Senior Marine Specialist - 12 month contract

Position Summary

The Senior Marine Specialist position will be largely centred on undertaking and reporting Marine Environmental Baseline Surveys (MEBS), marine monitoring, coral relocation, reef rehabilitation programs or similar projects. The role will be split between fieldwork, potentially in remote areas, and office-based tasks. Office-based work may include logistics, equipment preparation, data management / analysis and report writing, etc., as well as supporting the development of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and other technical documents.

Tasks may be varied tasks, depending on Project scope and specific requirements. The Senior Marine Specialist will manage projects in their entirety, deliver the marine components of multidisciplinary projects, work as part of a team or, for longer duration projects, work on rotation with other Senior Marine Specialist / staff. However, they will often operate in the field independently and be responsible for survey arrangements and achieving project objectives on schedule and in budget, with a focus on excellence. Survey teams will generally comprise small groups of specialists and / or field technicians working from small day vessels, although some surveys may be conducted from larger survey vessels or potentially over an extended period. Coral relocation or reef rehabilitation projects may require working as part of a larger team.

There also may be a requirement for the Senior Marine Specialist to take on responsibility for logistical and / or support responsibilities; for example, maintenance and calibration of marine instrumentation (or similar), or training of other team members, etc.

Major Responsibilities

• Planning, conducting and leading marine fieldwork following established scientific methodologies.
• Project and team management, including budgeting, schedules and logistics.
• Coordination of survey personnel, sub-consultants, suppliers, permits, vessels, equipment, etc.
• Responsible for on-site safety and adherence with HSE processes and protocols.
• Data management, analysis and interpretation.
• Writing technical documents and reports, including MEBS reports, ESIA sections, scopes of work for subcontractors, etc.
• Development of proposals for marine works.
• Quality assurance and review of internal and subcontractor documents; and Client liaison.

Personal Requirements

Competencies

The ideal candidate should have project management capabilities, be experienced in leading marine field teams and be competent in standard marine field sampling and survey techniques.

KBD aims to work in a culture of safety and the Senior Marine Specialist should ensure that Health and Safety is embedded in all our activities.

Building capacity is a major focus of KBD and the Senior Marine Specialist should also support the professional development of Saudi nationals and other field personnel who have shown a passion and aptitude for marine science and the environment.

Other required competencies include:

• Planning and organising skills.
• Ownership, accountable and dependable who can work independently and complete tasks in a timely manner.
• Interpersonal and group skills with strong work ethics and able to adhere to the University working hours, policies and standards of business etiquette.
• Ability to exercise discretion when handling confidential materials.
• Flexibility and adaptability to work in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent technical knowledge of Microsoft Office and related software.
• Excellent communication skills in English - verbal and written.
• Good communication with team members, KBD management, the client and relevant authorities.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work under pressure.
• Competently undertake own work to an excellent standard, on time and to budget.
• Support and develop of more junior staff.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment as well as independently.
• Ability to work in both field and office environments.

Qualifications

• A Bachelors’ Degree in Marine Ecology, Environmental Studies and/or similar field.

Experience

• Minimum five years of relevant experience, including leading marine field surveys.
• Experienced scientific diver.
• Excellent report writing skills in English.
• Project management skills, including schedule, staff resource and budget management.

• Experience of the following would be an advantage (although not essential):

• • Taxonomic classification of Red Sea species (corals, fish, invertebrates, etc.).
  • Coral translocation or reef rehabilitation.
  • Photogrammetry, eDNA analysis or other specialist survey techniques.
  • Previous work in consultancy.
  • Development of ESIAs to IFC standards.
  • Previous work in the Middle East.
  • Ability to speak and write Arabic.