For more information, please follow this link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3391547/fish-hatchery-specialist-2-in-training-chelan-fish-hatchery-permanent-0

Salary- $34,368.00 – $48,996.00 Annually

Our Fish Hatchery Specialist 2, 

  • Calculates and feeds fish according to pond populations and weight samples. Adjust feed size and amount fed as needed.
  • Monitors fish behavior and health.
  • Monitors egg and fish production, and disinfects and enumerates eggs.
  • Administers therapeutics drugs as prescribed.
  • Identifies, sorts, and samples species for spawning and adult distribution.
  • Cleans ponds and raceways, troughs, and incubator systems to maintain fish health.
  • Identifies marked adults and collects tags/marks for bio sampling.
  • Performs fish inventories, splits, grading, marking trailer inventories, weight samples and plants.
  • Picks eggs loss by hand or using equipment and incubates for facility programs or shipments.
  • Collects adult fish by operating volunteer or non-volunteer fish trap.
  • Collect adult mortality and enter data into hatchery documents.
  • Identify all targeted and non-targeted species, gender, stock origin and condition of maturity when trapping and spawning adults.
  • Conducts remote trapping and spawning operations, including transport of equipment and gametes.
  • Fertilizes eggs with sperm, according to pre-determined ratios using established spawning protocols and HGMP requirements.
  • Tracks temperature units (TU’s) and monitors chillers to adjust TU’s, including tracking thermal marks.
  • Receive eggs and samples and distributes them into rearing vessels at correct loadings as well as ponds fry according to proper TU’s.
  • Incubates eggs using vertical trays.
  • Monitor dissolved oxygen levels when in order to maintain proper carrying capacity of rearing units.
  • Loads fish for transport using a variety of methods such as: electric fish pump.
  • Operates commercial transport vehicles. Ensures vehicle is in working order by performing pre-trip inspections and reports needed repairs.
  • Loads truck according to safe hauling densities, utilizes proper oxygen levels and monitors fish during transport.
  • Actively works to maintain/use facility wide biosecurity and ensures volunteers and members of the public follow biosecurity guidelines.
  • Monitors rearing units for signs of predation and ensures rearing areas are secure.
  • Understands correct safety protocols for all hazardous chemicals/drugs used for all treatments and chemical storage/handling, i.e. formalin, peroxide, anesthetics, paint thinner, gas/diesel, potassium, and other chemicals.
  • Scan fish for various tags using coded wire tag wands, pit tag detectors, and other tag associated equipment.
  • Monitors water quality parameters using dissolved oxygen meters (calibrates when needed) and chemicals such as Hach kits in order to insure a safe rearing environment.
  • Performs chemical treatments as prescribed by the Fish Health Specialist.
  • Proficient use of computers and software in order to perform various aspects of hatchery work, including data entry, record keeping, reporting (both within and outside agency).
  • Assists or develops forms or spreadsheets for more efficient record keeping.
  • Performs water quality analysis and discharge monitoring reports (DMR) as required by the Department of Ecology to maintain hatchery discharge permits (NPDES).
  • Compile, catalogues, and stores historic records at facility.
  • Maintains proper water flow and rearing environments.
  • Performs standby, which requires responding to alarms and taking appropriate action to preserve facility programs, tests alarms, and reports failures to agency personnel.
  • Actively identifies safety hazards and takes action or recommends remedies as appropriate.
  • Operates forklifts, tractors, yard maintenance equipment, fish pumps and common power tools.
  • Wears and uses employee safety equipment as directed including, inspecting, cleaning, and repairing employee’s safety equipment; testing employee safety equipment, recording respirator cartridge use and results of respirator tests.
  • Accurately interprets SDS sheets in order to determine chemical composition as necessary and maintains an updated file.
  • May serve on safety committees or serve as safety officer and complete regular safety reports through safety meetings. Identifies safety concerns or problems and offers solutions.
  • Understands confined space regulations and hazards.
  • Maintain required safety training through agency training platforms (TLC).
  • Understands inherent safety concerns based on hatchery locations such as Radon, or environmental hazards such as hantavirus and other health hazards.
  • Responds to questions from visitors to the facility.
  • Interacts with the public in a polite, professional manner.
  • Communicates closely with supervisors and coworkers regarding hatchery operations and infrastructure.
  • Works alone on station and needs to be able to make sound decisions.
  • Travels to other hatcheries to assist with heavy workloads.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  • Work Setting, including hazards:    
    1. Outside in all weather conditions performing strenuous physical activities.
    2. Office work when the work requires it.
    3. Ability to lift or move 50 pounds of fish feed, equipment, and gear.
  • Schedule:
    1. Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, 40-hour work week, depending on time of year, includes days, nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.
  • Standby:  
    • This position is off station and standby is not currently assigned.
    • All applicants applying for this position should understand that standby is a requirement for all positions in the Fish Hatchery Specialist series. This position may require standby, which means the employee is responsible for overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day. While on standby this position will work ten days and be off four days.
    • Management may determine it is necessary to assign standby in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of the agency and as necessary to protect the resources of the agency and if assigned, it will be a requirement of the position.
  • Housing: 
    • Housing is not provided for this position.
  • In-Training Plan: 
    • The FHS1 performs a variety of technical and scientific fish culture duties, performs hatchery related maintenance, and participates in an agency supervised fish culture training program.
    • Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month in-training plan, the selected candidate will automatically be promoted to a Fish Hatchery Specialist 2.
  • Travel Requirements:
    1. Travel may be required in order to accomplish agency goals.
  • Tools and Equipment: 
    1. Perform mechanical tasks using power and hand tools, which includes lawn care equipment, tractors, forklifts, welding equipment, egg picking machines, water sampling instruments, transport trucks, passenger vehicles, adult fish pumps, adult fish counters, CWT identification equipment, trash pumps, pressure washers, diesel generators, small gas engine, computers and software.
  • Customer Interactions:
    • Communicate effectively with public and volunteers. Employee will interact with small community groups and individual constituents on a regular basis.

Qualifications

This Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training) series provides mentoring and career development opportunities for candidates with limited hatchery and fish culture experience.

Candidates will be hired as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 or 2, dependent on skills and experience.

Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 1:

  • An Associate’s degree in fisheries technology, biology, or a closely allied field.

          OR

  • Three (3) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology or closely allied field.

          OR

  • Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school.

Please Note: Three (3) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery will substitute for the required education.

Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (Goal Class):

  • One (1) year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 AND successful completion of agency supervised training program.

OR

  • An Associate’s degree in fisheries technology or closely allied field AND one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

OR

  • Two (2) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries or closely allied field AND one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

OR

  • Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school AND one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.