The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Boater Education Program:
2024 Seasonal Vessel Operator/Educator Opening
The Soundwatch Boater Education Program is seeking a vessel operator for the
2024 summer field season. Soundwatch is a research, education and monitoring
program operated by The Whale Museum (TWM), a not-for-profit organization
located in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington State. The Soundwatch
program mission is to reduce vessel disturbance to marine wildlife,
particularly the endangered Southern Resident killer whales, in the Salish Sea
region of Washington State (USA) and British Columbia (Canada). Soundwatch is
looking for vessel operators/educators to carry out program objectives; educate
boaters on best practices for viewing marine wildlife before they leave the
shore; reinforce the learning experience in the actual context where
disturbances take place; develop and evaluate community-based voluntary
guidelines; and provide a scientific platform to monitor vessel activities
around marine mammals. To learn more, please visit our website and read
Soundwatch’s most recent Contract Report and publications.
Vessel operators/educators will conduct seasonal vessel patrols, educate
boaters on regional/federal Be Whale Wise guidelines and regulations, and
collect data while monitoring vessel activity around whales. Data from this
critical program characterizes vessel activity trends around endangered killer
whales and other marine wildlife. The data is used to promote better boater
compliance and to inform marine mammal management strategies such as state and
federal vessel laws and guidelines.
Vessel operators/educators report to the Soundwatch Program Coordinator and
work cooperatively with other museum staff, program interns and volunteers.
This position is classed as Seasonal Field Work Contractor, June-September.
Hourly wage for this position is commensurate with experience and starts at
$25.00/hour.
VESSEL OPERATOR/EDUCATOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Seasonal field operations:
· Conduct full- or half-day on-the-water educational patrols and
monitoring of whale watch activities May-September.
· Maintain daily boat patrol protocols and data collection procedures on
whale watching and marine wildlife viewing trends, guideline compliance
measurements and educational materials distribution.
· Prevent wildlife disturbance by intercepting boaters before they reach
wildlife areas.
· Monitor activities within San Juan County Marine Stewardship Area
including recreational and fishing pressure in reserve areas, including
National Wildlife Refuge Areas and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Biological Preserve Areas.
· Maintain equipment and collection materials.
· Work with Soundwatch volunteers and interns.
· Maintain communications with whale research and commercial whale-watch
community.
· Report marine mammal strandings to the San Juan County Marine Mammal
Stranding Network.
Small Vessel operations:
· Operate 17’-20’ outboard vessels.
· Perform routine maintenance and minor boat/engine repair, maintain
vessel/engine/operation and safety equipment, communicate with coordinator
and/or mechanic for troubleshooting advice, provide vessel operation briefing
to interns and volunteers.
Education/Outreach on marine stewardship:
· Distribution of educational materials on-the-water, regional boating
facilities and organizations.
· Participate in local education and outreach events.
Soundwatch field data-entry:
· Assist with field season data entry. Assist with the update of annual
commercial whale watch industry information and ID book.
· Assist with training of volunteers and interns. Keep track of volunteer
activities for future reporting.
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:
• Bachelor’s degree in marine/wildlife sciences.
• Valid US passport or an enhanced driver's license (for the entirety of their
position) and CPR/First Aid certification.
• A Washington state boater license.
• Minimum 3 years of small vessel operation with experience operating around
marine wildlife.
• Familiarity with recovery priorities related to endangered SRKWs.
• Soundwatch operates under a NOAA NMFS research permit which requires vessel
operator candidates to have relevant field experience. The successful candidate
must be approved for operation by NMFS as a condition for hiring.
HOW TO APPLY FOR POSITION:
Please send a letter of interest, a resume, and contact information for three
references. Please include any start/end dates and passport status.
Submit application materials via email as one PDF.
Please include in your subject line: Soundwatch Vessel Operator Application
(Last Name).
Soundwatch Vessel Driver/Educator should plan to be in place by May 1, 2024
(Exact start date negotiable). Active review of submitted applications will
begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
PLEASE SEND APPLICATION MATERIALS TO:
Alanna Frayne
Soundwatch Boater Education Program Coordinator
ala...@whalemuseum.org
Please feel free to contact with any questions.
Alanna Frayne (she/her)
Soundwatch Program Coordinator
The Whale Museum
62 First St N | Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-4710 ex. 33
My response may be delayed during the field season (May-Sept). Thank you for
your patience.
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