(Aquaculture) Technician for the European Oyster Hatchery on Helgoland (m/f/d)

at  AlfredWegenerInstitut fr Polar und Meeresforschung

The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) is a member of the Helmholtz Association (HGF) and funded by federal and state government. AWI focuses on polar and marine research in a variety of disciplines such as biology, oceanography, geology, geochemistry and geophysics thus allowing multidisciplinary approaches to scientific goals.
(Aquaculture) Technician for the European Oyster Hatchery on Helgoland (m/f/d)

REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for a motivated (aquaculture) technician, ideally with experience in oyster/shellfish farming who is able to adapt to the multidisciplinary tasks of this position. The position requires an education as an aquaculture technician, marine-technical assistant or equivalent education. It offers many possibilities to include one’s own ideas and professional backgrounds.
You should have good English language skills. The ability to speak or the willingness to learn the German language is mandatory as a lot of the coordination is only possible in German. The readiness to work and communicate in an international team as well as good coordination skills are required. The position includes on-call and weekend duty at the hatchery.

Desirable skills and knowledge

• Ability to contribute own ideas, motivation and professional experience
• Ability to work independently

The main duties include the development, technical management and supervision of all components involved in the outdoor hatchery infrastructure (offshore and on site). These tasks require a close collaboration with the scientific diver group and the technical department at the AWI Helgoland. In addition, the tasks require the willingness to go on one-day boat trips, e.g. to deploy nursery structures.
You will also support processes within the hatchery production as needed, coordinate with the test and development project RESTORE within the group, and set up research experiments, if needed.

Technical facilities:

• Cleaning, maintenance and management of the field nursery off Helgoland
• Design, installation and management of additional nursery structures e.g. landers for oyster baskets
• Coordinating the arrival of juvenile oysters to the Helgoland facilities, traceability and supervision of these processes
• During hatchery production: e.g. operation, cleaning and maintenance of microalgae cultures (small and large scale)

Oyster husbandry:

• Culture and monitoring of seed oysters (outdoor nursery)
• Development of methods for the production of seed oyster products suitable for the deployment within restoration measures in the German Bight
• During hatchery production: e.g. oversee feeding of broodstock oysters and oyster spat, maintaining broodstock conditioning and/or larval rearing (standard hatchery production protocols)

General

• Deputy tasks within the multidisciplinary team