Job Details

Mandate:
Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) is a world-leading organization in supporting ocean discovery and innovation. ONC operates infrastructure that monitors the west and east coasts of Canada and the Arctic to continuously deliver data in real-time for scientific research, societal benefits and technological innovation. ONC infrastructure supports ocean research within and across disciplines ranging from geophysics, oceanography, marine acoustics, marine ecology, geochemistry to microbiology to high-energy physics, facilitated by the co-location, at every observatory site, of sensors serving multiple fields of research. ONC is a Major Science Initiative funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and is governed as a not-for-profit society that operates world-class innovative cabled observatories on behalf of the University of Victoria. 

The observatories supply continuous power and Internet connectivity to a broad suite of scientific instruments located in coastal and deep-ocean environments. The strategically located instruments and data management enable evidence-based decision-making on ocean management, public safety and environmental protection and address key scientific and policy issues. Along with national and local governments, ONC also works in collaboration with educators, students, communities, and Indigenous peoples on ocean monitoring initiatives along all three of Canada’s coasts. 

ONC’s digital networks host thousands of sensors distributed in, on and above the seabed along with mobile and land-based assets (e.g., ferries, autonomous floats, moorings, and coastal radars) that provide essential data.  ONC’s powerful online data management system, Oceans 3.0, is the most visible aspect of ONC and how ONC’s diverse user communities can access, analyze, visualize, and present observatory data.

The ONC Science Services department consists of a team of staff scientists who bring expertise across many scientific disciplines and connect the community of researchers with the ONC infrastructure capabilities. 

Objectives:
Reporting to the Director Science, the Staff Scientist interacts with and provides support to a diverse research community within specific science and research areas, with the goal of increasing the number of scientific publications, the number and breadth of users accessing the facility, broadening the awareness and utility of the observatories in the science community, and encouraging its use by an ever-widening community of interdisciplinary users and research topics. 

The Staff Scientist assists in the planning, execution, and completion of research by the users of the facility, including planning and execution of annual maintenance expeditions and other field-based activities as they relate to instrument preparation, data integrity, and sample collection. Together with the other members of the Science Services Division, they support workshops, conference presence and other engagement activities as required. The Staff Scientists actively engage with students, researchers and ONC staff and contribute to building knowledge and capacity in ocean-based sciences.

This position may be required to travel nationally and internationally. This position may be required to participate in at-sea expeditions from time to time.

This position requires a level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a PhD with a minimum of 2 years of post-graduate experience in a relevant science discipline. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Required knowledge and experience: 

• Established reputation in the science community.
• Demonstrated background, knowledge and qualifications in a major marine science discipline.
• Oceanographic expedition experience, including collecting, processing, and analyzing samples at sea.
• Experience using advanced programming environments (e.g. MATLAB, R, or Python).     
• Experience in data visualization and the presentation of data analysis.
• Experience in producing accurate scientific communications, including peer-reviewed publications, conference abstracts and presentations, and summaries for broader audiences.
• Experience with web content management and web-based interactive collaboration environments.     
• Facilitation and coordination of interdisciplinary scientific projects and teams.
• Proven ability to take research projects from conception to completion, with an understanding of instrument specification and configuration, data quality and analysis, and scientific interpretation.

Skills and attributes: 

• Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive and respectful working and learning environment.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Superior communication skills, both written and verbal.
•  Ability to collaborate, build and maintain positive relationships with diverse stakeholders and work effectively in a team environment.
• Experience in organizing, managing and summarizing scientific workshops.
• Proven track record of achieving project goals on time and producing deliverables of a high quality.

Other: 

• Travel (domestic and international) is required.
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Must be able to participate in at-sea expeditions as required.
• This position will require obtaining a Canadian Government security clearance.