Plankton Taxonomist 

Saltwater Inc.
Saltwater Inc.

Pascagoula, MS, USA

USD 35-55 / hour

Posted on Jul 21, 2026

Plankton Taxonomist

We are currently recruiting for a Plankton Taxonomist –Level III. See below Requirements for each Level. This position will work as a contractor for NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Population & Ecosystems Monitoring Division (PEMD) providing support for the below Tasks.

Please note that we are recruiting proactively and do not yet have this position available. If awarded the work, this will be a full-time position. The Contractor shall work at the SEFSC Laboratory in Pascagoula, MS. The Contractor may also be required, on a limited basis, to work on NOAA Ships, charter vessels, and/or small boats to carry out required duties and responsibilities. The contract has a one-year base period with a potential of three option periods.

TASKS:
  1. Ichthyoplankton Taxonomy: Duties shall include but are not limited to:
    1. Perform microscopic examination and morphometric/meristic identification of marine fish larvae (collected in the Gulf of America) to the lowest possible taxonomic level (e.g., Family, Genus, or Species levels); provide taxonomic verifications of previously identified larval fish specimens.
    2. Use microscope-digital imaging systems to image, identify, enumerate, and measure larval fish specimens; conduct analyses (e.g., morphometric measurements, shape analyses) on imaged specimens
    3. Conduct life history analyses on larval fish specimens, as needed; duties may include otolith removal, larval ageing, and gut content analysis
    4. Maintain updated knowledge of plankton taxonomy and systematics; participate in ichthyoplankton taxonomic and identification workshops, as needed; assist in the training of other staff in larval fish taxonomy, as needed.
    5. Assist in prepping specimens for molecular identification/DNA barcoding to verify ambiguous morphological identifications.
  1. Plankton Sample Processing: Duties shall include but are not limited to:
    1. Use standard laboratory methodologies to process plankton samples, including: sample splitting and aliquoting; measures of displacement volume; manual sorting of bulk plankton samples for fish larvae and invertebrate zooplankton taxa
    2. Perform microscopic examination and morphometric/meristic identification of marine invertebrate zooplankton (collected in the Gulf of America) to higher level classifications (e.g., Order level)
    3. Scan and analyze invertebrate zooplankton using benchtop imaging systems (e.g., Zooscan); develop invertebrate zooplankton reference libraries needed to train AI-assisted taxonomic validation platforms
    4. Assist with the tracking, maintenance, and curation of archived plankton samples; assist with the preparation of biological samples for shipping via ground and air carriers using hazardous materials (e.g., dry ice, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and formalin.
  1. Data Management and Analytical Support: Duties shall include but are not limited to:
    1. Perform plankton survey, ichthyoplankton, and zooplankton data entry, edits, and updates.
    2. Provide verified identifications and associated plankton data to support SEDARs and other stock assessment forums in support of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; update relevant larval fish databases accordingly.
    3. Assist with the management of plankton survey data, and the coordination of plankton data exchanges between the Trawl and Plankton Branch and its SEAMAP and ZSiOP partners.
    4. Provide ichthyoplankton and zooplankton expertise for other plankton-related research projects; contribute to research proposals, data summaries, manuscripts, technical reports, presentations and other science deliverables; adhere to SEFSC publication procedures prior to publication of any abstracts or manuscripts; coordinate abstracts, presentations, and any resultant publications with the Trawl and Plankton Branch Chief.
  1. Support for Other Research Activities: Support other Trawl and Plankton Branch, PEMD, and SEFSC activities (as needed), including but not limited to, serving as a Watch Stander on surveys, and providing laboratory and data management support for other survey-related research and activities.
  1. Outreach and Education: Participate in public outreach and education efforts, as needed.

  1. Scientific Meetings: Contractor may be required to prepare for and present, facilitate, or participate in various workshops, scientific meetings, symposiums, and public forums.
Saltwater Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Level III Essential Qualifications:

  • MS Degree in Marine Science or a related field of study, plus a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience; or BS Degree in Marine Science or a related field of study, plus a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience.
  • Expertise in marine fish systematics, ontogeny, and larval morphology; prior experience in larval fish identification.
  • Proficiency in using primary literature sources and regional taxonomic atlases.
  • Experience in working with large data sets.
  • Capable of writing reports at the college level and making oral presentations.
  • Computer literate and experience with common word. processing, database, statistical, and graphics programs.
  • Sea going contractors who participate on research cruises on Office of Marine and Aviation Operations’ NOAA ships will be required to annually/biennially (age-dependent) submit a NOAA Health Services Questionnaire (NOAA Form 57- 10-01) and Tuberculosis Screening Form (NOAA Form NF 57-10-02) to OMAO health services to determine fitness for sea duty.
  • Sea going contractors must have a current tetanus vaccine (once every 10 years).
  • Driver’s license to operate government vehicles.

Level III Desirable Qualifications:

  • Experience in marine zooplankton identification
  • Knowledge of statistical treatment of marine plankton and oceanographic data.
  • Proficiency with EcoTaxa or similar AI-assisted taxonomic validation platforms
  • Experience with ImageJ or other microscope imaging software
  • Experience with software used for database management (e.g., Excel, Access, SQL); familiarity with R (for biological data graphing, synthesis and analysis) is highly desirable
  • Knowledge of techniques and instrumentation (e.g., Zooscan, Flowcam) used to gather digitized data on marine plankton specimens.
  • Experience with molecular methods needed to prepare samples for species identification (e.g., tissue sampling, DNA extraction, amplification, sequencing, etc.)

Compensation

Salary range is $35 – $55 per hour, dependent upon experience.

EOE Culture

Saltwater Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, parental status, veteran status, or disability status. We strive to create an inclusive workplace culture to attract the best talent and allow each member of our team to achieve their full potential and maximum productivity. Furthermore, Saltwater Inc. highly encourages qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to apply for positions for which they are qualified and to notify us if there are any needs for accommodation throughout the application process and/or upon hire.

How to Apply

Only qualified applicants with the requisite experience need to apply.

We will honor all requests for application confidentiality.

To apply, click the link below.

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