Fisheries Analyst MCS-JAC

About the job

Background: Global Fishing Watch is an international, non-profit organization committed to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency. We create and publicly share knowledge about human activity at sea to enable fair and sustainable use of our ocean. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, GFW became an independent non-profit organization in June 2017. Using cutting-edge technology, we create and publicly share map visualizations, data and analysis tools to enable scientific research and drive a transformation in how we manage our ocean. Our major focus is on commercial fishing because it is the most widespread human activity at sea, the most impactful on ocean health, and the most crucial for global livelihoods and food security. By 2030, we aim to monitor and visualize the impact of ocean-going vessels, both industrial and small-scale, that are responsible for the vast majority of the global seafood catch. We believe human activity at sea should be common knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean commons for the common good of all.

The Joint Analytical Cell (JAC) is a collaborative partnership mechanism premised on the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The JAC is formed of five member organisations the International MCS Network (IMCS Network), TMT and Global Fishing Watch (GFW), the Skylight and C4ADS, the JAC is designed to harness the complementary information gathering and analytical capabilities, fisheries intelligence tools and databases, and international partnerships of the partner organizations. The JAC brings together expertise and resources from State and non-State actors to produce targeted analyses, intelligence offerings, capacity building, and Monitoring, Control, Surveillance and Enforcement (MCSE) support which can be used in a scalable manner to help enhance fisheries management.

The Position

This is an exciting opportunity to join Global Fishing Watch and work with a dynamic international team of expert fisheries analysts who synthesize a diverse array of data into accessible products that lead to enforcement and policy actions and create change on the water. The role will help grow GFW’s capacity to support Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) data analysis and provides the opportunity to develop MCS training resources for both GFW and the JAC.

The position sits within the GFW Analysis team and will have a broad geographical scope working alongside both analysts from GFW’s regional delivery teams and MCS experts from the JAC coalition. The role will support the delivery of MCS-focused analysis and capacity development to partners including supporting the creation of actionable analytical products, communicating findings to country partners, and actively supporting fisheries MCS operations. The Fisheries Analyst will be responsible for working across multiple fisheries monitoring platforms and data processing techniques as well as training others in their application. Additionally, the role will work alongside the GFW innovation team to support the development and refinement of data and tools to support fisheries MCS analysis.

The role will require well-developed analytical and data science skills and an understanding of fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance. The role will require good communication skills to work effectively between partner organizations, country partners and GFW teams and a willingness to work occasional unusual hours. The role will involve routine international travel with several trips a quarter likely.

Principal Duties And Responsibilities

Provide technical support to GFW’s regional teams and core countries, both through GFW and broader JAC initiatives. This includes workshops and training on relevant fisheries monitoring tools and support to MCS operations.
Lead the production of technical reports including patrol support, port control and PSMA-related analyses, vessel of interest and vessel tracking analyses.
Review, QA, and develop new applications for remote sensing datasets including vessel identity, vessel tracking, and satellite imagery in maritime domain awareness.
Engage with external stakeholders, including government agencies, academic institutions, NGOs and media as needed.
Attend bi-weekly planning calls with JAC partners and regular weekly alignment calls with colleagues in GFW.
Provide training to government or institutional partners on MCS capacity development and application of JAC-relevant fisheries monitoring tools.
Share subject matter expertise with GFW teams including supporting internal training and guiding high-quality actionable analysis. 
Assist the capacity development and technology transfer team and contribute to the development and delivery of training modules to be shared and delivered to GFW and JAC partners.
Monitor and contribute expert knowledge to Global Fishing Watch dataset and product development and advise on MCS, MDA and compliance training opportunities
When appropriate represent GFW at external meetings, workshops, and conferences.

Required

Candidate description

Bachelor's degree required
A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience required
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English 
Highly organized, analytical, detail oriented and self-motivated
Ability to work autonomously and asynchronously with colleagues
Ability to work quickly and efficiently to a very high standard of detail.
Ability to take ownership of projects and communicate project updates to stakeholders in a transparent and proactive manner.
Ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines while performing in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
An understanding of the complexities and internal communications surrounding collaboration in a global matrix and remote organization. 
Strong interpersonal skills and readiness to embrace electronic ways of remote working are required

Preferred

Master's degree in a relevant area or equivalent experience
Experienced analyzing vessel tracking, identity and activity data using SQL (Google BigQuery) and/or R programming software.
Experience analyzing remote sensing data for vessel detection including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Optical data, Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and Radio Frequency (RF) 
Experience working with and an understanding of fisheries enforcement operations
Experience working with analysis around the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA)
Experience as a trainer is desired
Knowledge of other languages besides English is desired; such as Spanish, French, Portuguese.

The successful candidate will meet most, but not necessarily all, of the criteria above. If you don’t think you check all the boxes, but believe you have unique skills that make you a great fit for the role, we want to hear from you!

Additional Information

Note: The application period for this role closes on December 12, 2024

Reporting to: Senior Fisheries Analyst - JAC lead

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not supported at this time.

Location: This is a remote role, but candidates must be legally authorized and based in the following countries to be considered: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, UK, USA

Permanent/Fixed Term/Contractor: Fixed-term 2 years