Mote Marine Laboratory is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks to diversify its work force. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other protected category.
Our employment openings are listed below. Recent doctoral students are also invited to apply for our Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, with current opportunities focused on sharks and manatees.
Openings
Manager of Custodial Services
The Manager of Custodial Services will have the lead staff authority for final logistical organization and implementation of all custodial and janitorial services for Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
The Manager of Custodial Services:
- Is responsible for the cleanliness, appearance and working environment of almost 300,000 square feet of research, aquarium and educational space in Sarasota, FL over several buildings, as well as research vessels and fleet vehicles.
- Provides direct supervision staff, which includes hiring, training, evaluation and retention issues.
-Provides direct oversight and coordination of contracted janitorial companies if needed.
- Provides the leadership to subordinate supervisors in planning, establishing and maintaining the highest achievable custodial program.
- Regularly provides resources for the intra-campus movement of inventory, and support before, during and after all special events.
- Must work closely with laboratory staff and aquarium staff regarding cleaning and cleaning chemicals around research experiments, live animals and delicate scientific instruments.
Working Hours:
Working hours will be dictated by the needs of the position, which by its nature will require a flexible schedule and may involve any hour of the day or night. Late night, early morning and weekend hours are common.
Minimum Requirements:
-High School graduate or equivalent.
-Minimum 5 years experience in event management/planning/directing custodial services and janitorial staff.
-Must have the use of personal transportation/vehicles to job sites.
-Preferred experience in medical, scientific and educational facilities.
-US citizenship or foreign citizen’s U.S. work permit appropriate for the work
-Valid Florida driver’s license or ability to obtain in one month
-Ability to work flexible schedule, including late nights and weekends
-Ability to lift/carry/move heavy objects (50+ pounds)
-Good leadership abilities
-Excellent verbal and written communication skills
-Work well with others as part of a team
-Must be creative and able to prioritize tasks and challenges
Interested applicants should submit as a single electronic file, 1) a cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) the names and contact information for three references, before 5pm May 22, 2020 to HumanResources@mote.org. Alternatively, a single package of all requested elements may be submitted to Mote Marine Laboratory, Attn: Human Resources, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236.
Staff Scientist/Program Manager, Ocean Technology Program
The Ocean Technology Program of Mote Marine Laboratory has an opening for a full-time, Staff Scientist/Program Manager. The successful candidate should have a PhD, DSc, or equivalent in oceanography, marine science or engineering with experience in instrumentation for the marine environment. Experience in interdisciplinary research, biogeochemical measurements and instrumentation, optics, autonomous instrument platforms, and/or ocean observing systems will be advantageous. The successful candidate must have a demonstrated capability to conceive, design and implement instrumentation or device intended for an application in their field of study. Hands-on experience with mechanical, electrical, optical or computer technology will be a rated metric in the selection process.
The successful candidate will manage an existing small engineering and ocean technology team and will be responsible for identifying additional personnel needs. The new program manager will interact with optical instrument developers, apply existing instrumentation on autonomous platforms (Webb gliders) and fixed stations, to research questions involving Harmful Algal Blooms under existing projects, lead the migration of existing instruments to additional generations and novel platforms, participate in regional and national activities supporting the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System, manage and enhance Mote’s existing Sarasota Operations – Coastal Ocean Observing System (SO-COOL) develop new instrumentation, and procure grants in support of his/her specific areas of interest.
The position also affords the opportunity for hosting of visiting scientists, interactions with scientists from multiple disciplines at Mote, oversight of student interns and volunteers, and to serve as Courtesy Faculty, teaching courses in the University of South Florida-Sarasota Manatee undergraduate degree program in partnership with Mote.
Mote is an independent, not-for-profit, 501 C(3) research and education institution. The hire will be at the Staff Scientist level with the opportunity to advance to Senior Scientist. As a Staff Scientist, the successful candidate is expected to report findings in significant peer reviewed professional publications and participate in professional organizations and meetings.
Interested applicants should submit as a single electronic file in pdf format including, 1) a cover letter, 2) full resume or CV with complete publications list (accepted, in press, and in review), 3) a statement of research interests, and 4) the names and contact information for three references to HumanResources@mote.org. Alternatively, a single package of all requested elements may be submitted to Mote Marine Laboratory, Attn: Human Resources, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will close when filled, or on 4/20/20, whichever comes first. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other protected category. We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas at this time. The starting salary will be approximately $75,000 per year, commensurate with experience, with a generous benefits package.
Senior Research Scientist in either Shark or Manatee Biology, Behavior and Conservation
Mote Marine Laboratory announces the availability of a Senior Research Scientist position concerning either elasmobranchs with an emphasis on sharks, or sirenians with an emphasis on manatees. Both positions would require candidates who are currently: 1) a senior scientist of international reputation and esteem, 2) a demonstrated leader in marine conservation, 3) an active participant in contemporary, professional scientific research with a strong history of successful grantsmanship and experience in managing research programs and staffs, and 4) a commitment to the public understanding of the biology, behavior, and conservation of sharks or manatees. This Senior Research Scientist position would be expect to secure and maintain significant external grant funding each year but would be provided a guaranteed Mote base of 100% annual salary and fringe benefits for the initial three years, followed by 75% guarantee for three years and an additional three year commitment at 50%.
SHARKS. Mote’s leadership in shark research traces continuously back to the Laboratory’s founding in 1955, as the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory under Dr. Eugenie Clark. In 1991, the U.S. Congress named Mote as the site of the Center for Shark Research, the nation’s only such-designated research center for sharks and their relatives. Memoranda of Understanding between Mote and several organizations including NOAA help to guide the course of the Laboratory’s shark research. Mote’s Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program, the unit under which current elasmobranch research is conducted, reflects a priority on studies that contribute to the conservation and rebuilding of depleted elasmobranch populations. This research spans laboratory- and field-based studies from southwest Florida to locations around the world. Facilities for conducting elasmobranch research at Mote include offices and laboratories, an extensive wet lab and animal care facility, and a fleet of research vessels.
This Senior Research Scientist position is expected to lead Mote’s elasmobranch research into the coming decades. It is anticipated that the successful candidate may qualify to receive the Perry W. Gilbert Chair in Shark Research, an endowed chair established in 2001, to support the work of a distinguished, internationally recognized shark biologist in residence at the Laboratory.
MANATEES. The study of wild manatees began at Mote Marine Laboratory in the 1980s with aerial surveys of the coastal waters of Manatee and Sarasota counties. The Manatee Research Program (MRP) was formally founded in 1993, and with the addition of Dr. John Reynolds, III, (Nov. 8, 1952 - Dec. 23, 2017) as program manager in 2000, the MRP grew to become a cornerstone of scientific understanding and protection of these unique mammals in Florida and the Caribbean. The Manatee Research Program continues at Mote, and Reynolds' legacy continues to benefit marine science, conservation, and education around the globe.
The MRP conducts year-round studies of manatee behavioral ecology, distribution, habitat use, genetics, and population status in Florida. The MRP also advises manatee conservation and research actions throughout Florida and the wider Caribbean, and further advises conservation projects for sirenians (manatees and dugongs) globally. Mote’s MRP is one of three organizations (along with U.S. Geological Survey’s Sirenia Project and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) participating via formal Memoranda of Understanding in organizing and maintaining the statewide Manatee Individual Photo-identification System (MIPS) database. Long term aerial and photo-identification surveys throughout the year have proven valuable to coastal community efforts to manage manatees in order to balance human activities with the sustainability of manatees and their habitat. MRP research at Mote is ongoing and also involves collaborators including corresponding and visiting faculty and graduate students, agency and NGO investigators, postdoctoral associates, interns, and volunteers.
A complete application will be a single pdf file containing:
1. Cover Letter addressed to Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Ph.D., FLS, President & CEO; to include confidentiality terms and availability timeline.
2. Curriculum vitae including links to representative publications.
3. Narrative account of experience and accomplishments.
4. Thought piece on your vision for Mote’s future growth and leadership in shark or manatee research.
5. Other Considerations.
6. Names, titles, and contact information (telephone; email) of three references.
Qualified, interested applicants are required to send a complete application to Mote’s Human Resources Office at HumanResources@mote.org with the subject line: “Senior Scientist Application/ Sharks” or “Senior Scientist Application/ Manatees.” Alternatively, a single package of all requested elements may be submitted to Mote Marine Laboratory, Attn: Human Resources, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236.
Other media essential to your application may be submitted. The application period will remain open until filled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other protected category. We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas at this time. Questions regarding the application process may be directed to Ernest D. Estevez, Ph.D., Senior Scientist Emeritus and Search Committee Chair, at estevez@mote.org.
