The Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community (MDBC) Habitat Assessment and Evaluation restoration project requires subject matter expertise (SME) with annotation of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video and/or still images from mesophotic coral communities. Specifically, knowledge of video transects conducted with ROV, or other video techniques, expertise in the identification and ecology of mesophotic corals and sponges, and expertise in characterizing substrate types is preferred.

Key tasks include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

Task 1: Create an account with TATOR, the MDBC annotation software, and attend TATOR training offered by a member of the MDBC team.

Task 2: Use TATOR to annotate forward looking video and/or still images for corals, sponges fish and geology (substrate types) according to MDBC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Task 3: Use TATOR software to measure corals from forward looking still images according to MDBC SOPs.

Technical Requirements:

• Basic knowledge of mesophotic corals and sponges
• Experience with underwater image analysis and identifying corals, sponges and fishes to the lowest taxonomic level possible, recording abundance, size, and condition of organisms.
• Experience annotating substrate types in mesophotic habitats.
• Basic knowledge of ecological data analysis
• Detail oriented
• Willingness to learn TATOR software

Deliverables:

• Mesophotic coral and sponge annotations in TATOR
• Mesophotic fish annotations in TATOR
• Mesophotic geology (substrate) annotations in TATOR
• Coral measurements in TATOR
• Quality assurance and control of coral, sponge, fish and substrate annotations
• Weekly progress updates to HAE project managers

At CSS, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and merit-based workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals, ensuring that hiring and employment decisions are based on qualifications, skills, and performance. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.