See Below

*Job ID:    8900
*Job Title:    Scientific Technician
Job Reference Num  :
Organization Name:    Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
No of Openings:    2
Work Schedule:    Open- Flexible Late march thru mid-June
Hours per Week:    Part time
Wage/Salary:    None–unpaid internship; mileage allowance
Employment Start Date:    March 25, 2014
Employment End Date:    June 15, 2014
Supervisor:    Patrick Hanratty
*Job Description:    Intern would assist regular staff on apart-time basis to accomplish project duties/ goals listed below:

1) Juvenile fish (salmonid) trapping/ monitoring

Assist with the installation/removal, operation and maintenance of the juvenile fan trap structure on Bingham Creek, located near Matlock WA. Check traps on a daily basis, enumerating and sub-sampling juvenile salmonid catch for size (fork length) and weight as assigned by supervisor. Record and release all non-targeted incidental species captured.

Field crew & intern responsible for maintaining trap integrity during high flow and making repairs if damage occurs due to weather, flows, debris or vandalism. At the end of season, assist with trap removal and storage. Daily trap check information (date, time, catch by species, individual fork lengths, weights and notes) will be recorded on trap check forms and entered into project data base. All data will be entered, error checked and turned into supervisor on a regular basis. Organize & maintain all trap related gear, sampling equipment and trap check forms.

2.    Coded Wire Tagging
Will work with a fellow trained technician to apply CWT’s to coho smolts captured in the Bingham Creek or Deschutes R. traps. Responsible for following study design protocals & making sure fish are tagged using proper fish handling and tagging techniques. Responsibilities include anesthetizing smolts, sorting to size & condition, applying CWT’s, enumerating by tag code and recording data on field tagging forms. All data will be entered into project data base and error checked before being turned into supervisor on a timely basis. Tagging machine & CWT detector will be maintained & cleaned and maintained on a regular basis throughout the trapping season. 15%

3.    Adult Trap:

Technicians & intern also responsible for enumerating & passing any upstream migrating fish captured in the Bingham Creek fish ladder trap, located adjacent to the downstream trap structure. 5%

Trapping operations are dependent on fish migration and environmental conditions. The traps are operated 7-days/week, 24 hr/day throughout the season, requiring work on weekends and holidays. During peak migration or periods of high flow/heavy debris, the intern may be asked to work long hours, as needed, until all the fish are processed, to ensure fish are released in good condition.

Work site is exposed, meaning work may be conducted in rain, wind and cold conditions. Maintaining traps require crew to be in good physical condition, able to operate cleaning rakes/ brushes for prolonged periods of time when debris loads are high. Processing fish requires prolonged exposure of hands to cold water. Crew will regularly transport 5 gallon buckets of water in slippery conditions on uneven terrain. To ensure the fish are handled with minimal stress, they are anesthetized with MS-222.

*Qualifications:    Current college course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, environmental/ natural sciences, or closely allied field.

A valid Washington State or other state’s driver’s license is desirable.
Educational Component  :    Student will learn all facets of biological monitoring of juvenile outmigrant salmonids on long a term research study stream.

Intern will be acquire skills that will enable & enhance future employment opportunities.

Intern will receive training in the following areas:

1. Salmon life history and proper fish-handling techniques; biological data collecton.
2. Identifying juvenile salmonids to species.
3. Use of coded-wire tag injector and detection equipment.
4. Effectively coordinating & communicating with co-workers and other fisheries professionals.
5. Data collection & database entry; maintaining computer files and use of database software (MS-Excel, Access)
Application Instructions  :    Please submit letter of interest & resume to:
Patrick Hanratty @ Wa State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, Olympia, WA 98512 , or email (preferably) to:

Patrick.Hanratty@dfw.wa.gov
360-902-2781