Environmental Research Assistant

Organization: St. Mary’s River Watershed Association (SMRWA)

Location: Lexington Park, Maryland (in-person with the opportunity for occasional remote work)

Job Type: Temporary (6-month contract with potential for extension if funding permits)

Timeframe: June 2025 to December 2025

Compensation: This is a temporary, full-time position with compensation of $20 per hour for a 6-month term, totaling 1,000 hours.

Position Overview:

St. Mary’s River Watershed Association seeks a motivated recent graduate to support an ongoing project evaluating the effectiveness of oyster restoration efforts in the St. Mary’s River Oyster Sanctuary. This role provides hands-on experience in environmental research, data analysis, and grant writing. The successful candidate will work closely with SMRWA’s Executive Director and local marine science researchers to compile the results of several pilot studies and disparate data sources into a comprehensive final report and proposal for future funding. The overarching goal of this project is to determine whether or not the St. Mary’s River Oyster Sanctuary is meeting the objectives for oyster sanctuaries outlined in the 2016-2020 Oyster Management Review.  

Key Responsibilities:

• Compile and integrate data from various sources into a comprehensive final report assessing the progress of the St. Mary’s River Oyster Sanctuary in meeting restoration objectives.
• Analyze datasets, including Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) fall survey data, datasets collected as a part of this report, and other relevant sources, to evaluate oyster population metrics, disease resilience, and ecological function.
• Draft a detailed funding proposal for continued research, incorporating methods, lessons learned, and future study recommendations. Identify future funding opportunities for the proposal.
• Assist in data visualization and reporting for project milestones and final presentations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Marine Science, or a related field.
• Experience with data analysis tools, particularly R Studio and ArcGIS (or similar GIS software).
• Strong facility with Excel or other spreadsheet/database software as well as Microsoft 365 applications. 
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage and synthesize large datasets from multiple sources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly for technical reporting and proposal writing.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.
• Reliable transportation to and from work. 

Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge of oyster restoration and/or marine ecology.
• Familiarity with environmental data collection methods.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.
• Boater safety certification.
• Physically fit with the ability to lift at least 40 lbs and swim confidently. 

Benefits:

• Practical experience in a high-impact environmental project with local and regional significance.
• Mentorship and networking opportunities with SMRWA and affiliated researchers from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
• Potential for contract extension based on funding availability.

Application Instructions:

Please submit a resume, cover letter, scientific writing sample (1 page – can be an excerpt of a larger report), and two references by April 11, 2025, to emmaSMRWA@gmail.com. In your cover letter, discuss your interest in oyster restoration, relevant skills, and any experience in proposal writing or development.

About SMRWA:

The St. Mary’s River Watershed Association is a small nonprofit whose mission is "to protect, improve, and promote the sustainability of the St. Mary's River Watershed through the collaborative efforts of economic, agricultural, environmental, social, cultural, political, and recreational stakeholders in the community." Our collaborative research and conservation efforts are designed to enhance ecological resilience and sustainability in the St. Mary’s River Watershed. This project, in partnership with NOAA and local institutions, aims to determine the effectiveness of the St. Mary’s River Oyster Sanctuary.