Ocean Associates, Inc.

Support Engineer

• Review, gather, analyze, interpret, and synthesize scientific data and technical information for the purpose of determining environmental impacts on biological resources and aquatic habitats; evaluate the proposed project effects of human activities on fishery resources, protected species, and habitat.
• Write combined ESA Biological Opinions, ESA Letters of Concurrence, and MSA responses to action agencies related to their Biological Assessments for listed salmon and steelhead, designated critical habitat, and essential fish habitat under NMFS jurisdiction.
• Review biological assessments, permit applications, and/or consultation initiation packages from action agencies for listed salmon and steelhead, designated critical habitat, and essential fish habitat under NMFS jurisdiction and provide feedback and technical support to action agencies.
• Provide pre‐consultation technical assistance to action agencies, applicants, or their representatives in response to inquiries. Examples of feedback are sufficiency, accuracy, or completeness; requests for further information for consultation purposes; recommendation of conservation measures, compliance with technical design standards. Feedback shall occur through written or oral communications and in group meetings.
• Review applications from action agencies to enroll in existing programmatic consultations and draft letters or emails to enroll applications into existing programmatic consultations. Prepare environmental documentation pursuant to NEPA.
• Prepare draft incidental take permits and other necessary documentation for ESA section 10 activities.
• Revise the documents based on review comments received from WCR NMFS and General Counsel staff, technical comments received from the tribes and states, and based on substantive public review comments to complete final versions of the ESA, NEPA and other associated documents.
• Coordinate with NMFS fish passage engineers for reviews of proposed designs.
• Coordinate with NMFS’ Science Center and other federal, state, or academic researchers in evaluating the status of species and impacts from actions.
• Prepare appropriate documentation for each consultation and follow WCR protocols for quality assurance, electronic filing, and consultation tracking.
• Coordinate with Project Officer or Geographic Branch Manager on assignments, work products, and project schedule. Coordination calls and meetings as necessary with WCR Team Lead(s).
• Participate in WCR teams as necessary to complete the tasks in this contract.
• Follow recommendations from agency staff on legal, regulatory, or technical sufficiency and compliance.
• Assist in the development and implementation of mitigation banks
• Prepare appropriate documentation for each consultation, status review, or permit, including assembling and managing administrative records as necessary to provide adequate and proper evidence of agency business, timely response to requests for information, and compliance with NMFS internal directives. Assist with compiling responses to Freedom of Information Act requests.
• Participate in meetings with action agencies, applicants or permittees, special interest groups, state officials, and tribal representatives, as necessary.

Scientific and Technical Support

Analyst

• Provide program administrative analysis and process improvement support to improve the efficiency, consistency, accessibility, and quality of OAA operations.
• Any automation or tool that stores, processes, or transmits Government information shall be approved by the COR before use and shall comply with applicable NOAA/DOC security, privacy, records, and accessibility requirements.
• Develop and implement, after Government approval, improved methods, templates, trackers, dashboards, checklists, automated products, and tools that simplify and streamline administrative functions.
• Assist in implementing efficient cost-documentation processes, tools, and methods that meet NOAA and other applicable agency requirements.
• Provide strategic calendaring support for NOAA Fisheries executive leadership, including mechanisms to triage meeting requests, track meeting materials, and manage leadership action items.
• Format, proofread, edit, and quality-control draft correspondence, memoranda, briefing materials, reports, presentations, and associated packages.
• Organize and support training for staff on plain language, administrative processes, and document quality standards.
• Develop draft communications plans and campaigns targeting specific audiences for Government review and approval.
• Provide expertise in Government communications practices, including GPO style, plain language guidelines, photo organization, and Section 508 accessibility support.
• Produce presentations and visual materials to help managers, scientists, and leaders convey complex information to non-technical audiences.

Scientific and Technical Support

Program Administrative Analyst