Careers in the Office of Sustainable Fisheries

Employees in the Office of Sustainable Fisheries are equipped with a wide range of skills sets. You’ll find professionals with scientific and analytical skills, talented written and oral communicators, highly trained project managers, and visionary strategic planners. Working in our office means you are on the ground floor of setting national fishery management policy to address today’s sustainable fishery challenges like climate change, overfishing, bycatch, and stakeholder engagement.

Federal Careers

The Office of Sustainable Fisheries—like much of the federal government—is made up of contractors and federal employees. The federal hiring process can be confusing. So let’s break down some things you need to know in order to further your career. 

NOAA advertises job openings on USAJobs at specific Pay Band levels. They range from 2-5. Pay Band 2 jobs are generally entry-level trainee positions. The minimum education and experience requirement for these positions is typically a college degree and one or two years of work experience. Pay Band 3 and 4 have more specific educational requirements. For example a band 3 fish biologist may be required to hold a Master’s or a Doctorate degree. New Ph.D. graduates without specialized experience typically enter the workforce at band 3. Band 4 positions are expected to manage programs and lead teams but are not always official supervisors.

A position advertised as Pay Band 4 Supervisory means the employee will provide day-to-day management and supervision of staff. Supervisors conduct annual performance reviews, participate in hiring, and review products. 

To be eligible for a supervisory position, an applicant must have at least one year of experience working at a Pay Band 4 non-supervisory level. In Sustainable Fisheries, these positions are often referred to as branch chiefs. The branch chiefs are supervised by managers. The office director, deputy director, and division chiefs are all managers and are typically Pay Band 5.

Professional work experience is extremely valuable and important for building the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be successful in the Office of Sustainable Fisheries. Specialized experience can come from working at a lower band level within NOAA or at other federal, state, or local government agencies. Working for natural resource management programs, doing graduate research, or other field experience can provide relevant knowledge and technical skills. For example, working as a fisheries observer, habitat restoration fieldwork, and project management for environmental non-profits all count as professional experience. Work experiences in non-profits, private sector, or other spaces can lend relevant transferable skills such as team collaboration, communications, problem solving, program and process management. 

Contractors

We also onboard team members through private sector contractors. The contracting companies vary, but the job openings are usually advertised online. Working for NOAA Fisheries as a contractor is a great way to learn more about the agency and get valuable work experience in the federal sector.

Student Career Pathways

There are a number of internship and fellowship opportunities available that can provide specialized experience and educational opportunities within NOAA. Visit our searchable database for current opportunities.

Five Sustainable Fisheries Positions

Fishery Management Specialist

If you have an interest in fish and ocean resources, consider a career as a fishery management specialist with the Office of Sustainable Fisheries. NOAA fishery management specialists manage fisheries according to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the major law governing American fisheries. They develop and implement management strategies and regulations for fisheries, conduct policy research, and oversee day-to-day operational aspects of fishery management. Fishery management specialists work on important and emerging issues in fisheries management such as climate change, renewable and non-renewable resource development, aquaculture, resource conflicts across constituent and interest groups, and the application of ecosystem-based fishery management.  

Communication and interpersonal skills are very important for this position. Fishery management specialists serve as technical experts on the fishery and work with other NOAA employees, staff from the regional fishery management councils and commissions, federal and state agencies, and tribal governments. Every day offers the challenges of considering multiple viewpoints to support decisions that impact both people and our environment. 

To be a Fishery Management Specialist

There are often education requirements associated with these positions such as a degree with a major in biological sciences or a related field. 

Required Courses

A minimum number of semester hours in certain subjects such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position might be required. 

Finding on USAJobs

Searching for “NOAA” will identify all current job openings in the agency. This position may be advertised as “fishery management specialist”, “fish biologist”, or “policy analyst”. Positions may be located at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD or at a regional office or facility. 

Fishery Program Analyst

NOAA Fisheries program analysts work with fishery biologists, fishery management specialists, and other partners to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of fishery management programs.  The fishery program analyst provides advice to agency management on the effectiveness of policies and regulations and suggests areas for improvement. Analysts track metrics, prepare reports on program progress, and provide day-to-day operational support. The analyst becomes a go-to resource for colleagues on established procedures on topics related to sustainable fisheries management. 

Fishery program analysts are problem solvers who are comfortable following set procedures. The position is great for a highly organized, excellent communicator. Experience with databases, analytical systems, and project management tools will be beneficial in this role.

To be a Fishery Program Analyst

There are no specific education requirements.

Required Courses: 

There are no specific required courses

Finding on USAJobs: Searching for “NOAA” will identify all current job openings in the agency. This position is advertised as a “fisheries program analyst”. Positions may be located at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD or at a regional office or facility. 

Fish and Wildlife Administrator

Fish and wildlife administrators lead and supervise teams of ten to twenty fishery management specialists, policy analysts, and other experts. If you excel at supervising and coaching employees, strategic planning, and briefing senior leadership, this position might be a good fit for you.

Fish and Wildlife Administrators typically have several years of non-supervisory experience in fisheries management or a related field plus several years of first-line supervisory experience.  The supervisory duties of this position include developing staff performance plans, conducting annual staff evaluations, and advancing employee training opportunities. Meanwhile, fish and wildlife administrators also provide direction on priority focus areas and identify fishery management challenges and opportunities. They work closely with teams of other fish and wildlife administrators within the office and with colleagues in regional offices.

To be a Fishery and Wildlife Administrator

There are often education requirements associated with these positions such as a degree with a major in biological sciences or a related field. 

Required Courses: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position might be required.

Finding on USAJobs: Searching for “NOAA” will identify all current job openings in the agency. This position is advertised as a “fish and wildlife administrator”. Positions may be located at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD or at a regional office or facility.

Economist (Industry Economist)

A passion for data and business or a fascination with human behavior will make you an excellent candidate for an economist position with the Office of Sustainable Fisheries. Specializations within the economist role include natural resource economics, microeconomics, policy, or econometrics. 

Economists help the agency balance the economic needs of the fishery with conservation needs of the fish stocks to fully meet the management objectives of a fishery under the Magnuson Stevens Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and other laws we must consider.

They look at the economic effects of proposed fishery management regulations ensuring that our actions and programs are consistent with management objectives, legal requirements, and agency guidance. Economists collect and analyze data to put a value on fish harvest and ecosystem services and compare them to the costs of regulatory options. They build models to describe fisheries and related industries and careers such as fishermen, dealers, importers, tournament operators, and similar businesses. 

To be an Economist or Social Scientist

There are often education requirements associated with these positions that include a college degree in economics or combination of education and experience.

Required Courses

Education requirements might include focused coursework in economics and math (e.g., statistics, accounting, or calculus). Knowledge of coding and ability to work with big data is a plus.

Finding on USAJobs: Searching for “NOAA” will identify all current job openings in the agency. This position may be advertised as an “Economist”, or “Industry Economist”. Positions may be located at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD or at a regional office or facility.

Fishery Regulations Specialist

Regulations specify how government laws and decisions are implemented. Regulatory actions are a major part of the federal fishery management process and the work we do in the Office of Sustainable Fisheries. Visit our website to see examples of NOAA Fisheries regulations.

Based at NOAA Fisheries headquarters in Silver Spring, MD, the fishery regulations specialist is a point person for both headquarters and regional fishery management staff. Fishery regulations specialists help staff develop regulatory actions, provide advice on navigating the regulatory process, and get documents published in the Federal Register. They ensure that all regulatory actions meet Magnuson Stevens Act, Administrative Procedure Act, and Office of the Federal Register requirements. 

Previous federal government experience is helpful in the fishery regulations specialist role. This position is suited to someone who is interested in fisheries management but doesn’t have a background in fisheries science. Strong attention to detail, organization, and project management skills are keys to success in this role.   

To be a Fisheries Regulations Specialist

There are often education requirements such as a college degree with a major in biology, environmental studies, or political science.

Finding on USAJobs: Searching for “NOAA” will identify all current job openings in the agency. This position may be advertised as an “Fisheries Regulations Specialist”. Positions may be located at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD or at a regional office or facility.