State of Washington
Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
invites applications for the position of:
FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 1 *09330W
SALARY: $2,663.00 – $3,459.00 Monthly
OPENING DATE: 09/23/14
CLOSING DATE: 10/02/14 11:59 PM
DESCRIPTION:
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is dedicated to protecting native fish and wildlife, and
providing sustainable fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities for millions of residents and visitors.
Working throughout the state, WDFW’s employees–field biologists, enforcement officers, land stewards, lab
technicians, customer service representatives and others—manage hundreds of fish and wildlife species,
maintain nearly a million acres of public wildlife lands, provide opportunities for recreational and commercial
fishing, wildlife viewing and hunting, protect and restore habitat and enforce laws that protect fish and wildlife
resources. Find out more about us and the important work we are a part of at www.wdfw.wa.gov.
Fish & Wildlife Biologist 1
(Full time, Project)
The WDFW is recruiting to fill one, full time, project Fish and Wildlife Biologist 1 position located in the Wildlife
Program, Science Division. The duty station is Pierce County but work will be conducted throughout the Puget
Sound Area to include the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the outer coast of Washington State to the Columbia
River.
This position conducts professional biological studies and provides analysis and assessment of wildlife
management data using established scientific principles and techniques. As a project seabird and marine
mammal biologist, this position is a member of a four-person field crew conducting boat surveys in Puget
Sound, along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the outer coast of Washington south to the Columbia River. The
primary objective of this position is to collect information on the distribution and abundance of marbled
murrelets, seabirds, and marine mammals in Puget Sound and the outer coast of Washington. In addition to
gathering distribution and abundance data, the position will also be responsible for entering data, proofing data,
summarizing data, and co-authoring annual monitoring reports.
The marbled murrelet is a seabird that was listed under the federal Endangered Species Act as a Threatened
species in California, Oregon and Washington and it is listed as Threatened by Washington State. The
Job Bulletin
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/washington/job_bulletin.cfm?JobID=970369[9/23/2014 10:18:37 AM]
marbled murrelet recovery plan outlines recovery strategies including developing and conducting standardized
at-sea surveys. These surveys allow researchers and managers to model population trends and evaluate
progress towards recovery. In addition, when developing the Northwest Forest Plan for managing federal forest
lands, it was decided that at-sea murrelet population trends were to be used to assess the effectiveness of the
plan. The surveys conducted for USFWS allow us to estimate the density and trends of murrelets in the marine
waters of Washington. The surveys conducted for the Navy provide information on the density of murrelets,
other seabirds, and marine mammals relative to Navy facilities in the Northwest and these data are ultimately
used by USFWS and NOAA during ESA Section 6 consultations to assess impacts of Navy training and facility
development. These projects are federally funded and research on seabirds and marine mammals are
necessary to address USFWS, NOAA, and WDFW research and management needs.
DUTIES:
Conducts biological studies and carries out programs using established procedures and protocols;
summarizes biological data, and co-authors research reports;
Collects data on bird and mammals in marine environments for use in determining habitat use,
population distribution and abundance and the relative importance (suitability) of different habitats;
Enters, proofs, and summarizes data in DLog and/or Excel including using summary statistics. In
addition, they will co-author year-end reports to the federal funding agencies;
May conduct surveys of other species as opportunities arise;
May supervise or lead assigned personnel or volunteers in the field.
Specific tasks include:
Use line transect distance sampling to collect detailed seabird and marine mammal distribution and
abundance data and enter those data into specialized software on a laptop computer during surveys.
Surveys are conducted in accordance with the Marbled Murrelet Effectiveness Monitoring survey
protocols and protocols developed for the Naval Base Monitoring Program. Surveys are conducted
throughout the year and often in inclement weather;
Data collection includes distribution and abundance of all seabirds (in both summer and winter
plumages) and marine mammals encountered along transects as well as monitoring attendance at
Washington seabird colonies;
Data entry, data proofing, data summary (summary statistics) and report writing;
Communicate effectively to the public and federal, state, and county officials;
Daily cleaning of research boat;
Maintenance of binoculars, electronic equipment, and communication equipment.
QUALIFICATIONS:
A Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science.
Twelve semesters or eighteen quarter hours of specific course work is required for certain positions.
Experience*: Equivalent education/experience.
Licenses: Valid Washington State Drivers License
Competencies:
The best qualified candidate will possess the following skills, knowledge and abilities:
Ability to accurately identify Washington’s marine mammals and to identify Washington’s seabirds in
both breeding and non-breeding plumages.
Ability to prepare detailed written reports on technical studies;
Proficient in use of MS Word and Excel with experience summarizing data in Excel or similar software.
Ability to apply standard statistical techniques to summarize research data.
Be physically capable of withstanding long hours in a small boat (24 feet) at times in adverse weather
and sea conditions and have excellent eyesight.
Field experience using line transects distance sampling from boats and proficient use of a personal
computer.
Live and work cooperatively in a team of four people, have excellent attention to detail, and good
communication skills.
Knowledge of principles and procedures of biological research and of field methods.
Ability to use standard field equipment.
Job Bulletin
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/washington/job_bulletin.cfm?JobID=970369[9/23/2014 10:18:37 AM]
* Experience is based on full time equivalency (i.e., 40 or more hours/week). Part time work is prorated (e.g.,
20 hours/week for 6 years = 3 years of experience). Do not count experience that was a part of your
educational requirements.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Schedule:
Marbled Murrelet Monitoring Project: May – July, Monday – Friday (approximately full time). Work on weekends
and holidays possible.
Naval Base Monitoring Project: 1 October – 15 March, Monday – Friday (approximately 0.70-0.90 of full
time). Work on weekends and holidays possible.
Working Conditions & Travel requirements:
Marbled Murrelet Monitoring Project: Travel is expected Monday through Friday of each week with surveys
originating from one of four ports including Neah Bay, LaPush, Westport, and Ilwaco. Technicians will live in a
trailer and hotels during the week. Per Diem will be provided when overnight stays away from duty station are
required. A Motor Pool vehicle will be provided for transportation from duty station (TBD) to field sites.
Naval Base Monitoring Project: Day trips (in general) are expected to each of 7 Naval Installation sites within
Puget Sound and overnight stays for the 1 site located on the outer coast of Washington. Per Diem will be
provided when overnight stays away from duty station are required. A Motor Pool vehicle will be provided for
transportation from duty station (TBD) to field sites.
Union
This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the State of Washington, Department of
Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish and Wildlife Professionals (WAFWP). As a condition
of employment you must either join the union and pay union dues, or pay the union a representational or other
fee within 30 days of the date you are put into pay status.
How to Apply:
To 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 (please make it succinct)
Three professional references (personal references do not count as professional)
Please note: Failure to follow the above application instructions will lead to disqualification. E-mailed
documents will not be accepted in lieu of attaching your documents to the online profile.
Upon submission of your online application, you will immediately receive a confirming e-mail. You will then be
notified via e-mail of your status during the process. In addition to the e-mail notifications, you can check the
status of your application at any time by visiting your online profile at www.careers.wa.gov. Due to the high
volume of applications that we receive, we ask