Microbiology Technician 2 - Fur Seal Genetics

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the role of a full-time Microbiology Technician 2. This position is benefits-eligible with an anticipated start date of December 15th, 2026. 

Northern fur seals are important predators in the Bering Sea ecosystem and consume commercially and ecologically important fish and squid species. Timely information on fur seal diets is needed to understand population trends and inform ecosystem-based fisheries management. Traditionally, diet information has been obtained by identifying prey hard parts recovered from fecal samples, a process that requires extensive staff time and specialized expertise. DNA metabarcoding provides an efficient approach for identifying prey species and can improve taxonomic resolution. It also provides opportunities to characterize the diets of individually monitored animals and relate diet to foraging behavior, health, and reproductive success. We are seeking a laboratory technician to support a collaborative project involving the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Auke Bay Laboratories Genetics Program, Marine Mammal Laboratory, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game to advance DNA-based methods for studying northern fur seal diets.

The technician will generate DNA metabarcoding data from northern fur seal scat and fecal loop samples collected on St. Paul, St. George, and Bogoslof Islands. The work will entail DNA extraction, PCR amplification and optimization, preparation of sequencing libraries, and quality control of resulting data. The technician will also assist with testing cephalopod-specific metabarcoding primers and generating reference sequences from identified prey specimens to improve detection and identification of squid and other cephalopods. These efforts will support comparisons among scat subsamples, between scat and fecal loop samples, and between DNA metabarcoding and traditional hard parts analysis. Deliverables will include sequencing files, associated sample metadata, quality-controlled prey identification data, and reports summarizing laboratory methods and data quality. These products will contribute to developing timely estimates of fur seal diet composition and prey consumption for use in fisheries and ecosystem assessments.

Essential Functions 

• Conduct genetics laboratory work, including processing northern fur seal scat and fecal loop samples, extracting DNA, and performing PCR.
• Following established protocols, prepare DNA metabarcoding libraries for high-throughput sequencing, including amplicon and indexing PCR, library cleanup, quantification, and pooling.
• Assist with testing and optimizing fish- and cephalopod-specific metabarcoding primers and generating reference sequences from identified prey specimens.
• Apply contamination prevention procedures and use appropriate controls and technical replicates to assess the quality and consistency of laboratory results.
• Maintain organized sample inventories, laboratory records, and sample metadata linking sequencing results to collection information.
• Use established bioinformatics workflows and statistical tools to assist with sequence quality control, prey identification, and comparisons among sample types and analytical methods.
• Identify and recommend minor modifications to laboratory techniques, document methods and results, and prepare summaries for project investigators.

Knowledge Required by the Position The employee must have knowledge of:

• Laboratory methods in molecular biology/genetics laboratories
• PCR: primer development, PCR optimization, analyzing results
• natural sciences
• Knowledge of molecular biology.
• Knowledge of aquatic sciences.
• Knowledge of Windows-based computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, database software, molecular biology software.

Supervisory Controls Work is assigned on a daily or weekly basis in terms of project objectives, individual objective, and basic priorities. The employee plans and carries out the assignment with independence, following established protocol. The incumbent seeks assistance only as needed. When common technical and procedural problems arise, the employee exercises initiative in developing solutions. Accuracy of the data produced, quality of the observations made, and sufficiency of planning and execution are normally accepted without detailed review.

Reviews are utilized to ensure that the employee works effectively and produces high quality end products.

Guidelines Guides may be laboratory protocols, analytical protocols, sampling methodologies, standing operating procedures, oral instructions, equipment or instrument manuals, and/or hardware/software manuals.

The guides often require careful study or cross-referencing to locate the applicable rule or answer and can involve some interpretation or judgment to resolve the issue.

Complexity The employee is expected to select and execute the proper approach to completing the work. The assigned duties often have steps or processes which vary, depending on factors such as the reason the work is being performed or the conditions under which it is being performed. The employee is expected to exercise independence in recognizing such differences, in choosing the right course of action, and then in selecting and executing the proper approach to completing the work.

Scope and Effect Work products directly affect the design and execution of experiments and the adequacy of long range investigations, tests, or research conclusions.

Personal Contacts Contacts are with employees in PSMFC; federal, state, or tribal agencies; university researchers, private/non-profit organizations, and the general public.

Purpose of Contacts The purpose of contacts is to exchange information and ensure that project goals are being met through coordination and planning. Communication between contacts affords resolution of problematic issues and serves as an information network.

Physical Demands The work is largely sedentary. There is some walking and bending and lifting of materials and supplies.

Work Environment The work is performed in a laboratory environment, with adequate heating, lighting, and ventilation.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

A range of experience and education may be presented. At the lower end of the range, candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience** OR a semester of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.

At the upper end of the range, candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience** OR a year of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.

**Specialized Experience is experience that equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled. To be creditable, Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.