Senior Curator (Stranding Response Program Senior Scientist)

The Virginia Aquarium is hiring an experienced Senior Curator (Stranding Response Program Senior Scientist) for the Stranding Response Program.

 Job duties include the following:

• Fill a leadership role within the Stranding Response Program, as the Senior Scientist for the marine mammal and sea turtle research program.
• Work collaboratively with section leadership, which includes the Stranding Response Program Team Manager and Chief of Veterinary Science & Research, to develop and guide the programmatic and scientific goals for the Stranding Response Program.
• Oversee and manage research projects, mentor Stranding Response Program staff, interns and fellows in skills and knowledge involved in marine mammal and sea turtle research endeavors, investigations, data collection and analysis.
• Represent the Aquarium in collaborative studies and on task forces dealing with protected species management and conservation issues.
• Coordinate with outside researchers, agencies, and standing network partners.
• Oversee programmatic data plans and data collection protocols. Facilitate data collection and curation from stranding events. Work with Stranding Team Manager to balance scientific goals and priorities across schedules and workloads.
• Assist with and/or lead grant proposal writing, and grant execution (e.g. expenditures, budget management, timelines, goals) and reporting (progress and final reports).
• Assist program leadership to ensure operational compliance with all state and federal regulations and permits involved in wildlife and/or marine animal response, conservation, and/or rehabilitation activities. Assist with stranding agreement and/or letter of authorization applications processes.
• Mentor and train staff conducting federal reporting of stranding data (e.g. STSSN, level A, etc.).
• Assist Stranding Response Team Manager and team members with operational needs, planning and execution of stranded animal rescues and disentanglements.
• Coordinate with section leadership to implement the Aquarium’s strategic plan, and the conservation and research mission.
• Represent the Aquarium and Stranding Response Program in professional and public venues (conferences, outreach events, etc.).
• Develop and maintain relationships within the Aquarium, City and external partners and collaborators.
• Perform other job duties requiring skills, knowledge and physical requirements as demanded by those duties described or less. Individual assignments will be determined by the supervisor based on the current workloads and department needs.
• Work Schedule: 40 hours per week. Seasonally may change from five 8-hour days (8:00am-4:30pm), to four 10-hour days (7:00am-5:30pm) in spring-summer, with variable start/stop times.
• The City offers a generous benefits package such as health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans. Other key benefits include:
• Maternity/Paternity and Parental Leave
• Leave Donation Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistant Program
• Professional Development

Official City Job Description:

• https://virginia-beach-departments-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/city/job-descriptions-pay-plans/Senior-Curator-Stranding-02557.pdf

Experience Required

• Requires any combination of education (above the high school level) and experience equivalent to nine (9) years in fields utilizing the required knowledge, skills and abilities and associated with such positions as Exhibits, Stranding, or Research Technician; Stranding or Research Coordinator; Assistant Curator or Curator.
• Must have, or obtain, a current and valid Virginia or North Carolina drivers license in accordance with Virginia or North Carolina DMV drivers license eligibility requirements

Further Comments

Preferences:

• Masters or PhD in marine biology, marine science, zoology, biology, environmental sciences, or related field.
• Experience with authorship or co-authorship of scientific peer-reviewed publications and communicating science to the public and scientific community.
• Advanced skills and experience with statistical analyses. Experience with relational databases (e.g. MS Access, Oracle, etc.), data management, database curation and QA/QC protocols.
• Experience with grant writing, management, and reporting.
• Experience as a full-time staff in advanced stranding response, rehabilitation and/or necropsy experience with position specific taxa (sea turtles and marine mammals), in a permitted stranding organization, state or federal agency, or academic institution.
• Working knowledge of gross anatomy and pathology of sea turtles and/or marine mammals; sea turtle or seal rehabilitation
• Experience mentoring staff and/or students in scientific investigation and guiding them through study design and analysis.
• Experience leading or developing scientific investigations and/or research program.
• Operating/working knowledge of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the NOAA and USFWS regulations and permitting requirements involved in wildlife and/or marine animal response, conservation, or rehabilitation activities.
• Working knowledge of stranding agreement and/or letter of authorization applications process.

Perks

• https://virginia-beach-departments-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/city/Careers/Full-time-Employee-Benefits.pdf

Salary

• A.11, $58,105.80 - $90,063.99 DOQ