Marine finfish hatchery specialist
Manage operations and development of marine finfish hatchery
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Overview
Manage operations and development of marine finfish hatchery
You have:
- A post-graduate degree in a related biological science or engineering field
- A minimum of five years’ operational experience managing marine finfish hatcheries covering incubation, nursery and broodstock management and live feed production for marine finfish larval stages
- For Consultants working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian), preferably Arabic. For PSA.SBS working knowledge of English is sufficient.
Organizational Setting
The National Marine Centre (NMC) was initiated as a pilot project by the Directorate of Fisheries in 1979 (in cooperation with FAO), to conduct applied research and provide support services for an emergent aquaculture sector. NMC is a semi-closed flow-through hatchery system, pumping sand-filtered water from a marine storage lagoon. The facility which also includes fish health diagnostic laboratories, employs 5 professional, and up to 18 technical and 11 support staff reporting to the Director of Fish Wealth under the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture (MMAA).
The facility currently produces around 1.5 million juveniles per year with capacity to double this to at least 3 million in the immediate future. The centre can mass propagate gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) Sobaity seabream (Sparidentex hasta), brown-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), rabbit fish (Siganus canaliculatus), mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus), and spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus). Juveniles (principally gilthead bream, Sobaity bream, grouper, and grouper) are sold to GCC and RECOFI countries for restocking and culture purposes. Live feeds and larval propagation units are environmentally controlled. Water temperature in broodstock and nursery tanks can be lowered 1-2oC below ambient through shading and mixing of supplementary of saline groundwater. This limits ability to optimise the timing of juvenile production. No genetic selection programmes are currently in place.
The successful candidate will ensure performance is at the highest possible level resulting in superior quality juveniles being delivered to regional customers, whilst also achieving growth and productivity targets. You will have demonstrated a high level of commitment in previous positions, be problem-focussed, and goal orientated and have proven organizational and time management skills. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills will also enable you to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with the operations team.
Reporting Lines
Under the supervision of the Subregional Coordinator (SRC) for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen, and under direct technical supervision of the Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer/ OIC, the incumbent will support the formulation and implementation of FAO’s agenda with regards to the objectives of the UTF/BAH/005/BAH Project.
Technical Focus
The expert will support the formulation and implementation of FAO’s agenda with regards to aquaculture development in Bahrain. The candidate will be responsible for production planning and oversight of day-to-day operations of the National Mariculture Centre (NMC) a multi-species marine hatchery at Ras Hayyan on the East coast of Bahrain. At the same time the candidate will collaborate on the development of a strategic plan (roadmap) detailing how best to place the centre on a firm commercial footing over the next 5-10 years, cognisant of local and regional market opportunities and competition.
The position will be initially funded for one year under the project ‘Supporting the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector in Bahrain’ implemented by the Government of Bahrain with support of the FAO regional office of the Gulf States and Yemen (FAO-SNG). The project aims to strengthen the national aquaculture and fisheries sector in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Draft and implement a hatchery marketing plan and annual budget (covering capital and operational expenditure) and provide regular performance reporting against these targets. • Draft and execute a 24-month hatchery operational plan (covering broodstock, hatchery, larval incubation, weaning, nursery and grow-out stages) including input procurement requirements. • Develop improved record keeping systems, key performance indicators (KPIs), standard operation procedures (SOPs) as elements of a living (regularly updated) hatchery process manual for all departments and support their effective implementation. • Draft and implement a facility maintenance and development plan/ schedules covering pumping facilities and emergency power, biosecurity, and physical security. • Assess, recommend, and implement changes to human resource contracting, training, incentivisation and disciplinary procedures to increase productivity. • Provide technical oversight for development of a proposed new hatchery facility. • Help draft a strategic master plan (SMP) for NMC in collaboration with senior management and FAO expert staff resulting in costed business plans for core hatchery facilities, health services and contracting of six satellite investment sites for SME grow-out or service industry businesses.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• A post-graduate degree in a related biological science or engineering field • A minimum of five years’ operational experience managing marine finfish hatcheries covering incubation, nursery and broodstock. management and live feed production for marine finfish larval stages • For Consultants working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian), preferably Arabic. For PSA.SBS working knowledge of English is sufficient.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Operational experience of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) • Experience of marketing juvenile life stages. • Excel data analysis and report writing proficiency. • Proven project and team management experience
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe your experience with hatchery operations and the key challenges you've faced? | This question assesses your relevant experience and problem-solving abilities in a hatchery setting. | Share specific examples of your previous roles and the challenges you encountered, emphasizing your solutions. |
| How do you prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a high-pressure environment? | The interviewer wants to understand your time management and project management skills. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies would you implement to improve the productivity of a marine hatchery? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you provide an example of how you have previously improved team performance in a technical environment? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What methods do you use to ensure high-quality data analysis and reporting in aquaculture? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
Added 2 years ago
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Updated 1 year ago
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Source:
fao.org
