Fisheries Analyst MCS-JAC

Background: Global Fishing Watch is an international, non-profit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency. We create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea to enable fair and sustainable use of our ocean. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, GFW became an independent non-profit organization in June 2017. Using cutting-edge technology, we create and publicly share map visualizations, data and analysis tools to enable scientific research and drive a transformation in how we manage our ocean. Our major focus is on commercial fishing because it is the most widespread human activity at sea, the most impactful on ocean health, and the most crucial for global livelihoods and food security. By 2030, we aim to monitor and visualize the impact of ocean-going vessels, both industrial and small-scale, that are responsible for the vast majority of the global seafood catch. We believe human activity at sea should be common knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean commons for the common good of all. 

The Joint Analytical Cell (JAC) is a collaborative partnership mechanism premised on the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The JAC is formed of five member organisations the International MCS Network (IMCS Network), TMT and Global Fishing Watch (GFW), the Skylight and C4ADS, the JAC is designed to harness the complementary information gathering and analytical capabilities, fisheries intelligence tools and databases, and international partnerships of the partner organizations. The JAC brings together expertise and resources from State and non-State actors to produce targeted ​​analyses, intelligence offerings, capacity building, and Monitoring, Control, Surveillance and Enforcement (MCSE) support which can be used in a scalable manner to help enhance fisheries management.

The Position

This is an exciting opportunity to join Global Fishing Watch and work with a dynamic international team of expert fisheries analysts who synthesize a diverse array of data into accessible products that lead to enforcement and policy actions and create change on the water. The role will help grow GFW’s capacity to support Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) data analysis and provides the opportunity to develop MCS training resources for both GFW and the JAC.

The position sits within the GFW Analysis team and will have a broad geographical scope working alongside both analysts from GFW’s regional delivery teams and MCS experts from the JAC coalition. The role will support the delivery of MCS-focused analysis and capacity development to partners including supporting the creation of actionable analytical products, communicating findings to country partners, and actively supporting fisheries MCS operations. The Fisheries Analyst will be responsible for working across multiple fisheries monitoring platforms and data processing techniques as well as training others in their application. Additionally, the role will work alongside the GFW innovation team to support the development and refinement of data and tools to support fisheries MCS analysis. 

The role will require well-developed analytical and data science skills and an understanding of fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance. The role will require good communication skills to work effectively between partner organizations, country partners and GFW teams and a willingness to work occasional unusual hours. The role will involve routine international travel with several trips a quarter likely.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to GFW’s regional teams and core countries, both through GFW and broader JAC initiatives. This includes workshops and training on relevant fisheries monitoring tools and support to MCS operations.
• Lead the production of technical reports including patrol support, port control and PSMA-related analyses, vessel of interest and vessel tracking analyses.
• Review, QA, and develop new applications for remote sensing datasets including vessel identity, vessel tracking, and satellite imagery in maritime domain awareness.
• Engage with external stakeholders, including government agencies, academic institutions, NGOs and media as needed.
• Attend bi-weekly planning calls with JAC partners and regular weekly alignment calls with colleagues in GFW.
• Provide training to government or institutional partners on MCS capacity development and application of JAC-relevant fisheries monitoring tools.
• Share subject matter expertise with GFW teams including supporting internal training and guiding high-quality actionable analysis. 
• Assist the capacity development and technology transfer team and contribute to the development and delivery of training modules to be shared and delivered to GFW and JAC partners.
• Monitor and contribute expert knowledge to Global Fishing Watch dataset and product development and advise on MCS, MDA and compliance training opportunities
• When appropriate represent GFW at external meetings, workshops, and conferences.

Required

• Bachelor's degree required
• A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience required
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English 
• Highly organized, analytical, detail oriented and self-motivated
• Ability to work autonomously and asynchronously with colleagues
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently to a very high standard of detail.
• Ability to take ownership of projects and communicate project updates to stakeholders in a transparent and proactive manner.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines while performing in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• An understanding of the complexities and internal communications surrounding collaboration in a global matrix and remote organization. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and readiness to embrace electronic ways of remote working are required

Preferred

• Master's degree in a relevant area or equivalent experience
• Experienced analyzing vessel tracking, identity and activity data using SQL (Google BigQuery) and/or R programming software.
• Experience analyzing remote sensing data for vessel detection including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR),  Optical data, Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and Radio Frequency (RF) 
• Experience working with and an understanding of fisheries enforcement operations
• Experience working with analysis around the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA)
• Experience as a trainer is desired
• Knowledge of other languages besides English is desired; such as Spanish, French, Portuguese.

The successful candidate will meet most, but not necessarily all, of the criteria above. If you don’t think you check all the boxes, but believe you have unique skills that make you a great fit for the role, we want to hear from you!

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Additional Information

Note: The application period for this role closes on December 12, 2024

Reporting to: Senior Fisheries Analyst - JAC lead 

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not supported at this time.

Location: This is a remote role, but candidates must be legally authorized and based in the following countries to be considered: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, UK, USA

Permanent/Fixed Term/Contractor: Fixed-term 2 years

Full Time hours: Yes 

Recruiting process: Recruiting Process: A cover letter along with a CV will be requested to see how your experience and interest connect to the position. We expect the cover letter to allow applicants an opportunity to explain details on how their skill set aligns with the role and provide a better understanding of their suitability for the position. If selected for consideration, the hiring process for this position will include an initial call with our Talent Acquisition team, followed by a formal 45 minute interview with 1-3 team members. Candidates advancing beyond this round will be asked to take a technical assessment and/or submit a representative code sample. Lastly, a final interview with 2-4 teams members to review your assessment and assess functional skills.

Compensation: A compensation range for this position is US$ 85-95K per year for US-based employees - US$ 25-32 per hour for Argentina based employees - GBP 50-60K for UK based employees  For applicants located outside of these locations, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire. Compensation is commensurate with experience and will vary depending on the hired candidate’s country of residence, in accordance with local laws and regulations. GFW offers pension/retirement, health and other benefits commensurate with similar level GFW employees in the country of employment. The position may be a GFW employee or consultant, depending on the country of residence  

Equal opportunities: Global Fishing Watch is an equal opportunities employer. Global Fishing Watch is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization and in the greater ocean management and conservation community. We believe that diverse backgrounds, skills, knowledge and viewpoints make us a stronger organization. Bringing together professionals who possess broad experiences and a spectrum of perspectives will enable us to reach our goal of improved ocean governance faster. We hire and promote qualified professionals without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or parental status, national origin, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our organizational goals match the urgent challenges facing our global ocean, and our mission is designed to help secure a healthy ocean for all. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of humanity’s diversity, by providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees of Global Fishing Watch and for our partners, vendors, suppliers and contractors.

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