Senior Technical Officer – Micro Algae Scottish Highlands 10 views

Senior Technical Officer – Micro Algae Scottish Highlands

Job Type : Permanent, Full Time

Salary : £30000 – £35000/annum Relocation Assistance

Senior Technical Officer – Micro Algae Scottish Highlands
Does aquaculture hatcheries and restocking the world’s oceans 1 million oysters at a time excite you? At The Oyster Restoration Company our mission is to make our seas and oceans more sustainable by creating a huge and reliable supply of oysters. Come join us as we help the world to transform the oyster industry through sustainable, restorative, and innovative operations that seek to drastically help decarbonisation, a million oysters at a time.
The Oyster Restoration Company is a commercial shellfish hatchery specialising in the hatchery production of native flat oysters for the environmental, restoration and farming markets. We are currently seeking the role of Senior Technical Officer to join our team.
This role will be responsible for overseeing all use and compliance of laboratory equipment, algae production, and site microbiology. The growing and oversight of axenic feed for our larvae, spat and broodstock using the hatchery’s microalgae facility will be the positions primary focus, overseeing the reliable production of multiple microalgae species and the operation of the latest aquaculture technology, including more than ten (10) Industrial Plankton Photobioreactors, alongside more conventional batch techniques using high levels of attention to detail and aseptic techniques. The position will be responsible for the sites microbiology monitoring, including routine testing of hatchery water, algal, larval and spat systems using standard microbiological techniques. The position will ensure that the sites laboratory equipment is serviced and calibrated routinely. The position will initially have one direct report. This role is a senior role within the company and would offer training and support to new and junior staff.
Our laboratory manager will work closely with our senior hatchery team in ensuring site algal requirements are met or exceeded on a daily basis. This will be achieved through daily harvesting of selected algal strains; the quantification of algal concentrations and thereby the required feed volumes necessary to affect a prescribed feed concentration for the oysters. The incumbent will work independently to meet weekly and monthly production goals.
The role will also work closely with the hatchery manager, facilities manager and other hatchery leads in ensuring the site delivers on company milestones and production targets.
The position will be permanently based at Aultbea, Scotland from June 2023 with some training occurring at our research and development facility in Orkney, Scotland prior to that period.
This position will assist with:
Manage microalgae for feeding larval, juvenile and broodstock oysters.
Utilise aseptic techniques to maintain high quality algal cultures in batch and bioreactor growing chambers including frequent autoclaving of media and equipment.
Work with the hatchery manager to coordinate algal production around production schedules for algae delivery to all areas of the facility.
Oversee daily activities include pH monitoring, conducting cell counts, monitoring and recording growth parameters, and monitoring oyster feeding rates and adjusting algal harvesting for dosing as needed.
Plan and execute microalgal inoculations/transfers at multiple scales as well as maintain a stock collection of algal species.
Maintenance of sterile culture conditions is essential to avoid contamination and culture crashes.
Oversee the sites microbiological sampling.
Responsible for ordering supplies and equipment required for successfully maintaining cultures of multiple microalgae species concurrently and microbiological testing. Maintain records of seasonal oyster seed and spat on shell production.
Maintenance of the algal photobioreactors, including filter replacements, cleaning, implementing improvements to the equipment with guidance from the Industrial Plankton technical team.
Clean and maintain the micro-algal facility seawater systems, including, but not limited to tank cleaning, changing filter cartridge etc.
Maintain laboratory equipment compliance, and servicing for the site.
Work with the Hatchery and Facilities manager on algal and laboratory system upgrades and improvements
There is an expectation that the successful candidates will be willing to involve themselves with varied tasks as part of a close-knit team and help build a happy and successful workplace.
To perform the job successfully you will have;
Degree level qualification in Biology/Aquaculture/Fisheries/Microbiology/Plant Science/Botany with some post graduate experience culturing microalgae
* Experience with Photobioreactors.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* Experience in being a leader within an organisation.
* Great organisational skills.
* Demonstrated ability to work in a diverse team environment and establish positive working relationships with colleagues, including regular reporting to the hatchery manager.
* Willingness to work flexible days including weekends on a rotating hatchery roster.
* Demonstrated ability to manage records and data with a high level of accuracy.
* Current United Kingdom “B” Class Drivers licence.
If you feel that you have the skills and experience we are seeking then please apply with a copy of your CV or should you wish to discuss in more detail please call Kieron Madden at Woodlands Recruitment Solutions on; (phone number removed)

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