Bioacoustics Scientist

AIS, Inc.

Bioacoustics Scientist managing passive acoustic research for NOAA SEFSC’s Marine Mammal & Turtle Division. Involves field data collection, data analysis, and scientific reporting.

Posted 7/2/2026full-timeMiami • Florida • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorLeadWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and manage passive acoustic research projects for NOAA SEFSC's Marine Mammal & Turtle Division
Manage passive acoustics ecology research on cetaceans within SEFSC jurisdiction with specialized focus on North Atlantic right whales, Rice's whales, and sperm whales.
Provide general laboratory assistance including data archiving, computer maintenance, and construction and maintenance of acoustic hydrophone recorders (moored/drifting hydrophones, towed arrays) and associated oceanographic equipment.
Participate in fieldwork on an as-needed basis, including driving government vehicles; deploy/retrieve drifting and moored hydrophones; deploy and monitor towed hydrophone arrays, sonobuoys, and/or gliders.
Analyze and interpret archived acoustic data to detect, localize, and classify biological and anthropogenic sound sources.
Conduct advanced acoustic analysis to address NOAA Fisheries Passive Acoustic Ecology Program research objectives, including leading/developing research ideas.
Upload all metadata to SEFSC's acoustic databases and servers; maintain deployment and detections databases.
Participate in periodic SEFSC, MMTD, and Passive Acoustic Ecology team meetings with Program Leads, NOAA Fisheries staff, and Center leadership.
Conduct fieldwork related to acoustic data collection, archiving of data, report and manuscript writing, and presentation of results.

Requirements

What you’ll need

PhD. from an accredited college or university with a major directly related to acoustics, fisheries, oceanography, natural science, or mathematics.
10 years of experience in related fields.
Experience analyzing anthropogenic noise in the marine environment using acoustic metadata databases and scientific bioacoustics software programs such as PAMGuard or Raven.
Experience programming in MATLAB and/or R.
Experience building, maintaining, and repairing real-time acoustic hydrophones (towed hydrophone arrays, sonobuoys) and autonomous hydrophones (drifting and/or moored).
Experience with implementation of legislative mandates such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act for highly endangered marine mammal species (e.g., Rice's whales or North Atlantic right whales).

Benefits

Comp & perks

health and dental insurance
vacation
sick and holiday benefits

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Acoustic Data AnalysisHydrophone Construction And MaintenanceData ArchivingFieldwork ParticipationAcoustic Metadata ManagementAdvanced Acoustic AnalysisResearch DevelopmentReport And Manuscript WritingBiological And Anthropogenic Sound ClassificationMarine Mammal Protection Act Compliance