Aquaculture Production & Genetics Research Technician

Job Details

Waterfield Technologies Inc, (WTI) in partnership with KMD is looking for full-time workers, interested in pursuing a career in freshwater aquaculture with an interest in sustainable food production. WTI is an agricultural production, service, sales, and research company that focuses specifically on aquaculture, hydroponics, and all the systems that interconnect these two production methods.

The current production focus is on breeding multitrophic aquaculture seed (fry) for sale. Research focuses on key new production techniques, systems, and genetic advancements that improve yields and productivity across a variety of domestic and international aquaculture systems. Fundamentally, WTI works at the intersection of animals, plants, and bacterial communities that all must work together for consistent operations as well as optimized yields and profits. 

The Company is currently focused on work with Tilapia, but will be adding fresh-water Crustaceans and Mollusks over time. The Company has been operating since 1993, and has used 46+ generations of continuous genetic improvements to support aquaculture producers in lowering their production costs via improved growth rates and better feed efficiency while maintaining disease resistance and robustness.

The mission behind all of this work is to put ocean-overfishing out of businesses. We can achieve this by lowering production costs, making aquaculture products less expensive to produce and therefore more affordable for consumers to purchase.

This is a highly dynamic, hands-on role combining aquaculture production/sales, lab/research responsibilities, and genetic program support. A technician’s primary responsibility will be in aquaculture production/sales and this will consume roughly of 75% of their time with the remaining 25% spent on lab/office/genetic work. The split will depend on individual candidates' skills and interests. Depending on preference, work could be all production-based.

The production work involves moving in and out of fish tanks, pulling nets, and handling fish on a daily basis. You will be wet and working in water several days each and every week. It can be hot and the work can be physically hard. No tasks require excessive strength beyond lifting many 50 lb bags of salt or feed across any given week, but across the day endurance is needed.

Production Responsibilities:

• Individually or in teams of two, select broodstock, and stock in various tanks for breeding.
• Collect fry/PL and other juvenile species for growing out.
• Grading fry via grading nets - moving fry amongst grow-out tanks.
• Feeding fish and general hatchery chores/light maintenance of some equipment.
• Packing and delivery of products to a range of farms in Florida and in-state airports for air cargo.
• Perform water quality and parasite tests.
• Collect tissue samples from specimens, and coordinate with outside labs and geneticists for results analysis.
• Helping with zooplankton and algal production needed for early life stages.
• Some property/landscaping work, cutting grass, pruning bushes, trees when needed.

The Lab/Office/Research work is just what it sounds like - extensive work in the office, working on Mac computers, working with the FileMaker database, Excel spreadsheets, online research, and AI modeling. This part of the job will be fast-paced and as intellectually challenging as the production work is physical. 

The Company works directly with many local, domestic, and international farms and farmers, and some duties will involve visiting clients and partner laboratories, providing support from many angles including but not necessarily limited to sales, market development, and technical outreach. If the candidate has strong driving skills, then there is an opportunity to be a primary or backup delivery driver, visiting our clients/airports at least once per week to deliver our products.

Office/ Lab/ Research Responsibilities:

• Gather, process, and analyze in-house breeding and production data.
• Entering production data in databases (FileMaker) / Excel. Helping to generate reports.
• Working to help write Grants, social media, website posts depending on skills.
• Helping with Office IT work. Helping with basic software updates and resolving inevitable software bugs.
• Assisting with special operations projects, quotes for equipment, and business research areas.
• Support design and manage a range of research programs to improve production and broodstock genetics.

Requirements

• Graduate or undergraduate with a strong interest in environmental science, marine biology, aquaculture, or related fields with a preference for a 3.0 GPA, but open to individuals who do not test well in school but can demonstrate knowledge in the field with a strong work ethic, and aptitude for on-the-job learning.
• Good writing skills are a plus - experience in grant writing is an extra big plus.
• Interest in lab work as well as hands-on technical production work.
• Experience with Microsoft and Mac applications, attention to detail for data gathering, charts, and checklists.
• Independent, self-motivated worker.
• Experience with FileMaker is a large plus!!
• Willing to get wet - work in fish tanks, sort and handle fish.
• Strong interest in reversing climate change and market-based solutions to solving some of the world's largest environmental problems, as well as a commitment to production work. 

Job specifics:

• Entry-level pay scale, with the opportunity to grow with a rapidly growing company.
• Full-time on-site housing is available depending on need or preference.
• Standard benefits include paid vacations, paid sick days, wellness bonus.
• Full medical/health insurance not currently offered, although coming in the future.

Contact:

• Please contact John Cunningham (jcunningham115@gmail.com) with any questions.

Contact Information

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