Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is offering a full-time, benefits-eligible position as a Fishery Biologist 2 - Data Analyst based in Cook, WA (onsite), with an anticipated start date of November 16th, 2026. This role supports the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center Quantitative Ecology Team by combining fisheries science with data management, coding, and statistical and modeling analysis.
What you’ll do
- Clean, structure, quality-check, and manage large fisheries monitoring datasets, including acoustic/radio/passive-integrated-transponder telemetry and environmental variables.
- Maintain metadata documentation and help prepare data for public release.
- Execute, maintain, and document code (including R scripts and reproducible reporting tools) used for routine and complex statistical and modeling analyses, working under guidance from senior quantitative ecologists.
- Support statistical analyses and simulation models by prepping data inputs for mark-recapture models integrated population models (IPMs), fitting models using standard or customized computer code, formatting output, and assisting with mechanistic simulation models.
- Assist with writing and compiling technical reports, maintaining thorough documentation of code and data pipelines, and contributing draft sections, tables, and figures for co-authored peer-reviewed publications.
- Create clear data visualizations, summary tables, and presentation slides to communicate model outputs and analytical findings to team members, collaborators, and stakeholders.
What you bring
- Education: Master’s degree in Fisheries Science, Quantitative Ecology, Biometrics, Statistics, Data Science, or a closely related natural resources field, or a Bachelor’s with 2+ years of specialized experience.
- Programming skills: strong proficiency in programming languages such as R for data wrangling, statistical analysis, and graphics generation.
- Data experience: experience working with complex ecological or telemetry datasets is highly desirable.
- Modeling familiarity: basic understanding or prior exposure to mark-recapture estimation, Bayesian/frequentist statistical concepts, or population modeling fundamentals.
- Quality and documentation: strong technical writing ability, excellent attention to detail, and a commitment to reproducible analysis and clear code documentation.
- Collaboration: good interpersonal and communication skills for effective teamwork in a multi-disciplinary research environment.
- Logistics: a valid driver’s license.
- Communication: oral and written communication skills.
- Working knowledge: specific familiarity with tools used for spreadsheet, word processing, database management, GIS, statistical analysis, behavioral analysis, bibliographic work, plus email and presentation/publishing software.
Tools you’ll use
R, R scripts, reproducible reporting tools, Windows-based computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, email, publishing, presentation, database, topographic, bibliographic), statistical analysis packages, GIS, mark-recapture estimation, Bayesian/frequentist statistical concepts, integrated population models (IPMs), and mechanistic simulation models.
Work setting and physical demands
Work may include office and laboratory environments, with safety precautions such as MSDS awareness, gloves, hoods, and eye protection. Field work may involve exposure to weather and challenging terrain, including slippery rocks or docks and fast-moving or cold water. Physical demands generally range from sedentary to moderate, including walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, and standing for extended periods. Some duties may require handling buckets or gear weighing 40 to 50 pounds, long daily hiking periods, camping for extended periods, or maintaining footing in fast-moving water.
Minimum qualification requirements (position range)
- Lower end of range: successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree, including a major in biological science with at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects and at least 12 semester hours in animal sciences, plus 1 year of specialized experience or 2 years of progressively higher graduate education toward a master’s degree in directly related fields.
- Upper end of range: in addition to the undergraduate coursework described above, 1 year of specialized experience or 3 years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in directly related fields.
- An equivalent combination of experience and education may also qualify.
Knowledge required
- Knowledge of the scientific method.
- Knowledge of Windows-based computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, email, publishing, presentation, database, topographic, bibliographic, and statistical analysis packages).
- Knowledge of technical writing protocols.
- Knowledge of advanced statistical analysis and mathematics.
