Employment Opportunity: Wild Salmon Watersheds Science Coordinator

Overview: The Atlantic Salmon Federation’s (ASF) Wild Salmon Watersheds (WSW) program is creating a network of watersheds throughout eastern North America to safeguard and bolster wild Atlantic Salmon populations using an integrated management approach. ASF will help local partners execute long-term conservation plans by providing guidance and access to advanced scientific tools including ecological forecasting that can predict how a watershed will be affected by climate change and future land uses. This will help our partners select the most effective projects and identify the most important areas for conservation work.

This approach will require developing and applying new and modified modelling, forecasting, and planning tools to wild Atlantic salmon conservation activities. The successful candidate will coordinate research efforts through the establishment of projects with external research organizations, recognized experts, and universities including graduate students. To be most effective, the candidate requires strong project identification, conception, development, coordination, and delivery skills.

Responsibilities and Duties: Reporting to the ASF Regional Director of Wild Salmon Watersheds, you will work closely with other ASF staff and partners to further develop, refine, and deliver the WSW program. Your focus will be establishing and coordinating the science and research efforts. You will also work closely with the WSW program participants helping them identify and address priority knowledge gaps in their watersheds, aiding in the completion of this work while also helping to develop the participants’ capacities, knowledge base, and skillsets.

Specifically, your role will include, but is not limited to:

• Work with ASF staff and partners to identify strategic priority areas to further develop and implement the WSW program.
• Contribute to WSW network design to inform program needs for ASF.
• Coordinate and liaise with ASF’s Research and Environment department and our partners to ensure that projects are complementary and mutually supportive, where possible, and make contributions to strategic objectives of the WSW program and ASF’s strategic plan.
• Prepare scientific and non-scientific documentation on key topics relating to the WSW program. Some of the current needs include, but are not limited to:
  • Conservation approaches and techniques
  • Population and habitat assessment techniques
  • Climate assessment tools and response/mitigation options.
• Work to develop protocols and standardized procedures that will be of benefit to all program participants and to other organizations and individuals working towards salmon conservation. Examples include:
  • Thermal assessment protocols for WSW
  • Fisheries assessment improvements guidance
    • Stock assessment design and guidance for partners
• Develop and maintain a network of Atlantic salmon and watershed science experts, as well as an inventory of innovative conservation and research programs, as potential research partnerships.
• Identify new, and support existing partnerships and projects that address the strategic priorities of the WSW program, acting as the ASF lead contact / co-supervisor where needed.
• Assist WSW participants with their experimental design, training, data collection, and data analysis needs, where required, helping them to identify and address their critical knowledge and asset gaps.
• Aid the WSW participants in developing their own internal capacities in terms of expertise, knowledge base, technical skills, and equipment inventories.
• Provide training and acting as a resource, where appropriate, to WSW program participants and other ASF partners.
• Work with other partners to facilitate the development of strategic regional resources; including expertise, technical knowledge, and equipment; that can be used to support WSW program participants and other ASF partners.
• Develop and where needed obtain other technical skills relating to WSW, for example advanced UAV pilot certification and other specialty scientific equipment training, aiding in obtaining any approvals or certifications.
• If possible, provide French or Indigenous language support to the WSW program.
• Other duties as required.

Education and Experience: The ideal candidate will have at minimum a Masters degree (PhD preferred) in ecological modelling, Atlantic salmon ecology and management, or a closely related field, coupled with strong conceptual thinking and research design skills. The candidate will have demonstrated abilities to establish successful research partnerships across the conservation organization spectrum. A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Work Location, Time, and Travel Requirements: This can be a remote work arrangement and, if so, you will be responsible for ensuring that you are able to work effectively and efficiently during the normal ASF working hours from your choice of location. Overnight travel will be required to each of the watersheds within the WSW network to participate in the planning and implementation of projects.

You will also be expected to work from our headquarters office located in Chamcook, NB, a few days each month on a schedule that will be worked out with your supervisor.

Benefits of Working at ASF: ASF offers a competitive salary and benefits package including RRSP, vacation, sick leave, and health/dental coverage. The salary range for the position is $58,900 – 79,700, with new employees typically beginning at the lower end of the range, depending on education and experience.

To apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to Kris Hunter, ASF Regional Director of Wild Salmon Watersheds, at khunter@asf.ca with the subject line “ASF Science Coordinator” by November 17, 2023.

ASF thanks all applicants for their interest. Receipt of application will be acknowledged; however, please note that only those selected for interviews will be contacted following the application period.