Description

Washington is America’s Top State according to U.S. News (2019) and we provide one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field.  We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency’s mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of professionalism, accountability, empathy, integrity, service, and respect.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is dedicated to preserving, protecting and perpetuating fish, wildlife and ecosystems, while providing sustainable recreational and commercial opportunities dependent on viable fish and wildlife populations.  Each day, WDFW employees facilitate fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities for millions of residents and visitors.  WDFW’s employees–field and laboratory biologists, geneticists, research scientists, hatchery professionals, policy experts, fully commissioned law enforcement officers, land stewards, lab technicians, property acquisition specialists, customer service representatives and others work throughout the state.  WDFW employees protect and restore critical habitat, strive to facilitate species recovery when necessary, and manage hundreds of fish and wildlife species.  WDFW employees maintain nearly a million acres of public wildlife lands. They interpret, apply and enforce state and federal laws and collaborate with stakeholders to protect fish and wildlife resources. The Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field.  Find out more about us and the important work we are a part of at www.wdfw.wa.gov.

The recruitment is one (1) 7-month non-permanent full-time Scientific Technician 2 in the Fish Program, Region 2, Fish Science. The duty station is the Methow Field Office located at 20268 State Route 20, Twisp, WA 98856.  The anticipated start date March 16, 2020.

This position performs field work related to evaluation of hatchery program and population monitoring activities in the Methow River Basin.DutiesConduct spawning ground surveys
Tasks include:
Hiking up 10 miles per day in rough terrain (i.e., river corridors) and inclement weather while carrying sampling equipment (up to 50lbs)
Measuring redd characteristics (dimensions, habitat variables, flow characteristics).
Recording observations related to spawning (e.g., identification of species, origin, and sex of spawners), and navigating rivers in pontoon boats.

Conduct remote sampling for juvenile fishes
Tasks include:
Sampling juvenile salmonids and other fishes using various methods including angling, electrofishing, and netting
PIT tagging native salmonids
Collecting and recording biological data
Carrying sampling gear weighing up to 50 lbs. for extended periods while walking in rough terrain (i.e., along and across rivers).
Identifying various species of juvenile fishes
Assisting with daily maintenance, preparation, and storage of sampling equipment.

Sample adult steelhead and other fishes at the Twisp River weir
Tasks include:
Collecting and recording biological data from live adult fish (i.e., scale samples, length, sex, tissue samples, and hatchery marks)
Safely handling and tagging adult and juvenile salmonids
Euthanizing surplus hatchery steelhead
Collecting whole fillets from fish for calibration of fat-meter
Collecting and counting eggs from surplus females and pre-spawn mortalities and implanting PIT tags and Floy tags.

Operate rotary screw traps
Tasks include:
Ensuring proper operation of rotary screw traps including installation and maintenance.
Collecting juvenile salmonid data for estimating basin-wide natural smolt production
Identifying various species, conducting mark/recapture trials to estimate trap efficiency, and PIT tagging
Collecting biological information from target and non-target taxa

Maintain remote PIT-tag antenna arrays
Tasks include:
Assisting with the construction, deployment, maintenance and repair of remote PIT tag antenna arrays throughout the Methow River basin, including working with others to ensure timely downloads of data from arrays and upload of data into P4 and PTAGIS.

Data entry
Tasks include:
Reviewing and tabulating data into existing MS Access or Excel databases

Assist with other hatchery monitoring and evaluation activities
Tasks include:
Assisting with collection and spawning of hatchery broodstock, fish rescues, and other miscellaneous duties as required.

Working Conditions:
The work schedule is typically 40 hours per week, but days worked will vary by week.  Work days will range from <8 hours to >12 hours, depending on workload.  During peak work periods, working nights, weekends, and holidays may be required.  Travel is required to field locations throughout the watershed to accomplish project duties.  Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings, training, or gather supplies from distant locations.

Equipment responsible for:
Pontoon boats, PIT tag detectors, snowmobiles, ATV’s, power and hand tools, computers, GPS units, fat-meters, PIT tag Readers, radio telemetry receivers, metal detectors, safety equipment (e.g. PFD’s).

Spawning Ground Survey:
Spawning ground surveys are often performed during periods of cold and wet conditions (steelhead) or hot and dry conditions (Chinook) with prolonged exposure to the elements.  Surveys are performed independently or in pairs by walking uneven and slippery stream terrain for up to 10 miles/day, often in remote locations.  Pontoon boats are used when high discharge precludes walking the river.  Navigating large hydraulic river features and unstable log/debris dams will be required.  Travel to remote survey sites by snowmobile/ATV will be common in the spring.

Remote Fish Sampling:
Work is conducted in remote field locations. Access to remote fish sampling sites is often difficult and typically requires off-trail hiking through dense riparian areas where various hazards are present (e.g., tripping hazards). Operation of electrofishing equipment can result in exposure to dangerous electrical currents.  Safety gear (i.e., gloves, waterproof waders, and a personal flotation device) should be worn at all times. Carrying a backpack with sampling gear or a bucket full of water weighing up to 50 lbs. while walking uneven and slippery river terrain is required on a daily basis. Angling and PIT tagging will be a significant portion of fish sampling duties requiring repetitious use of sharp needles, fishhooks, tweezers, etc.

Weir Trapping:
Difficult working conditions are also often experienced during weir trapping, including long days (12-hr days are common) and inclement weather.  Collecting fish from the weir traps and cleaning of the weir requires walking across icy platforms and immersion in cold, swift, waist deep water for extended periods.  PFDs should be worn at all times.  Fish sampling requires the use of sharp tools (fillet knives, tweezers, needles), exposure to anesthesia chemicals (e.g., MS-222), and ethanol.   Lifting and carrying fish boots and buckets full of water will be necessary.  These duties can be mentally and physically demanding particularly when following a long day of spawning ground surveys.

Smolt Trapping: A variety of working conditions are experienced during smolt trapping activities.  During peak workloads (March-June & October-December), night work, highly variable work schedule, overtime, and cold inclement weather can be expected.  It is required that you can navigate a rope-guided boat across the river to access the smolt traps during periods of high water.   Smolt traps are floating platforms that experience periods of instability and random movement, and can be very icy.  There can be times of frequent noise exposure due to the operation of generators and water pumps. The sampling of fish requires the use of anesthesia chemicals (MS-222) as well as concentrated alcohol for sterilization and tissue preservation. Lifting and carrying buckets full of water, sometimes up and down ramps, is necessary. These duties can be very mentally and physically demanding, particularly in the spring during periods of high fish abundance and high river discharge.

Maintaining PIT Tag Interrogation Sites:
Work to maintain interrogation sites can vary from fixing electrical issues to using snorkeling techniques to replace underwater equipment. The replacement of antennas commonly requires the ability to carry large and heavy objects into and out of river locations. A portion of the work will be performed in the water, occasionally requiring snorkeling while wearing drysuits.  Travel to some sites may require snowshoes, skis, or snowmobiles.

Other Sampling Tasks:
There will be work performed in a hatchery setting during broodstock collection and spawning activities.  Some broodstock collection maybe performed at Wells Dam, which requires the use of PPE such as long pants, close-toed footwear, and a hard hat, often during very hot and sunny conditions.  Trapping activities at the dam and hatchery create the need for increased safety near exposed raceways and fish ladder facilities.

Union:
This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.(WAFWP)

QualificationsRequired Qualifications:
Graduation from high school or GED, including one year of high school science and two years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.  OR   Graduation from high school or GED including one year of high school science and two years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute, year for year, for experience, provided the course work includes at least six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.

Preferred work experience
Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate experience in handling, sampling, and tagging adult and juvenile salmonids;
Conducting spawning ground surveys for anadromous salmonids;
Collecting biological data in a neat and precise manner;
Hiking long distances while carrying heavy sampling equipment in rough, slippery terrain;
Capturing juvenile salmonids by angling and electrofishing;
Using Microsoft Access and Excel;
Navigating rivers in pontoon boats.
Additional preference will be given to candidates who possess a related degree in fisheries, wildlife, environmental, or natural resource sciences.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment
A valid driver’s license
Must be able to regularly endure long hours of adverse weather and wet conditions with minimal shelter, while maintaining meticulous attention to detail and accurately recording collected data.
To safely and efficiently walk and/or raft four to ten miles of rugged, low-order river terrain on a daily basis and be comfortable working regularly in a swift, whitewater river environment.
To be comfortable, professional, and confident working amongst professionals from other agencies and the public, some of whom have differing opinions regarding the objectives and activities of WDFW.
To occasionally lift weights of up to 75 lbs.
To perform job duties under adverse conditions with minimal supervision and maintain concentration, manual dexterity, and keep meticulous records of data during long work shifts, including night shifts.

Supplemental InformationTo 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
• Three professional references
• Answers to supplemental questions

Please note:  Failure to follow the above application instructions may 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.

Veteran Preference Notice
To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to RecruitmentTeam@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line should include recruitment number, position and Vet (Example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov

Military Spouse Preference Notice
To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at RecruitmentTeam@dfw.wa.gov. 
• Subject line should include recruitment number, position and MS (Example:#10155 Biologist 1 – MS)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer.  We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.  Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.  Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2276 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (800) 833-6388.