Economist

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
Silver Spring - United States
S: $70,000 - $75,000

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Position Opening: Economist
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) is seeking an Economist, who will work with the Socioeconomic Program of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Among responsibilities enumerated below, the position will entail coordinating socioeconomic research and reports examining both market and nonmarket economic values (including passive economic use value or nonuse value) of direct uses of natural and cultural resources.

Responsibilities:

General Work Portfolio:

• Capacity Building – Build ONMS Socioeconomic Program capacity through building public/private partnerships, finding sources of funding for research, and mentoring students;
• Communications – Work with ONMS web team to keep ONMS web site up to date with latest socioeconomic information and work with the ONMS Communications Branch on social media;
• Agency Representation – Support and participate in NOAA or interagency work groups or serve as an advisor to members of such work groups on behalf of the ONMS;
• Public Engagement – Represent ONMS by responding to inquiries from the general public or other agencies or organizations, and to attend professional meetings to present research done at ONMS sites.

Examples of Specific Duties:

• Design and implement socioeconomic research and monitoring plans;
• Develop sanctuary characterizations/socioeconomic profiles of ONMS managed sites;
• Analyze socioeconomic impacts of management strategies and regulations;
• Integrate economic, human dimensions non-economic and ecological information for assessing ecosystem services and economic valuations; and
• Prepare reports and recommendations regarding important socioeconomic considerations.

Reporting:

The position will be based in the NOAA ONMS headquarters office in Silver Spring, MD. The Economist will report to senior management at NMSF and work closely with an on-site coordinator within NOAA's ONMS Socioeconomic Program.

Requirements and Qualifications:

A minimum of a Master's Degree in environmental and natural resource economics with two years of applied research experience required. Must have experience with database management and statistical analysis using a statistical program like SAS, SPSS, LIMDEP, STATA or other statistical software. Experience with survey sampling and questionnaire design and with using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Power Point) with intermediate skills in Excel. Communications skills including experience in presenting research results, publications, participation in expert panels, developing web site content and content for social media.

Preferred candidates will have experience with the IMPLAN input-output model and use with Geographic Information Systems.

A demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards and a diverse workplace is also important.

Compensation and Benefits: $70,000 to $75,000 annually. NMSF offers a competitive benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, life insurance, and a retirement savings plan. NMSF is an equal opportunity employer.

Start Date: July 15, 2014

To apply:

Applications should include a cover letter, resume, list of references and writing sample and must be submitted to L. J. Fletcher at LJ@nmsfocean.org Applications received prior to June 1, 2014 will be preferred.

About the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF):

NMSF connects people to the underwater places that define the American ocean—national marine sanctuaries. NMSF is the private, non-profit partner to the federally managed National Marine Sanctuary System. NMSF is dedicated to protecting and supporting national marine sanctuaries through advocacy, education, public awareness, and conservation. NMSF's signature programs are Capitol Hill Ocean Week®, the largest annual ocean-focused conference in Washington, D.C., and the Ernest F. Hollings Ocean Awareness Trust Fund, a competitive grant program promoting public engagement on ocean-related issues. More information can be found on our website at www.NMSFocean.org.
About the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS): Within NOAA's National Ocean Service, ONMS manages 13 sanctuaries and one marine national monument covering more than 170,000 square miles, set aside for their special biological, ecological, cultural, or historical values. More information on the Socioeconomic Program can be found at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/socioeconomic/welcome.html

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