This recruitment will fill a permanent, full-time Fish and Wildlife Biologist 3 position in the Fish Program, Science Division, Wild Salmon Production and Evaluation Unit.  The duty station is the WDFW Region 4 Office located in Mill Creek, WA.

This position will lead WDFW’s monitoring program to quantify ecological and genetic interactions between hatchery and wild steelhead in Puget Sound.  Providing the recreational fishing opportunities supported by steelhead hatchery programs is contingent upon measuring the risk they pose to wild steelhead, and meeting conservation goals for recovery of threatened Puget Sound populations.  By evaluating hatchery impacts relative to target thresholds and assessing the biological factors that determine the degree of risk, this position will generate the scientific information needed to directly inform adaptive management.  This position supports WDFW’s mission to 1) conserve and protect fish native fish and wildlife and 2) provide sustainable fishing, hunting and other wildlife-related recreational and commercial experiences.

The incumbent will plan research, collect biological data, and develop the scientific analyses needed to monitor the genetic and ecological effects of early winter steelhead hatchery programs on wild steelhead and other salmonids in Puget Sound.  This includes leading an effort to collect DNA samples from juvenile, smolt and adult steelhead, implementing new sampling protocols in some cases and coordinating with ongoing efforts in others.  The position will evaluate ecological interactions between hatchery and wild steelhead during and after release from regional hatcheries. The successful candidate will shape the future of WDFW’s research program supporting adaptive management of steelhead hatcheries in Puget Sound.