Ocean Job Board
0
Organizations
0
Jobs
Chief Scientist
Full-time
blue lake, ca, usa
USD 90k-110k / year
Posted on Oct 29, 2026
The Opportunity:
Lead deep-water ecological research from an operational offshore platform. MARÉ provides what academic labs often lack: a dedicated ROV fleet, a 20-year benthic imagery archive, and a skilled engineering and video processing team ready to turn field operational data into high-impact peer-reviewed science.
Reports To: Executive Director, collaborating with Engineering, Data Processing, and Communications/Development
Location: MARÉ headquarters in Blue Lake, CA (Northern California near Eureka/Arcata), on site required, at least for first 6 months, then hybrid possible. Offshore expeditions of 2-4 weeks expected 3-6 times per year
Position Type: Full time, salaried, exempt
Compensation: $90,000-110,000 annual salary, depending on experience. $5,000 target bonus and benefits including 401K with up to 5% vesting match. Gold PPO healthcare 100% covered
Start Date: December 2026 or January 2027
Position Overview:
Since 2003, Marine Applied Research & Exploration (MARÉ) has been putting (robotic) eyes on the seafloor below diver depth - typically in the mid-depth 30m to 500m range. We are seeking a Chief Scientist to serve as MARÉ’s primary scientific authority, driving our research agenda across mesophotic ecosystems, deep-sea coral/sponge communities, and seamount ecology along the North American West Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and beyond.
This is an applied research and expedition leadership role designed for an active marine ecologist. Rather than managing bureaucracy or driving advocacy campaigns, you will focus on high-caliber science: acting as Chief Scientist on multi-week offshore ROV missions, publishing peer-reviewed research, collaborating closely with video processing and engineering teams to modernize ocean data extraction, and building scientific partnerships across North American and global deep-sea networks (including NOAA, state fisheries departments, and academic research institutions).
Key Responsibilities:
1. Expedition Leadership & Field Science
Plan, direct, and serve as Chief Scientist on multi-week offshore ROV expeditions, overseeing cruise track design, dive planning, biological sampling protocols, and real-time dive scientific reporting. Survey Design & Rigor: Establish and maintain robust scientific sampling standards and QA/QC protocols for all video-derived transects, bathymetric characterizations, and oceanographic data collections. Permitting & Compliance: Lead scientific permitting processes for state, federal, and international offshore operations in collaboration with operations staff.
2. Scientific Research & Collaborative Publishing
Author and co-author high-impact research papers in peer-reviewed journals, positioning MARE’s long-term observational datasets within broader oceanographic and ecological literature. Archive Science: Tap into MARE’s extensive 20-year imagery archive to identify novel research questions, historical baseline comparisons, and ecological trends in mesophotic and seamount communities.
3. External Scientific Synthesis and Conference/Network Visibility
Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external scientific collaborators (e.g., NOAA Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program, state agency scientists, university partners), facilitating open data exchange and joint proposal writing. Present research findings at major national and international ocean science conferences and represent MARÉ in deep-sea working groups. Developing opportunities for collaboration with other mission-aligned NGOs and topic-aligned academic institutions.
4. Data Modernization & Technical Collaboration
Work closely with MARÉ’s internal video processing team and software engineer to refine species identification pipelines, taxonomy keys, and biological database structures (SQL/GIS), working with them to continuously improve the speed and quality of marine data processing workflows with the latest technological advancements. Collaborate with scientific partners to integrate MARÉ data into larger data systems.
Qualifications:
Required Experience:
● Ph.D. in Marine Biology, Biological Oceanography, Marine Ecology, or a closely related discipline. Deep-Water Expertise: Demonstrated research focus and publication record in mesophotic (30m–150m), deep sea coral, seamount, or benthic ecology below diver depth.
● Sea Time & ROV Experience: Proven track record serving as Chief Scientist, Co-Chief, or Lead PI on multi day/multi-week offshore research cruises involving ROVs, submersibles, or advanced benthic survey platforms.
● Analytical & Spatial Skills: Strong quantitative background in ecological statistics, spatial analysis (GIS), and handling large observational or imagery-derived ecological datasets. ● Excellent communication and collaboration skills, and an action-orientation to turn exploration into rigorous and relevant scientific research into pragmatic conservation and restoration outcomes.
● Work Authorization: Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States and not require current or future employer sponsorship.
Preferred Experience:
● ROV piloting and/or navigating experience.
● Familiarity with Eastern Pacific (North American West Coast) mid-depth ecosystems.. ● Established scientific network with federal agencies (NOAA Fisheries / Sanctuaries), state marine resource agencies, or deep-sea research consortia.
● Demonstrated success in writing or co-authoring scientific grant proposals (e.g., NOAA, NSF, state research grants, or research foundations).
● Experience with machine learning tools for ocean imagery processing (e.g., automated species classification, 3D habitat reconstruction).
How to Apply:
● Please send to MARÉ Executive Director, Larissa Pommeraud (larissa@maregroup.org) a cover letter detailing your motivation and availability (time and office presence) with your offshore ROV/expedition leadership experience and research interests, as well as a complete CV with publication list, and contact information for 2-3 professional references.
Marine Applied Research & Exploration is an equal opportunity employer.