FISH & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 3

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is recruiting to fill one full time, permanent, Fish & Wildlife Biologist 3 position located in the Habitat Program, Region 6. The duty station for this position is at the Port Orchard Office, Kitsap County. Under the supervision of the Regional Habitat Program Manager, or the Assistant Regional Habitat Program Manager and following the agency’s strategic plan and Habitat Program business plan, this position serves as Department expert regarding the incumbent serves a senior level professional Biologist (Hydraulic Project Compliance Inspector) responsible for all of the Habitat Programs biological activities within their assigned area of coverage (Kitsap and Mason Counties).
The incumbent is responsible for:

  • Being the independent specialist on issues affecting fish, lands, or habitat in a geographic area that may include more than one district, that includes planning, and developing resource assessments or resource management, by providing the analysis, assessment, and interpretation of the results and preparation of final written report that has a direct impact on key program decisions, specific to Hydraulic Code Compliance and Permitting
  • Administrative (civil) enforcement of the Hydraulic Code (Chapter 77.55 RCW and Chapter 220-660 WAC) primarily through education, technical assistance and warning letters.  However, when voluntary compliance is not attained, the incumbent will recommend a range of increasingly strict enforcement tools. This ranges from issuing letters of non-compliance to penalties and, when appropriate, criminal prosecution.
  • Supporting other biologists by providing additional technical assistance to project proponents. This assistance ensures Hydraulic Permit Applications (HPAs) issued by other biologists are followed so that fish life is protected. Additionally, the incumbent issues HPAs needed to rectify or compensate for damage resulting from illegal or non-compliant work.
  • Supporting Fish and Wildlife Officers by preparing violation reports and damage assessments reports with recommendations to correct and compensate for damages to fish life when criminal prosecution is warranted. The incumbent also serve as an expert biologist witness for court proceedings.
  • Reviewing and commenting on County or City environmental protection ordinance development and implementation under the Shoreline Management Act and Growth Management Act.

Duties

  • Investigates, ensures and prescribes appropriate resource protection requirements hydraulic projects comply with State laws (Chapter 77.55 RCW) and regulations (Chapter 220-660 WAC) that protect fish life from construction or other work that will affect the bed or flow of state waters.
  • Makes on-site inspections to assure projects are in compliance with the requirements of the Hydraulic Project Approval permit. To include :
    • Reviewing HPA applications for completeness and compliance with other permit requirements,
    • Conduct field reviews and participate in preconstruction meetings;
    • Coordinate reviews with other state agencies, as well as, local and federal agencies;
    • Recommend various and applicable BMP’s and construction techniques;
    • Evaluate potential adverse impacts of project proposals on fish resources;
    • Evaluate and recommend alternatives or plan modifications.
  • Provides education and technical assistance to project proponents to help them understand the measures necessary to protect fish life and remedy non-compliant conditions.
  • Writes letters of non-compliance where minor or potential violations are observed; inspects to ensure that corrections have been made; recommends a range of increasingly strict enforcement tools, if compliance is not obtained.
  • Issues Hydraulic Project Approvals (HPAs) to permit actions required to correct or mitigate for illegal or non-compliant work. This includes technical reviewing HPA application for completeness, providing pre-project review and technical assistance to project proponents, evaluating and provisioning HPAs for protection of fish life, and conducting project compliance onsite inspections during and post-construction.
  • Coordinate appropriate mitigation plans,
  • Approve, condition, or deny HPA’s for the protection of fish life.
  • Investigate complaints of unpermitted and illegal projects that affect waters of the State.

Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science AND three years of professional experience in fish management or fish research, wildlife management or wildlife research, or habitat management or habitat research. Twelve semesters or eighteen-quarter hours of specific course work is required for certain positions.
OR
A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute one year of the required experience.  A Ph.D. in the applicable science may be substituted for two years of the required experience.
OR
Two years as a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2.

https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs/1590632/fish-and-wildlife-biologist-3-11684h