SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 1 *01853H

Salary

  $2,176.00 – $2,806.00 Monthly

Location

  Thurston County – Olympia, WA

Job Type

Full Time – Non-Permanent

Department

Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Job Number

2016-01853H

Closing

2/28/2016 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

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. Find out more about us and the important work we are a part of atwww.wdfw.wa.gov.

Scientific Technician 1
(Non-Permanent, Full Time)

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is recruiting to fill one full time, non-permanent, Scientific Technician 1 seasonal field position located in the Habitat Program. The duty station is in the Natural Resources Building, Olympia, Thurston County. The anticipated start date is April 1, 2016 with an employment duration of 6 months with a possible extension pending funding up to 18 months.

The purpose of this position is to assist with the monitoring of shoreline restoration and modification projects around Puget Sound to help better understand the effects of these projects and provide a means of comparison across projects by using consistent monitoring techniques across multiple projects. This position will also assist with ongoing efforts to survey and sample forage fish and forage fish habitat.

Duties
Field/Lab activities:

  • Assist with data collection and the implementation of study designs for habitat monitoring, and forage fish research.
  • Perform laboratory tasks in support of shoreline monitoring, and forage fish habitat research.
  • Perform data management tasks in support of shoreline monitoring, and forage fish habitat research.

Office Tasks:

  • Offload field data collection equipment
  • Data entry and QA/QC using Excel or other database systems
Qualifications
Education: Graduation from high school or a GED, including one year of high school science.
Licenses: Valid Washington State or other state Drivers License
Ability to: Think critically; conduct field surveys; collect, record, and compile data meticulously; perform work in a safe manner; work independently and as part of a team; accept supervision and supervise; follow prescribed protocols and procedures; follow oral and written direction; operate field equipment (e.g. geographic positioning system, survey equipment, digital camera, iPad’s, small boats) to collect data; operate laboratory equipment including microscopes; develop and maintain positive, productive, respectful working relationships with coworkers and collaborators; show the competence and confidence to make independent judgments in the field about sampling protocols; perform a variety of outdoor work in inclement weather; tolerance for difficult field conditions and tedious data entry and laboratory tasks.
Knowledge of: Microsoft Word, Excel, Windows. Familiarity with nearshore processes and environmental stressors in Puget Sound. Experience collecting environmental data. Experience collecting and identifying forage fish eggs. Working knowledge of MS Office package including Word and Excel. Knowledge of and ability to follow general laboratory safety procedures. Ability to closely follow standard protocols and perform work under moderate supervision. General laboratory safety procedures.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
Professional or scholarly experience conducting field research, preferably in the Pacific Northwest; familiarity with nearshore marine habitats; knowledge of principles and procedures of research; familiarity with the use of iPad’s and GPS’s or other devices for collecting data in the field; experience with Microsoft Word and Excel and familiarity with Windows driven computer programs; ability to encourage and maintain team cohesiveness; ability to act safely and decisively in the field; ability to adapt to challenges in order to complete project objectives.

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.
*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 course work includes at least six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.

Supplemental Information
Working Conditions
The workweek will typically be Monday through Friday, 8 AM to approximately 5:00 PM but alternative work schedules, including overnight travel and weekends will be required to efficiently complete field work. While the duty station is in Olympia, fieldwork occurs throughout the Puget Sound region and employees can expect to spend approximately 30% of their time in the field.
The incumbent will be expected to perform a variety of outdoor work in inclement weather; tolerance for difficult field conditions including working in muddy tide flats and driving/navigating narrow boat ramps with a boat trailer. While in the field, regularly entering and exiting boats from the beach will be required. Field work requires that sometime be spent on hands and knees, also bending and walking or crawling to collect samples. This position can be physically demanding and inclement weather should be expected. The incumbent must be comfortable navigating over open water by boat and through shallow water and mud by foot to reach survey locations.

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 your understanding and encourage you to use the online process and avoid calling for information.

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.