Position Title: Coral Technician II (Lab Tech)
Location: Freeport, Grand Bahama
Dates: Position Open Until Filled
Job Type: Full Time
Contact: Simon Dixon, Farm Manager & Dr. Katelyn Gould, Director of Restoration Science
Position Overview:
We are seeking a highly skilled Coral Technician II to join our staff in the Caribbean. As a Coral Technician II, you will play a crucial role in supporting coral restoration and conservation efforts by conducting laboratory activities related to coral health, thermal tolerance analyses, propagation and breeding. You will oversee a range of laboratory functions, including water quality analysis, Life Support System, coral propagation techniques, thermal experimentation, and ensuring proper care for corals under cultivation. Working closely with the science team and farm managers, you will contribute to the scientific advancement of sustainable coral farming practices aimed at restoring marine ecosystems.
Key Responsibilities:
General:
- Participate and support research initiatives focused on spawning and identifying resilient corals.
- Conduct laboratory experiments under supervision.
- Maintain aquatic systems, including acclimatization processes and life support systems.
Husbandry:
- Routine husbandry tasks for all life history stages of corals to ensure health.
- Proper acclimatisation and coral handling skills including microfragmentation, experimentation tracking, data collection on living corals, and across reproductive phases.
- Use of advanced technology methods to record and report coral growth rates, mortality, and physiological metrics within the lab setting.
Scientific Experiments:
- Conduct scientific assays to determine thermotolerance of all coral species at the farm following CBASS methodology under the supervision of Coral Vita’s Director of Restoration Science.
- Assist with the maintenance of monitoring equipment (e.g., underwater cameras, sensors, PAM, etc).
Spawning:
- Be a core member of the team crossing and spawning corals across multiple species multiple times a year.
- Ensure corals for each spawn are successfully settled and maintain the grow out phase of new genotypes.
Data Collection & Reporting:
- Accurately record lab & field data during surveys and assist in the preparation of scientific reports.
- Maintain data that is organized, logged, and entered into appropriate databases or platforms.
Desired Qualifications:
Education:
- BSc in related field.
Laboratory / Husbandry Experience:
- Experience caring for corals in aquaria, including managing water quality data.
- Experience working with delicate scientific equipment including calibration processes and equipment maintenance.
- Experience working on scientific projects and collecting and entering data.
Experience in the Caribbean:
- Ability to identify Caribbean corals to species level.
- 1 year+ of experience working in the Caribbean marine environment, particularly with coral reef ecosystems.
- In-depth knowledge of Caribbean marine biodiversity, threats to coral reefs, and conservation priorities.
Additional Skills:
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to work well in a team and independently.
- Proven track record for participating in scientific experiments (previous experience with PAM advantageous but not required).
- Ability to operate under remote and challenging conditions, including long hours and physically demanding tasks.