What are the responsibilities and job description for the Pier and Aquaculture Technician position at Cal Poly Corporation?
Position Information
Job Title
Pier and Aquaculture Technician
Posting Number
201000754
Posting Type
Temporary
Contract End Date
05/31/2026
Salary Range
$21.21- $24.00 per hour
Hiring Range
$21.21 - $24.00 per hour
Full Time or Part Time
Full Time
If Part Time, List Work Hours
Position Summary Information
Job Description Summary
The Center for Coastal Marine Sciences (CCMS) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is seeking a motivated individual to serve as a Pier Support Technician (~50%) and Aquaculture Technician (~50%). The Cal Poly Pier, located in Avila Beach, CA, is managed by CCMS and used for a wide range of teaching, research, and outreach activities, and includes a flow-through seawater system used for husbandry, experiments, and aquaculture research. In addition, Cal Poly and CCMS has been growing the aquaculture portfolio, including projects at the Cal Poly Pier and in other locations in the region (e.g., Morro Bay), many of which are supported by California Sea Grant. The incumbent will spend approximately 50% time supporting activities at the Pier, and 50% time supporting aquaculture activities. Work at the Cal Poly Pier may involve long days working with and performing maintenance on heavy equipment. Work as the Aquaculture Technician may involve long days in the field and may require more than eight hours in a given day.
Occasional travel to collaborating institutions may be required.
Occasional travel to collaborating institutions may be required.
Minimum Qualifications
- Graduation from an accredited four-year university with a degree in biology, marine science, oceanography, aquaculture, natural resource management or equivalent, and 1-2 years of experience in the field OR A master’s degree from an accredited college in the above disciplines.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work in various situations where numerous and diverse demands are involved, with input from supervisors.
- Ability to adjust priorities when coordinating multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines with input from supervisors.
- Excellent oral skills including the ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner to a range of audiences; strong written communication skills are also valued.
- Demonstrated experience organizing and managing disparate workflows to meet schedules and requirements with input from supervisors.
- Knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
- Ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of personalities.
- Ability to conduct field-based surveys in a safe manner.
- Ability to follow established sampling protocols and accurately collect and record field data.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain approval to operate vehicles on university business
Preferred Qualifications
Physical Demands
- Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person or on the telephone
- Dexterity of hands, fingers, and wrist to operate a computer keyboard and calculator
- Seeing to read a variety of materials
- Sitting or standing for extended period of time
- Physical agility to lift 40 pounds to shoulder height
- Physical agility to lift, carry, push, or pull objects
- Commuting on an as needed basis to outside meetings and training locations
Typical Essential Functions
The duties of the CCMS Pier and Aquaculture Technician are varied. As Pier Technician, the primary duties are to support the day-to-day operations of the Cal Poly Pier:
- Assist with general maintenance activities at the Pier
- Assist with maintenance of the Cal Poly Pier Seawater System
- Assist with husbandry of organisms maintained in the aquaria at the Cal Poly Pier, and assist with supervision of students maintaining these aquaria
- Other tasks related to assisting with ongoing operations of the Pier as needed
- As Aquaculture Technician:
- Assist with maintaining the microalgal cultures
- Assist with maintaining larval cultures and culturing experiments
- Assist with/lead fieldwork in Morro Bay, including intertidal surveys, recruitment monitoring, maintenance of experiments on oysters farms and other locations in Morro Bay, and broodstock collection
- Assist with transport of student teams to field sites (including driving university vehicles and university boats)
- Assist with subtidal monitoring of field experiments in Morro Bay and the Cal Poly Pier
- Assist with data entry and data quality control
- Assist with other duties related to ongoing aquaculture activities at Cal Poly
Desired Qualifications
- AAUS scientific diver certification or ability to obtain said certification; AAUS instructor certification would be especially valuable.
- MOTC small boat operator certification or ability to obtain said certification
Special Instructions to Applicants
Cal Poly Partners provides excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, paid sick leave/vacation and 14 holidays.
Employees are eligible to participate in the CP Partners Medical Insurance Plan offered through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). Employees have different plans from which to choose including HMOs and PPOs. The coverage includes the employee, his/her dependents, or domestic partner. The CPC covers a large portion of the medical premium for the employee and eligible dependents.
All employees are members of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and will contribute to their retirement; these contributions can be refunded if the employee terminates prior to retirement.
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check, educational and employment verification, and reference check, as required.
EEO/Disability/Protected Veteran Employer
Employees are eligible to participate in the CP Partners Medical Insurance Plan offered through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). Employees have different plans from which to choose including HMOs and PPOs. The coverage includes the employee, his/her dependents, or domestic partner. The CPC covers a large portion of the medical premium for the employee and eligible dependents.
All employees are members of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and will contribute to their retirement; these contributions can be refunded if the employee terminates prior to retirement.
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check, educational and employment verification, and reference check, as required.
EEO/Disability/Protected Veteran Employer
Posting Detail Information
Open Date
03/07/2025
Close Date
Open Until Filled
Yes
Review of Applications Begin Date
03/07/2025
Salary : $21 - $24