Antarctic Marine Biological Technician

Antarctic Marine Biological Technician

Lynker is seeking to hire an Antarctic Marine Biological Technician to support a long-term federal fisheries and ecosystem science support program with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This is a full-time position anticipated to begin 9/30/2026. Hiring for this position will be contingent on contract award. Lynker will be operating under its FLOAT joint venture.

This program supports ecosystem monitoring and marine living resources research in Antarctic marine environments through field research, biological sampling, data collection, and long-term ecological monitoring activities. Scientific teams conduct seasonal field operations in remote environments to support fisheries science, ecosystem-based management, and protected species research.

The Antarctic Marine Biological Technician will support Antarctic research operations by assisting with field preparation, biological data collection, field camp operations, and post-field data processing activities. This work supports ecosystem monitoring and scientific research efforts focused on Antarctic marine species and habitats.

Duties

Pre-Field Season Support:

• Maintain inventories of field equipment, gear, and supplies
• Coordinate with procurement staff to ensure timely acquisition of equipment and provisions
• Organize, pack, and prepare equipment and supplies for shipment to Antarctica
• Prepare hazardous materials shipping documentation, as required

Field Season Support (Antarctica):

• Support logistical operations during port calls and transport of personnel and equipment
• Assist with pinniped research, including tagging, weighing, and biological sampling
• Assist with seabird research, including chick measurements, banding, and instrumentation deployment
• Deploy and maintain research equipment (e.g., cameras, sensors, tracking devices)
• Enter and manage field data in designated databases
• Maintain compliance with permits, including MMPA and Antarctic Conservation Act requirements
• Assist with field camp operations, including maintenance of generators, weather stations, and infrastructure
• Participate in daily camp activities (e.g., cooking, cleaning, general upkeep)
• Assist in writing weekly field reports

Post-Field Season Support:

• Perform quality control checks on collected data
• Process biological samples (e.g., scat analysis)
• Analyze imagery data from aerial systems, animal-borne instruments, and trail cameras

Qualifications

The Antarctic Marine Biological Technician should have the following:

• Bachelor's degree plus one (1) year of relevant experience; or a combination of education and experience totaling five (5) years in biology, zoology, fisheries, oceanography, natural science, mathematics, hydrology, or a related field
• Experience living and working in remote or field-based environments
• Ability to complete required medical clearances for extended field deployments

The ideal Antarctic Marine Biological Technician will have the following:

• Experience handling wild animals, particularly marine mammals or birds
• Experience supporting field research in remote or extreme environments
• Experience with biological data collection and sample processing
• Wilderness safety training (e.g., Wilderness First Responder or similar)
• Experience supporting logistics or field camp operations

Place of Performance:

• Primary work on-site in La Jolla, CA
• Travel for fieldwork includes Punta Arenas, Chile (port operations), Antarctic field camps (Cape Shirreff and Copacabana), and research vessels during transit and field operations

Travel:

Extensive travel is required, including international travel to Antarctica, vessel deployments, and remote field assignments.

About Lynker

Lynker is a growing, employee owned business, specializing in professional, scientific and technical services. Our continually expanding team combines scientific expertise with mature, results-driven processes and tools to achieve technically sound, cost effective solutions in hydrology/water sciences, geospatial analysis, information technology, resource management, conservation, and management and business process improvement.

We focus on putting the right people in the right place to be effective. And having the right people is critical for success. Our streamlined organization enables and empowers our talented professionals to tackle our customers' scientific and technical priorities – creatively and effectively.

Lynker offers a team-oriented work environment, and the opportunity to work in a culture of exceptionally skilled professionals who embrace sound science and creative solutions. Lynker's benefits include the following:

• Comprehensive healthcare for the employee at no monthly cost
• Healthcare benefit covers medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision
• Personal Time Off (PTO) Policy plus paid holidays
• Highly competitive compensation plan regularly calibrated against industry and location benchmarks
• 401(k) retirement plan with company-matching
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) – we're all company owners!
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life and accident insurance
• Tuition assistance/Training/Workforce improvement reimbursement per year
• Spot bonuses for exceptional performance
• Annual Employee Recognition Awards with bonuses
• Employee Referral Program
• Free centralized, self-directed Learning Management System to learn at your own pace
• Personalized career growth plans for every employee

Lynker is an E-Verify employer.

Lynker is an equal opportunity employer and makes all employment decisions based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state, or local laws.

* This position is advertised through our joint venture, FISH and Lynker Ocean Alliance Team (FLOAT), a partnership between Lynker and Fisheries Immersed Sciences Hawaii (FISH) serving the NOAA ProTech Fisheries 2.0 IDIQ contracting vehicle.

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