (ideally after each bag handling or new seed deployment on the farm). Strong excel knowledge needed; Communicate regularly with the Quilcene hatchery’s research department through regularly scheduled conference calls; Update the Director of Research and Technology and the Hatchery Broodstock manager on the overall performance of the different groups of seed; Ensure that the requirements for proper husbandry are met both on and off the tide. This includes ordering supplies and make sure that the appropriate quality and number of gear is available (seed bags, cages, trays, tables, long lines…); Make sure that the gear is available and plentiful when needed for major seed deployment events; Coordinate the deployment of new seed bag and broodstock lines (“Shigoku” lines), as the demand increases with the TGIP breeding program (Coordinate with the research department).  REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: College degree with background in biology or genetics preferred; Shellfish experience preferred; Ability to work flexible hours to accommodate the tide and logistics schedule; Organized with good computer skills including Microsoft office software (Microsoft Excel knowledge required); Excellent communication skills including the ability to speak comfortably about sustainability, aquaculture, and marine biology; Demonstrate leadership by displaying your job expertise, flexibility, positive attitude, initiative, organization, communication skills and enthusiasm; Understand principles of husbandry for oysters and integrating knowledge into daily decision making and practices when handling broodstock; Ability to identify and act on immediate issues on the farm, general projects, and problem solve creatively and rapidly either independently or through effective communication with colleagues and supervisors; Keep detailed notes on activities and inventory control during maintenance and other activities pertaining to broodstock husbandry practices. Ability to record and share data using Microsoft Office software; Attend intra-company workshops and training for development of necessary operational skills: IT, data management, safety and heavy equipment training, First Aid, etc; Must be able to drive trucks up to one ton & qualify to be on company insurance; Be comfortable operating boats and have a WA State boaters’ card.  For more information on this position and to apply: https://taylorshellfish.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=248 (posted 6/2/22)

Shellfish Genetics Postdoctoral Fellow (Rhode Island, USA): The University of Rhode Island and USDA ARS Program in Shellfish Genetics and Breeding are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on a project that aims to understand genetic architecture of disease resistance traits in Eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica. The position is an initial one-year appointment (with the possibility of renewal for two more years). This project will focus on understanding the genetic basis of resistance to Dermo disease in Eastern oysters and evaluation of methods for improving resistance through selective breeding. The primary responsibilities of the position will be the analysis and interpretation of genomic, pedigree, and phenotype data to understand the genetic basis of disease resistance. Additional responsibilities may include the simulation of breeding strategies and the evaluation of genetic population structure.  The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Dina Proestou ([email protected]) and Thomas Delomas ([email protected]). The ideal candidate should have experience applying quantitative/statistical genetic or computational/bioinformatic methods to understand the genetic basis of traits. Experience with agriculture genetics, aquaculture, and/or genomic analyses in a non-model organism will be viewed favorably but are not required. The position will be based in Kingston, RI and can start as soon as possible. To apply, candidates should email Dina Proestou ([email protected]) with one combined PDF including: a (1) cover letter, (2) CV, and (3) contact information for two references. The search will continue until the position is filled. (posted 6/7/2022)

Director, Estuary Science and Restoration (Delaware, USA): The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays (CIB), a National Estuary Program, invites applications for the full-time Director of Estuary Science and Restoration (DESR) The DESR works under the supervision of the Executive Director and directs the Center’s research, monitoring, and environmental restoration programs. The DESR supervises direct reports and leads teams of staff, partners, contractors, and volunteers to plan, fund, and implement a research and restoration project agenda to support the Inland Bays Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, including updates to the Inland Bays Environmental Monitoring Plan and State of the Inland Bays Report. For more details and to apply, visit inlandbays.org/employment. (posted 5/21/2022)