The District Fish Biologist will plan, direct and coordinate management of specific aspects of fish resources in the John Day Watershed District including supervising employees in the day to day field activities of gathering data and handling public inquiries and complaints. S/he will be responsible for collecting and summarizing data on harvest, spawning, escapement and distribution if various fish species within the district; protecting aquatic and riparian habitat within the district by frequent field investigations of land and resource use operations and recommending to various regulating agencies and private landowners actions to avoid, minimize or mitigate damage to the fish resource. This position will identify and develop habitat improvement and public access projects and provide information to civic groups, recreational organizations, governmental groups and the general public regarding the agency’s total fish and wildlife programs, activities and related topics. Major duties and responsibilities are to:

• Supervise staff. Recommend hiring, firing, and discipline of employees as necessary. Plan, organize, assign, and direct work of assigned staff. Determine priorities, necessary work to accomplish agency goals and objectives, appropriate time frames and schedules, and logistical needs to accomplish District work. Determine staffing needs for District work. Monitor day-to-day activities of District staff. Identify and implement ideas to effectively and efficiently accomplish District work tasks. Ensure that work assignments are accomplished by subordinates.

• Plan, supervise, assign, direct, and conduct biological surveys. Determine appropriate inventory methodology by reviewing data, literature, past reports, and analyzing advantages and disadvantages of techniques for gathering information at appropriate level of resolution. Conduct inventories using electro-fishing equipment, nets, boats, and other scientific equipment. Determine fish species composition, distribution, fish population abundance, natural production of fish populations, fish mortality from natural, man-made, and harvest factors, and growth rates by weighing and measuring individual fish. Analyze data collected through inventories using calculators, computers, and handwritten computations. Describe findings orally or in written form depending on complexity of findings and particular audience. Prepare written and oral presentations of population management recommendations to staff, commission, and public.

• Determine need for hatchery-reared fish to supplement natural production of fish in District.

• Identify and develop new fishing opportunities and additional fisherman access opportunities. Conduct ongoing review of projects to ensure scientific validity of methods and results, and compliance with agency fish management policies, goals, and objectives
Write proposals to initiate research and fisheries projects. Evaluate findings of review of fish management in District. Provide liaison with other biologists and staff to ensure effective exchange of ideas and coordination of fish management activities amount districts, regions and tribes.

• Protect fish habitat. Conduct or see that investigations are completed. Investigate fish kills, determine total number of fish and species killed. Determine potential impacts to fish habitat from logging, road building, water withdrawals, land use changes, construction activities, agricultural and grazing activities, fill and removal activities in water bodies, stream channel alterations, and lake alterations and provide recommendation to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts to appropriate regulatory authority. Investigate water pollution in streams and lakes and provides information to proper authorities for resolution

• Determines potential impacts to upstream and downstream fish passage from water withdrawals, in-channel structures, impediments, barriers, and hydropower developments. Negotiate appropriate corrective or mitigative actions with agencies, companies, or individuals posing potential habitat impacts.

• Provide formal professional testimony of consequences of land and resource development decisions and actions to boards and commissions. Provide professional expertise and assistance to landowners, public, local governments, and agendas.

• Restore and improve habitat. Identify streams and lakes with altered habitat conditions that lack necessary habitat types to sustain natural production of fish populations. Determine appropriate fish habitat restoration/improvement actions. Prepare written plans and funding proposals, and solicits funding through written material and phone and/or personal contacts. Negotiate with landowners for permission to conduct habitat improvement projects. Assign individuals or groups to accomplish project. Interact verbally and physically participates with volunteers, other agencies, and contractors to accomplish habitat restoration/improvement activities.

• Respond to public inquiries through phone, personal, and written contracts. Prepare and present information and education programs in local area. Respond to complaints and concerns from public and other entities through phone, personal, and written contracts.
Coordinate and direct development of sub-basin fish management plans through direction of subordinates. Update sub-basin fish management plans in written form.

• Compile and prepare preliminary reports on all district activities in written form.
Write monthly, annual, and special district reports. Prepare written reports and make presentations of findings to staff, peers, commission, and public.

• Repair and maintain public boat access facilities. Post and install regulation signage. Use tools to maintain equipment such as electrofishing equipment, boats, motors, and trailers, nets, traps, and motor vehicles.

Working Conditions

• Extensive driving on rural and undeveloped roads often during inclement weather conditions.

• Walking on uneven and sometimes slippery terrain and wading in streams, rivers and lakes with muddy, rocky and/or slippery bottoms.

• Requires handling nets and fish, often in cold and wet weather conditions, from boats and natural surfaces.

• Attend and occasionally conduct meetings during evenings and weekends and often in highly emotional situations.

• Requires a flexible work schedule that varies in the number of hours worked on a daily basis, but not necessarily each day, or a work schedule in which the starting and stopping times vary on a daily basis, but not necessarily each day. This includes working at all hours and workdays in excess of eight hours. Work occasional weekends.

• This position has been designated as sensitive in that the incumbent in this position has access to confidential/fiscal-related information. The successful candidate will be subject to an initial criminal history background check with fingerprinting and will be subject to annual criminal history checks thereafter. Continued employment is contingent upon passing the criminal history background check.

• This position requires an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Education Card for on the job use of quads and three-wheeled ATVs (Class 1 ATVs) obtained through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, accessible at the following website: www.rideatvoregon.org/. On your application, be sure to indicate in the Certificates & Licenses section if you have a card. If the selected applicant does not possess this certification, s/he must obtain it within six months of hire as a condition of continued employment.

• This position requires Hazardous Waste Operations Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training certification to respond to hazardous material spill events. On your application, be sure to indicate in the Certificates & Licenses section if you have this certification. If the selected applicant does not possess this certification, s/he must obtain it within six months of hire as a condition of continued employment.

• This position requires a Boater Education Card obtained through the Oregon State Marine Board. There are some exceptions to this (e.g., Coast Guard Boat Operator License or commercial fishing license). For further information, access the Web site at www.boatoregon.com. On your application, be sure to indicate in the Certificates & Licenses section if you have a card. If the selected applicant does not possess a card, s/he must obtain it before completion of the trial service period as a condition of continued employment.

NOTE: You must have a valid driver license and an acceptable driving record.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will check driving records for in-state finalists. Out-of-state finalists will be required to present a current driving record for review.

NOTE: Within three-days of hire, applicants will be required to complete the U.S. Department Homeland Security’s I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States. ODFW participates in E-Verify. ODFW is not able to support VISA sponsorships.