*The Pacific Community (SPC) invites applications for the position of Marine Collections Supervisor within its Oceanic Fisheries Programme located at its headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia.*
Description
The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. We are an international development organisation owned and governed by our 26 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our unique organisation works across more than 25 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
The Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) Division includes the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) and Coastal Fisheries Programme (CFP). The goal of the OFP is to ensure fisheries that exploit the region’s resources of tuna, billfish and related species are managed for economic and ecological sustainability using the best available scientific information. In pursuing this goal, the OFP provides scientific support for the management of fisheries for tuna and associated species, with a strong focus on stock assessment and modelling, fisheries and ecosystem monitoring and analysis and data management. The OFP works closely with member countries and territories, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, the Forum Fisheries Agency, the Parties to the Nauru Agreement and other regional and sub-regional entities.
The role – The Marine Collections Supervisor *–* will undertake a programme of work that supports the fisheries and ecosystem monitoring and analysis objectives in the FAME Business Plan. It has responsibilities for the operations of the Pacific Marine Specimen Tissue Bank and the future development of infrastructure to support this collection.
The key responsibilities of the role include the following:
1. Enhance data collection and provide data management services for fisheries & marine ecosystems
· Enhance data collection and provide data management services for fisheries & marine ecosystems.
· Data acquisition, management and dissemination, including processing, auditing and consolidating data holdings.
· Develop systems, tools and support services for standardised data collection, management and reporting.
2. Provide analyses and advice for evidence-based fisheries management
· Provide ecosystem, climate change, biodiversity, marine resource ecology and fisheries assessments, models and analyses.
3. Support capacity development in fisheries and aquaculture among PICTs
· Enhance capacity development in science, technology, data management, analysis and advice.
4. Provide, and facilitate access to, fisheries information
· Develop information and knowledge products.
· Facilitate information management and circulation.
· Strengthen MEL and communicate FAME results and activities.
For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.
Key selection criteria
1. Qualifications
• A Diploma in fisheries science, biology or ecology or a related discipline or equivalent experience.
2. Technical expertise
• Ten years practical experience monitoring fisheries and ecosystems with at least two of these years directly associated with field or laboratory operations.
• Sound knowledge of fisheries observer, port sampling and observation programmes operating in the Pacific region.
• Sound knowledge and demonstrated capacity in the operations of Fisheries Laboratories and curation of Research Collections.
• Experienced in specimen collection and post collection processing (including at sea collection during commercial fisheries operations and scientific cruises).
• Experienced in project development and management.
• Experience in designing and reviewing/auditing data collection systems.
3. Language skills
• Good communication skills in English.
4. Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness
• A team player, with cultural sensitivity and the ability to work as part of an inter-disciplinary and multi-cultural team.
• Knowledge of Pacific Island countries and territories is an advantage.
Salary, terms and conditions
Contract Duration – This position is budgeted for 2 years and is subject to renewal depending on performance and funding.
Remuneration – The Marine Collections Supervisor is a Band 9 position in SPC’s 2020 salary scale, with a starting salary range of 3,140–3,829 SDR (special drawing rights) per month, which currently converts to approximately XPF 462,468–563,910 (USD 4,334–5,284; EUR 3,875–4,726). An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews. SPC salaries are not presently subject to income tax in New Caledonia.
Benefits for international staff employees based in New Caledonia – SPC provides subsidised housing in Noumea. Establishment and relocation grant, removal expenses, airfares, home leave, medical and life insurance, and education allowance are available for eligible employees and their recognised dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 days of annual leave and access to SPC’s Provident Fund (contributing 8% of salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution).
Equal opportunity – SPC is an equal opportunity employer. Recruitment is based entirely on merit; in cases where two short-listed candidates are judged to be of equal rank by the selection committee, preference will be given to Pacific Island nationals.
Child protection – SPC is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. SPC’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Police clearance – Successful candidates will be required to provide a police clearance certificate.**Languages** – SPC’s working languages are English and French.
How to apply:
Application procedure
Closing date: 14 June 2020 – 11:00 pm Noumea time
Job Reference: AL000289
Applicants must apply online at http://careers.spc.int/
Hard copies of applications will not be accepted.
For your application to be considered, you must provide us with:
· an updated resume with contact details for three professional referees
· a cover letter detailing your skills and experience relative to the key selection criteria, and interest in this position
· responses to all screening questions
Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.
All positions at SPC have specific screening questions. If you do not respond to all of the screening questions, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage.
Screening questions
Briefly describe why Tissue Banks are an important tool for increasing efficiency in fisheries science.
Briefly describe the important infrastructure for managing marine collections.
Describe challenges in insuring traceability of samples when they are collected from differing countries and procedures (port sampling, embarked observer, scientific cruises) and sent to the Pacific Specimen Tissue Bank located in New Caledonia.