Research Assistant, Ocean Giants, Wildlife Conservation Society

Position Overview Salary: $50,000 to $60,000 per year Education Required: Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a field related to Marine Bioacoustics; candidates with Biological Sciences or Engineering backgrounds encouraged Description The Wildlife Conservation Society is hiring a Research Assistant for its Ocean Giants Program in New York City on a hybrid full-time basis, paying $50,000 to $60,000 per year, focused on acoustic data processing and field work in the New York Bight. WCS’s Ocean Giants Program has a proven track record addressing conservation challenges and threats to marine mammals in the New York Bight. The team integrates acoustic monitoring, sightings, photo identification, genetic, and tag data to drive policy, education, and advocacy outcomes. The Research Assistant reports to the Executive Director, NY Bight Program, and Marine Conservation Scientists. The role is site-focused at the New York Aquarium with field work across the New York Bight, and contributes to current projects on ocean noise, environmental DNA, and the integration of multiple data types.

Responsibilities

• Process and analyse large acoustic datasets, including validation and classification of cetacean vocalisations from automated detection outputs.
• Train interns on the acoustic review process and identification of cetacean vocalisations.
• Characterise ambient noise in the New York Bight using established metrics.
• Deploy and recover acoustic units and gather data on vessel surveys; maintain field equipment.
• Manage sightings, behavioural data, photo identification catalogs, and genetic and tag data.
• Maintain data quality standards and backups of all field-collected and acoustic data.
• Contribute to report writing for major donors and peer-reviewed publications.
• Design and lead an independent research project aligned with Ocean Giants Program objectives.
• Advance policy, education, and advocacy initiatives consistent with WCS’s mission.
• Work on projects involving ocean noise, eDNA, and the synthesis of multiple data types.
• Create and advance content on the whalesofnewyork.wcs.org website and related social media.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in a field related to Marine Bioacoustics.
• Demonstrated ability to write scientific papers and communicate effectively.
• Ability to work positively under difficult conditions during field work.
• Some experience with analyses of large datasets and quantitative analysis skills.
• Field work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with large datasets of long-term acoustic data.
• Familiarity with cetacean vocalisations and their classification to species or taxon group.
• Fluency in bioacoustics analysis software such as Raven, PAMGuard, or Ishmael.
• Programming skills for data analysis in R or MATLAB.
• Experience with automated detection of cetacean vocalisations in large datasets.
• Demonstrated proficiency in scientific writing that leads to peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience characterising ambient noise using established metrics and procedures.

Additional Notes

• Hybrid role based in New York City.
• Occasional travel to conferences and meetings expected with approval.
• Flexibility to work across multiple time zones.
• Participate in programmatic efforts with the New York Seascape, New York Aquarium, and Species and Policy teams.
• WCS is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment.

How to Apply

Apply through the WCS careers portal.