Social Scientist (multiple levels) - Marine, Ocean, and Coastal

Location: Remote, nationwide

Overview: CASE Consultants International is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Scientific and Technical Program Support Specialist to join our team. This position will provide essential support to the NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), Social Sciences Branch (SSB). The successful candidate will engage in a broad range of tasks, including economic and sociocultural research, data collection, analytical tool development, and support for regulatory and policy assessments related to the management of living marine resources.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Social Science and Economic Research:

  • Conduct applied economic and sociocultural research on commercial and recreational fisheries, protected species resources, and marine ecosystems in the North Atlantic region.

  • Perform fundamental and advanced assessments of the economic benefits and costs associated with changes in ecosystem conditions, management strategies, and policy options.

  • Analyze the social impacts of fisheries management measures on communities, fishing participants, and households, ensuring compliance with relevant U.S. legislative acts and executive orders.

  • Develop and implement social and economic indicators to evaluate the performance of catch share and non-catch share fisheries.

• Data Collection and Analysis:

  • Lead primary data collection efforts through fieldwork, surveys, oral histories, focus groups, and other social and economic data collection methods.

  • Validate survey instruments and data through focus groups and pre-tests, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

  • Utilize statistical analysis to validate survey data, identify outliers, and develop automated reporting tools for economic and social descriptive statistics.

• Community and Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Conduct vulnerability and resilience assessments of fishing communities, integrating community data with coastal hazard data (e.g., storm surge, sea level rise).

  • Facilitate the documentation of local fisheries knowledge, cultural traditions, values, and perceptions through community engagement and training.

  • Create and maintain coastal community vulnerability and resilience metrics to support regulatory and management decisions.

• Development of Analytical Tools and Applications:

  • Collaborate on the creation of web-based and mobile device-compatible applications to enhance data collection, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.

  • Support the generation of online reports on fishing activity, economic performance indicators, and community profiles.

• Regulatory and Policy Support:

  • Participate in the development of regulatory alternatives and provide estimates of the economic and social impacts of proposed and final fishery management actions.

  • Contribute to the development of guidelines and recommendations for setting excessive share caps in quota-managed fisheries.

Education, Knowledge, and Skills Required:

• Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, economics, environmental science, or a related field.

  • Advanced degree preferred.

• Experience:

  • Level 2 - At least 2 years of relevant experience

  • Level 3 - At least 4 years of relevant experience

  • Level 4 - At least 10 years of relevant experience

  • Demonstrated expertise in the application of social science methodologies, including ethnographies, oral histories, and social network analysis.

• Skills:

  • Strong understanding of U.S. legislative acts and executive orders related to fisheries management (e.g., NEPA, ESA, MMPA, MSA/EFH, NHPA, etc.).

  • Proficiency in statistical analysis, data management, and the development of automated reporting tools (e.g., Python, R, Esri ArcGIS, etc.).

  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information to various stakeholders.

How to apply:

All interested candidates should complete the Candidate Information form:

https://forms.gle/G7ncwTrwUnEGqkt3A

CASE is a Small Business Administration (SBA)-certified Woman-owned Small Business (WOSB) and HubZone business, headquartered in Asheville, NC, focused on delivering impactful science and technology that help our clients do what they do better. CASE's mission extends beyond merely providing information — it is about delivering environmental intelligence that empowers our clients to make evidence-based decisions, fostering resilience, and actively contributing to a sustainable and responsible future.

We seek and hire talented people passionate about our planet. In addition to offering competitive pay and benefits, we cultivate an inclusive, collegial company culture that enables our employees and consultants to thrive professionally and personally. Our compensation packages include company-sponsored healthcare (medical, dental, and vision); paid leave; retirement plan; training and professional development; remote and flexible work; performance-based raises and bonuses; and others.

CASE is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer focused on attracting, retaining, and cultivating talented professionals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives and a diverse, inclusive workplace in which our employees thrive. We equitably consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information as per https://www.eeoc.gov/poster.

If you require assistance in completing this application, please contact us at careers@case-co.com.