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Fisheries Economist

Ocean Associates, Inc
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Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Fisheries Economist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), Social Sciences Branch (SSB). OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services, and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts.

Background

The Social Sciences Branch (SSB) of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) supports sustainable fisheries management decisions through the application of social science tools and research. The Branch provides timely scientific advice, collects data, and conducts research to support NOAA Fisheries’ mission and improve future management advice for healthy fishing communities. One of SSB’s most significant contributions to fisheries management decision making in the region is providing timely and effective economic data and information to its partners and stakeholders (e.g., the fisheries management councils), as well as producing reliable and innovative research in fisheries economics. This position is for an economist to work closely with staff in various projects and efforts led by the Social Sciences Branch. Some examples of efforts that this position would support include, but are not limited to, analysis and modeling of regional cost survey data, work to advance the region’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment, the assessment of commercial and recreational fishery performance, and trade-offs in and impacts due to fishery management alternatives.

Tasks

General duties may also include literature reviews, synthesis of economic information and gap analyses, and attending meetings and workshops on an as needed basis. Specific tasks to be performed are the following:

  • Support SSB’s objectives by coordinating with staff, in particular, to respond to requirements for economic expertise and advice.
  • Collaborate with other SSB and relevant NMFS staff to develop economic research relevant to improving social and economic impact analysis, benefit cost analysis, geospatial analysis, and other approaches aimed at informing the marine resource management decision-making process, including ecosystem-based approaches.
  • Provide scientific advice derived from data and research to inform fisheries management, including development of commercial and recreational economic impact analysis based on NMFS guidance for regulatory economic analysis.
  • Collaborate with SSB staff to develop economic models of, and indicators for, fishery profitability, production, welfare analysis, and distribution of impacts across industries and society.
  • Compile existing economic data on commercial, recreational, and regional economic activity, identify data gaps, and identify strategies for new economic data collection.
  • Contribute to reports by working with NMFS scientists to analyze data and develop recommendations.

Start Date: As soon as possible.

Location: This is a Remote / Telework position.

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with benefits. Salary, commensurate with experience, between $50.00 - $57.00 per hour.

Requirements

  • Ph.D. degree in natural resource economics, applied economics, agricultural economics, econometrics, environmental economics, or M.Sc. in above fields with 3 years of work experience. Ph.D. candidates with an expected graduation date before December 31, 2025 are encouraged to apply.
  • Training or experience in microeconomic statistical modeling.
  • Proficiency with R-Programming, Stata, SAS, SQL or similar statistical software
  • Experience with reproducible research.
  • Proficiency in written and oral communication.

Preferred:

  • Experience or training in fisheries or renewable resource management.
  • Experience or training in GitHub or other version control software.
  • Familiarity with survey data and analyses, including QA/QC, employing appropriate statistical methods for data imputation where necessary and justified, representativeness analyses, and modeling.