Job description
BlueCurrent Marine Institute is seeking a Senior Oceanographer to lead multidisciplinary physical oceanography programs. This role combines field observations, data analysis, and numerical modeling to advance understanding of coastal and open-ocean processes. You will collaborate with engineers, geoscientists, and policy stakeholders to translate scientific insights into actionable decisions.
Location: San Diego, CA with opportunities for remote collaboration and field deployments along the California coast. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and clear pathways for career growth.
Responsibility
- Lead design, planning, and execution of physical oceanography field campaigns using CTD, ADCP, floats, and autonomous platforms.
- Develop and apply numerical models and data assimilation techniques to interpret coastal and open-ocean processes.
- Oversee data quality control, processing, storage, and visualization; ensure reproducible analysis workflows.
- Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to deliver research outcomes and policy-relevant briefings.
- Mentor graduate students and research staff; supervise junior scientists and technicians on field deployments.
- Draft grant proposals, manage budgets, and foster partnerships with academic, government, and industry stakeholders.
- Communicate findings through technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at conferences.
Qualification
- PhD in Oceanography or related field; or a master's degree with substantial postdoctoral or industry experience.
- 5+ years of hands-on field data collection and analysis in physical oceanography (CTD, ADCP, floats, gliders).
- Proficiency in MATLAB and Python; experience with ocean modeling (MITgcm, HYCOM) and data visualization.
- Strong statistical analysis skills and ability to communicate complex results clearly to diverse audiences.
- Experience with GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS) and geospatial data handling.
- Demonstrated record of research publications and grant writing; ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
- Excellent collaboration, mentoring, and field logistics capabilities; willingness to travel for field campaigns.