Marine Scientist, Offshore Wind Energy

Job Details

Description

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation is America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than seven million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. The Federation’s mission is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change. The Federation is committed to inspiring all people around our shared love of nature and wildlife by creating a welcoming and inclusive community representative of all Americans.

To advance our mission, we are seeking a Marine Scientist to join our Offshore Wind Energy team. The Offshore Wind Energy team works to support the responsible development of offshore wind energy, bolstered by science-based recommendations for all stages of siting and development. In this position, you will lead the development and application of rigorous, evidence-driven strategies to avoid, minimize, mitigate, and monitor the potential impacts and benefits of offshore wind on marine wildlife and ecosystems. Your scientific expertise will inform policy positions and advocacy efforts that ensure offshore wind development is compatible with wildlife conservation goals. You will report to the Offshore Wind Energy team’s Senior Policy Specialist and alongside NWF colleagues on the broader Climate & Energy and Science teams.

Subject-Matter Expertise

Principal Duties (major areas of responsibility):

• Serve as an analyst and advisor on matters relating to marine species, with a focus on understanding and addressing the potential impacts of offshore wind development on marine wildlife—particularly marine mammals, sea turtles, and the benthos—and compile recommendations for science-based strategies to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those impacts.
• Stay current on the latest scientific research, monitoring data, and technological developments related to marine species and offshore wind development, and integrate this knowledge into NWF’s recommendations, advocacy, and communications.
  
  

Coalition & Advisory Body Participation

• Represent NWF’s science-informed positions in interactions with state and federal agencies, as well as in multi-stakeholder forums including the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative’s expert subcommittees and state technical working groups.
• Engage with offshore wind developers, consultants, and state agencies to share science-based recommendations and promote responsible project design and implementation that protects marine species.
• Contribute to the design, evaluation, and advocacy of robust monitoring and adaptive management frameworks to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures and ensure long-term protection of marine species.
• Promote science-based approaches that support nature-positive outcomes, including strategies to achieve net benefit for marine biodiversity and the integration of nature-inclusive design principles in offshore wind development.
  
  

Contribute To Science-Based Communication Materials

• Work with communications staff to develop materials, including fact sheets, white papers, and talking points to support NWF’s offshore wind program and provide leadership on marine species issues within the broader conservation community.
• Recognize Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as a distinct and complementary knowledge system alongside western science, particularly in understanding marine species behavior, habitat use, and ecosystem dynamics. Identify opportunities to integrate TEK into offshore wind siting and development processes—such as through insights on species presence, migration patterns, culturally significant species, and long-term ecological changes—while respecting Tribal sovereignty and knowledge-sharing protocols.
• Support education across the Federation (staff and affiliates) by sharing key scientific updates, presenting at staff and affiliate meetings, and advising colleagues across the organization on marine science as it relates to renewable energy development.
• Carry out limited administrative responsibilities as needed.
  
  

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 8 years of relevant experience in marine biology, ecology, conservation science, or a related field, with a strong understanding of marine species and ecosystems. A Master’s or other advanced degree in a relevant field can count toward experience.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize scientific research and monitoring data to inform conservation recommendations, environmental reviews, and/or impact assessments.
• Familiarity with conservation strategies such as impact avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and monitoring, including adaptive management and nature-inclusive design.
• Understanding of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as a complementary knowledge system and experience integrating diverse knowledge sources into ecological reviews or recommendations.
• Strong science communication skills, including the ability to distill complex scientific concepts for non-scientific audiences, advocacy partners, and decision-makers.
• Collaborative mindset and experience working with interdisciplinary teams, including scientists, policy experts, Tribal Nations, NGOs, government agencies, or industry stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently, meet deadlines, and maintain high attention to detail across written and analytical work.
• Proficiency in organizing and managing project files, tracking document versions, and maintaining clear records of scientific and regulatory materials.
• Demonstrated ability to stay current with emerging scientific research, monitoring results, and technological developments relevant to marine species and offshore wind development, and to integrate this information into applied conservation strategies and recommendations.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or equivalent experience in marine biology, ecology, environmental science, or a related discipline, with a focus on species-level research, conservation biology, or marine ecosystem dynamics.
• Experience evaluating the impacts of offshore wind or other ocean uses (e.g., vessel traffic, noise, electromagnetic fields, habitat alteration) on marine species such as marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, invertebrates, seabirds, and/or the benthos.
• Familiarity with data sources and tools used in marine species research, such as habitat suitability models, acoustic monitoring data, tagging studies, or population viability analyses.
• GIS or spatial analysis skills to support species distribution analysis, habitat mapping, or site suitability assessments (helpful but not required).
  
  

Travel Requirements

There will be occasional travel associated with this role, roughly 2-3 trips per quarter.

Location and Work Mode:

This position will have the option of being based in Washington, DC, but we welcome remote candidates. The National Wildlife Federation is committed to a flexible and empowered work environment with an authentic community of care for all staff. In this position, the employee may work in office, hybrid, or remote to be decided jointly with their supervisor in the final stages of the interview process. For more information on Work Modes, please review the benefits section of our careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers

Physical Requirements Of The Job

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example, using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about the workspace. The position requires mobility, including moving materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Compensation And Benefits

The salary range for this position is $85,000-$95,000, commensurate with experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits, and by Forbes as one of America’s best small employers! We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible scheduling. We want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care, so that your work schedule is not depleting. We offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week.

We offer these supports to help manage your mental, emotional, and physical health:

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual based on a full-time schedule, unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural, religious or financial wellbeing for yourself, a partner, or family member – including pets), and 11 holidays
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of-year stress, and time for reflection, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low-cost health, dental, and vision insurance options – all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance
  
  

In addition to your salary, we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management
  
  

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

Application

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. The National Wildlife Federation is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment with regard to any classes or characteristics protected by law.

For more information on our recruiting process, please review our Careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers

We recognize that people come with a wealth of knowledge and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid work, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings. Whether you’re new to the field, returning to work after a gap in your employment, or are taking the next step in your career path, if you believe you could excel in this role we encourage you to apply! Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence. To be eligible for this role you must be a U.S. citizen or have valid work authorization to work in the U.S.

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at [email protected] or 703-438-6244.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.