Project Manager

Background: Global Fishing Watch (GFW) is an international nonprofit organization advancing transparency of human activity at sea to improve the management of our ocean. We do research, develop technology, and publicly share data about human activities and associated impact to enable a fair and sustainable use of our ocean. Founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google, GFW became an independent organization in June 2017. Using machine learning, cloud computing and satellite data, we have produced the first global mapping of industrial fishing and energy development across the ocean. By 2030, we aim to map the activity of most ocean-going vessels and offshore infrastructure, all the way from small-scale and industrial fishing to transport and energy activities. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean commons for the benefit of all.

The Position

The Research team at Global Fishing Watch (GFW) connects data science and machine learning experts with leaders in the scientific community to produce new datasets, publish impactful research, and empower others to use our data. Our work aims to harness satellite imagery, computer vision, and big data technology to address some of the most pressing issues facing the marine environment.

To deliver on these goals, the research team works closely with GFW’s engineering and product teams. Under a recent grant from the Audacious Project, these teams are collaborating to develop models to track all major human activity in the ocean, automate these models, and share the results through GFW’s platform. The Research team is expanding to 21 people, and the overall technical team at Global Fishing Watch is growing as well, with over 40 people planned to be working on the Engineering, Product, and Research teams in 2024. To support this expanded team, we are seeking a project manager to help coordinate and manage the Research team’s efforts to ensure we are delivering on expectations, collaborating effectively, and continuing to innovate.

The Research Project Manager will be responsible for coordinating key projects and will serve as a key interface between the team and other arms of Global Fishing Watch, with a focus on the technical projects shared with the engineering and product teams. This work will include tasks such as tracking and communicating key deliverables, scheduling internal and external team meetings, updating key documentation, and ensuring grant deliverables are on track using the existing toolset. The incumbent will gain experience fostering an efficient and successful research and development process that supports meaningful impact in the world.

To fulfill these tasks, the Research Project Manager will work closely with other project managers in the organization, using the project management tools shared across teams. The incumbent is responsible for planning project deliveries, understanding various life cycles of projects, adjusting priorities, providing support to ensure timely progress, and improving the overall project management framework. They will also play a special role in coordinating the tasks of people who work between the research and engineering teams, ensuring a high level of cross team functioning.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage technical projects:
  • For each new project, engage with the team to develop the project’s scope and objectives while ensuring technical feasibility.
  • Organize meetings for each project's life cycle (initiation, planning, kick-off, checkpoints, and retrospectives) and make sure that necessary people attend and materials for meetings are sent beforehand.
  • Ensure that tasks are assigned, progress is tracked, and deadlines are met.
  • Foster clear communication and teamwork between a project’s team members.
  • Support and improve the Global Fishing Watch’s project framework, keeping it lean and agile.
• Support the Research team’s coordination and management:
  • Track and assist with reporting on grants, key performance indicators (KPIs), and internal objectives and key results (OKRs).
  • Schedule and coordinate regular research team meetings, ensuring that key discussions, decisions, and action items are documented using the GFW’s project framework.
  • Coordinate communication with other GFW teams to manage expectations of the Research team, provide progress updates, and advocate for support.
  • Coordinate and contribute to internal and external documentation of datasets and methods.

Candidate description

Skills you should have

• Bachelor's degree and at least five years of professional experience managing technical projects, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working remotely and asynchronously.
• Demonstrated experience in team coordination or project management.
• Highly organized, analytical, detail oriented, and self-motivated.
• High proficiency in English.
• Experience working in academia or with researchers.
• Ability to work quickly and efficiently to a very high standard of detail.
• Ability to communicate project updates to stakeholders in a transparent and proactive manner.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while performing in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Basic understanding data-science driven projects.
• Readiness to embrace Slack, Google Suite, Jira, Notion, and other collaborative tools for remote work.

Also great

• Some programming skills in SQL, R, or Python.
• Familiarity with project management software such as Jira, AirTable, or Notion.
• Experience interacting with product managers and software engineers.
• An appreciation for the complexities and rewards of collaborating in a remote, global and diverse environment.
• Experience documenting datasets for public use.

The successful candidate will meet most, but not necessarily all, of the criteria above. If you don’t think you check all the boxes, but believe you have unique skills that make you a great fit for the role, we want to hear from you!

Additional Information

Reporting to: Chief Scientist

Manages: NA

Location: Please note: Visa sponsorship is not supported at this time.

Location: This is a remote role, but candidates must be legally authorized and based in the following countries to be considered. : Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Panama, Philippines, Senegal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, UK, USARemote - we welcome candidates based in any country

Term: Permanent position

FT/PT: Full-time

Recruiting process

Recruiting Process: A cover letter along with a CV will be requested to see how your experience and interest connect to the position. We expect the cover letter to allow applicants an opportunity to explain details on how their skill set aligns with the role and provide a better understanding of their suitability for the position. If selected for consideration, the hiring process for this position will include a formal 45 minute interview with 2-3 staff followed by a 30 minute administrative screening by an Human Resources manager. Candidates advancing beyond this round will be asked to take a technical assessment and/or submit a representative code sample. Lastly, an informal 30 minute call with 3-4 members of the Research and Innovation team will be held with finalists.

Working Hours: Global Fishing Watch supports flexible working, so the pattern of hours may vary according to operational and personal needs. The position will be part of a global team spanning many different time zones and so the candidate must be able to accommodate regular early/late meetings to be able to work effectively. Weekend work may be required on occasion. The post holder may be required to undertake regional and international travel. No overtime is payable.

Compensation: A compensation range for this position is US$ 85-105,000 per year for US-based employees - For applicants located outside of the US, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire . Compensation is commensurate with experience and will vary depending on the hired candidate’s country of residence, in accordance with local laws and regulations. GFW offers pension/retirement, health and other benefits commensurate with similar level GFW employees in the country of employment. The position may be a GFW employee or consultant, depending on the country of residence

Equal opportunities: Global Fishing Watch is an equal opportunities employer. Global Fishing Watch is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization and in the greater ocean management and conservation community. We believe that diverse backgrounds, skills, knowledge and viewpoints make us a stronger organization. Bringing together professionals who possess broad experiences and a spectrum of perspectives will enable us to reach our goal of improved ocean governance faster. We hire and promote qualified professionals without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or parental status, national origin, age, physical or mental disability or medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our organizational goals match the urgent challenges facing our global ocean, and our mission is designed to help secure a healthy ocean for all. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of humanity’s diversity, by providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees of Global Fishing Watch and for our partners, vendors, suppliers and contractors.