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Junior Survey Technician
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
port angeles, wa, usa
USD 55k-59k / year
Posted on Feb 3, 2026
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Supervisor: Senior Program Operations Manager
Status: Full-time, Non-exempt, No direct reports
About the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Founded in 2000, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, is the national nonprofit partner to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS). Together, we work to protect America’s most treasured ocean and Great Lakes areas — places of extraordinary biodiversity, maritime heritage, and community value.
Guided by our commitment to Waters for All, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation connects people to the ocean and Great Lakes through education, conservation, and community engagement.
As the official nonprofit partner of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, we support 18 marine environments from Massachusetts to American Samoa and the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys. We protect these iconic places, care for marine wildlife and habitats, honor our nation’s maritime heritage, and promote the enjoyment of public waters by all Americans.
Through public fundraising and partnerships, we invest in community stewardship and engagement, on-the-water conservation and restoration, education and outreach in visitor centers and gateway communities, and cutting-edge scientific exploration.
For more than 25 years, we’ve strengthened people’s connections to our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes—our shared history, culture, and maritime heritage—and built partnerships with coastal communities and businesses tied to over 629,000 square miles of public waters that belong to all Americans.
About the National Marine Sanctuaries
America’s national marine sanctuaries are living classrooms, laboratories, and community assets that protect the waters shaping our shared future. Managed by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), this network of 18 marine protected areas is multi-use by nature and spans more than 629,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes — from coral reefs and kelp forests to historic shipwrecks and whale migration routes.
In partnership with marine research institutions, universities, and private-public partnerships, activities in each sanctuary are sources of solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. Sanctuaries safeguard marine biodiversity, sustain fisheries, power coastal economies, and inspire stewardship through science, education and outreach, and outdoor recreation from boating to fishing. Many sanctuary gateway communities include visitor centers and community partnerships with zoos, aquariums, and museums that extend this impact — serving as hubs for conservation, innovation, commerce, and tourism where people engage directly with the ocean and Great Lakes.
Together, these sites demonstrate how healthy waters and thriving communities are inseparable — and why protecting them is essential.
What We Need
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, is seeking a Junior Survey Technician, a position responsible for supporting at-sea oceanographic research operations in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary as well as manage equipment and data related to oceanographic monitoring.
The Junior Survey Technician will support work that is part of the scope of a cooperative agreement between the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
Working day-to-day as a member of the OCNMS Research Team, the Junior Survey Technician is primarily responsible for assisting the Survey Technician with performing the following functions: 1) oceanographic and hydrographic survey data acquisition and processing operations; 2) technical assistance to program personnel; 3) administering the safekeeping and transmittal of data; and 4) maintaining oceanographic and hydrographic survey instruments; along with other responsibilities as assigned to support site operations.
The position will be based in NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary office in Port Angeles, WA. A belief in our mission, excellent project management skills, as well as a strong team mentality, is a must.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is committed to a culture of inclusion, equity, and belonging. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining a diverse staff. We honor experiences, perspectives, and unique identities, and welcome the contributions that you can bring to the dedicated team. With a diverse team of employees, we can grow and learn better together and achieve our mission to protect the health of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes for current and future generations.
What You’ll Do
Conduct Annual Field Operations
- Assist in the maintenance, operation, and monitoring of mission equipment utilized on the vessels including oceanographic and hydrographic instrumentation (including all aspects of the oceanographic mooring arrays)
- Assist in preparation, installation, deployment, and recovery of oceanographic and/or hydrographic survey equipment and instruments
- Annotate records and record data according to site data management plan
- Assist in preparations for and completion of oceanographic and hydrographic survey operations
- Assist with performing maintenance on facilities and trailers as needed
- Organize existing documentation and create new Standard Operations Procedures (as needed) that outline the tasks necessary to conduct operations annually
Maintenance, Acquisition, and Operational/Analytical Improvement
- Coordinate calibration and service of oceanographic and hydrographic instruments
- Assist in upkeep and capital improvements of the research platforms as required to accomplish site management goals
- Assist in coordination and collaboration with partner organizations and other NOAA offices in support of oceanographic monitoring, hydrographic surveys, and to accomplish organizational goals
Data Management
- Assist Survey Technician in performing initial quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) for field collected data as it is submitted to OCNMS
- Organize existing documentation and create new Standard Operations Procedures (as needed) that outline the tasks necessary to ensure proper data management and public availability according to the NOS Data Management guidelines
Who You Are
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, geography, oceanography, ecology, marine biology, or related field.
- Experience in marine technology, field physical science or at least one year of experience in vessel-based research operations.
- Demonstrated proficiency in equipment operation and vessel-based science activities.
- Familiarity with GIS, sonar and remote sensing instruments and/or data acquisition and processing.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment and carry out assignments independently.
- Strong project management skills.
- Flexibility to maintain a varying work schedule as needed, including occasional weekends, evenings, and nights.
- Willingness to travel in support of sanctuary activities.
- Position occasionally includes varied mealtime hours, and requires lifting up to 50 pounds, working outdoors, and working offshore in adverse ocean and weather conditions.
- Must have a valid U.S. driver’s license.
- Regular attendance required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science and one year of experience
Why You Will Love Us
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (“Foundation”) is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. The Foundation works in close partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to increase stewardship of our ocean and Great Lakes through on-the-water conservation projects, and education and public outreach activities, and by support for research. Together, we safeguard species and the places they call home, and support coastal communities and economies.
- Dedicated and passionate staff committed to marine and Great Lakes Conservation
- Generous leave policy, plus paid time off the week between December 25 and January 1; and 12 paid holidays
- Health benefits: Medical with an FSA option; dental, and vision
- Foundation paid Life and Disability Insurance
- Preparing for the Future: 403(B) with employer contribution after one year of service
Compensations and Benefits: $55,000 - $59,000/year, based on experience. The Foundation offers a competitive benefits package.
Apply through the Foundation's online portal. A cover letter, resume, and three professional references are required with your application. Applications received by February 16th, 2026 will be preferred.
Location: Port Angeles, WA ____________________________________________________________________________________________
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This commitment applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. The Foundation makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.