Viable Salmonid Population Monitoring Technician - Scientific Technician 2 - Seasonal - *15507-23
FULL-TIME/CAREER SEASONAL
VIABLE SALMONID POPULATION MONITORING TECHNICIAN
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 2 (ST2)
Fish Program
Cathlamet, Washington - Wahkiakum County
Season Length: 10.5 months
July 16 – May 31
Gain valuable knowledge and hands-on field experience by assisting in the installation, operation, maintenance, and removal of adult fish weirs and coordinate and conduct adult salmonid spawning surveys.
This is also an opportunity to refine your data collection skills by collecting precise estimates of adult and juvenile salmonid abundance and entering work into established spreadsheets and databases.
Picture yourself in the field,
Conducting juvenile outmigrant sampling using rotary screw traps and assisting in the operation of adult salmonid weirs.
This is an opportunity,
To learn or improve your skills in chum salmon brood stock collection and assist in spawning and collection of biological data.
With your fishery experience,
Capture, identify, enumerate (count), handle, and tag live adults and juvenile salmonids.
We are seeking a candidate,
Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).
Duties:
Some of what our Viable Salmonid Population Monitoring Technician will enjoy doing,
Juvenile trapping:
- Assist in the installation, operation, maintenance, and removal of juvenile migrant traps including rotary screw and fence-panel with live box traps. Collect data needed to estimate juvenile salmonid outmigrant abundance in the Grays River and other basins.
- Identify, enumerate (count), handle, mark and recapture juvenile salmonids and other fishes.
- Use a variety of tools to install, maintain, remove, and fabricate design changes to juvenile migrant traps.
Viable Salmonid Population (VSP), fishery monitoring, and snorkeling to gather data, identify, count/collect fish, or deploy and inspect field gear:
- Conduct adult salmonid spawning ground surveys on Lower Columbia River tributaries to collect data needed to measure viable salmonid population (VSP) parameters and generate accurate and precise adult salmonid abundance estimates.
- Identify and enumerate (count) adult salmonids (live and dead) and redds.
- Collect biological data from live adult fish and carcasses.
- Install, remove, maintain, and operate adult and juvenile monitoring weirs, traps, and equipment.
- Snorkel as needed for weir installation, inspections, and removal. May also snorkel for adult salmonid presence and absence, and to deploy nets for sampling.
Data collection, entry, and management:
- Accurately record and proof data collected using iPads and Tough Pads.
- Ensure scale cards, coded wire tag (CWT) snouts, DNA and otolith sample collections are submitted in a timely manner.
Chum salmon aquaculture:
- Assist with chum salmon brood stock collection in the Grays River basin.
- Assist with spawning chum brood stock for the Grays River chum aquaculture program.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
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Work Setting, including hazards:
- Approximately 80% of the time is spent in a fieldwork environment.
- Work outdoors and be exposed to hot and cold temperatures and often areas with wet slippery footing. Repetitively lift large, live fish (typically up to 30 pounds) and repetitively move loads of weir components (up to 70 pounds) short distances over rough terrain.
- Sample spawned out salmon carcasses with very strong odors, conduct spawning ground surveys by foot or pontoon boat, walk up to six (6) miles per day over rough terrain and record data under adverse weather conditions.
- May participate in snorkeling for inspecting weirs and deploying nets for the capture of fish for sampling. May also snorkel for summer steelhead resights in rivers with fast flowing, whitewater conditions up to 3-4 miles a day.
- Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
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Schedule:
- 24/7 non-scheduled including weekends and some holidays.
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Travel Requirements:
- Daily travel is required during most times of the year to and from field locations and the field office. No over-night travel.
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Tools and Equipment:
- Vehicles and trailers, normal hand and carpentry tools, winches, pulleys and blocks, pontoon rafts, 4x4 vehicles, coded wire tag (CWT) detector, iPad and Tough pad, and fishing tackle.
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Customer Interactions:
- Interact with the public, personnel from other state agencies, and local landowners.
Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Graduation from high school or GED, including one (1) year of high school science AND two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician.
OR
- Graduation from high school or GED including one (1) year of high school science AND two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.
Please Note:
- College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute, year for year, for experience, provided the course work includes at least six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter hours of natural science classes.
Certifications/Licenses:
- Valid Driver’s License - driving record abstract may be requested at the time of interview.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and training availability
- WDFW snorkel training and certification, with completion within six (6) months of hire and renewal expected annually.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:
Ability to:
- Identify salmonids, both adult and juvenile forms.
- Identify salmonid redds.
- Operate handheld iPad and data logging devices.
- Conduct surveys independently in remote locations
Experience with:
- Adult trapping techniques including resistance board and fixed panel type adult fish weirs.
- Juvenile trapping techniques including operation of rotary screw and fence-panel with live box juvenile traps.
- Adult and juvenile fish marking/tagging techniques and protocols.
- Fishery monitoring and sampling.
- Basic carpentry skills
- Operating oar-powered vessels such as drift boats and pontoon boats in white water conditions through class 1 – 3 rapids.
- Basic functions in Microsoft Excel and Access
Certifications:
- Basic CPR/First Aid certification.
- WDFW snorkel training and certification.
Supplemental Information
Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.
Experience and education selected, listed, and detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable in the application.
In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:
- A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
- A current resume.
- Three professional references.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
JOIN THE WDFW TEAM:
Learn about our agency and the perks of working for WDFW!
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field. We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency’s mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).
WDFW employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth.
UNION - WAFWP:
This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer
VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:
To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:
- Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
- Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran)
- Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.
MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE:
To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:
- Notify us of your military spouse status by email at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
- Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – MS)
- Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.
Note: Please blackout any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone at 360-902-2278 or email JaymeChase@dfw.wa.gov or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.
If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.