Job: Fish Program Scientific Technician, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (Other, WA) |

Salary- $39,528.00 – $51,432.00 Annually

Supervises, organizes, and conducts remote sampling of juvenile fishes. Tasks include:

Hires and supervises one career-seasonal Scientific Technician 2 position to assist with this duty; trains subordinate employees and checks work to make sure project protocols are followed. Assigns tasks, trains, and checks work of other technicians to ensure efficient use of time and preparedness for sampling events.
Implants Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags in fish while collecting and recording biological data, including identification of various species of juvenile fishes.
Organizes sampling gear to ensure that all required gear and safety equipment is available for crew.
Carries sampling gear weighing up to 50 lbs for extended periods while walking in rough terrain (i.e., along and across rivers).
Assigns sampling tasks to sampling crews such that sampling effort is distributed in accordance with study objectives; uses discretion in selecting sites and sampling methods for the day based on fish health and crew safety concerns.
Maintains sampling gear in proper working order, while ensuring that equipment and storage area are well organized.

Conducts spawning ground surveys for target species. Tasks include:

Lead worker that plans, organizes, schedules, supervises, and conducts spawning ground surveys following established protocols; uses discretion in planning daily surveys based on existence of safety hazards (e.g., high discharge).
Assigns tasks, trains, and checks work of other technicians to ensure efficient use of time and preparedness for sampling events.
Hikes up to 10 miles per day in rough terrain (e.g., rivers) and inclement weather while carrying sampling equipment (up to 50 lbs) and navigates rivers in pontoon boats (up to 15 miles per day).
Identifies and enumerates redds of steelhead, Chinook Salmon, and Bull Trout, while documenting redds of other species of interest (e.g., Cutthroat Trout).
Measures redd dimensions and collects flow and habitat data at redd locations.
Collects tissue samples, measurements, and other data from carcasses.
Operates snowmobiles, ATVs, and pontoon boats to access survey sites; and performs routine maintenance on snowmobiles, ATVs, and trailers.

Conducts sampling of adult steelhead and other fishes at the Twisp River weir. Tasks include:

Lead worker and point of contact between Methow Field Office and hatchery staff that plans, organizes, schedules, supervises, and conducts sampling of adult steelhead and other fishes at the Twisp River weir following established protocols.
Hires and supervises one career-seasonal Scientific Technician 2 position to assist with this duty; trains subordinate employee and checks work to make sure project protocols are followed.
Assigns tasks, trains, and checks work of other technicians to ensure efficient use of time and preparedness for sampling events.
Collects and records biological data from adult fishes (i.e., species, scale samples, length, sex, tissue samples, PIT tags, and hatchery marks).
Uses discretion in selecting fish for broodstock and managing escapement (pHOS) goals.
Safely handles and PIT tags adult and juvenile fishes.
Removes snouts and trimmed fillets from surplus fish and carcasses for laboratory analysis.
Ensures that sampling gear is available, well organized, and in working order.

Maintains PIT-tag antenna arrays throughout the Methow basin. Tasks include:

Assigns tasks, trains, and checks work of other technicians in PIT tag array maintenance.
Works with others to ensure timely downloads of data from arrays and upload of data into regional databases (e.g., PTAGIS).

Manages large databases and provides data summaries. Tasks include:

Enters data into existing databases using Microsoft ACCESS and EXCEL.
Maintains, organizes, and updates databases, including the QA/QC of entered data.
Assigns tasks, trains, and checks work of other technicians in data entry and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures.
Summarizes collected data for monthly and annual reports, and in response to data requests from within or outside our agency.

Conducts other duties such as:

Completes various tasks as needed to meet objectives of research and monitoring/evaluation activities such as assisting with operation and maintenance of rotary screw traps, collection and spawning of hatchery broodstock, and sampling fish in a hatchery setting.

MES Weekly