Salary: $3,376.00 – $4,497.00 Monthly
Location: Multiple Locations – Western Washington, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Non-Permanent
Job Number: 2023-08575
Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Opening Date: 07/03/2023
Closing Date: 7/16/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

Duty Station Locations:
Mill Creek, Washington – Snohomish County
Port Townsend, Washington – Jefferson County
Anticipated Appointment Length:  3.5 Months
July 17, 2023 – October 30, 2023

Do you enjoy working outdoors and collecting data?  Do you also enjoy talking to people while you work? As a member of the Puget Sound Shellfish Program, these positions play a key role in collection of shellfish harvest data critical to the management of Puget Sound’s shellfish resources. Conduct recreational creel surveys around Puget Sound, with a focus on crustacean fisheries.

With that in mind, you will collect catch record card (CRC) recording compliance data for the Puget Sound recreational Dungeness crab fishery.

In this dynamic role, you will interview as many recreational fishery participants as possible at assigned access points.

Duties
Here is some of what you will be doing:
Crustacean (90%) and Intertidal (10%) harvest assessment technician, conducting creel and effort surveys for harvest data collected to support and advise recreational crab, shrimp, intertidal bivalve, squid, seaweed, and other harvest assessment: 

• Collect data designed to evaluate recreational harvest, including counting, measuring, and weighing harvested shrimp, crab, bivalves, squid, and seaweed.
• Professional interaction with the public, including conducting outreach and education through fisher interviews focused on explanation of current harvest regulations, shellfish species biology, and Puget Sound resource management.
• Conduct harvester effort sampling to quantify daily shellfish harvester intensity through ingress/egress surveys and performing effort surveys for recreational shrimp and bivalve fisheries from boats or ground and entering data into mobile device applications.
• Liaison to regional supervisor on fishery violations observed in the field.  
• Provide written reports on violations and may be called to give testimony informally or in court. 
• May conduct occasional sampling to gather commercial shellfisheries data, including dock-side sampling at ports of landing and aboard commercial fishing vessels.
• May assist in derelict shellfish pot gear retrieval and processing. 
• Meet agency safety requirements and support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Data entry, data review and summary including upload and maintenance of accurate and complete datasets: 

• Conduct error checks of sampling data. 
• Enter and upload recreational shellfish catch information gathered through recreational fisher interviews. 
• Entering data from crustacean and intertidal stock assessment surveys—which may include samples processed in the field and samples processed in a wet lab setting.
• Process lab and field samples from crustacean and bivalve test fisheries and biological studies, assuring samples are processed accurately and sampling protocols are maintained.
• Digitize historical data into modern data management systems.
• May assist in data entry of commercial fisheries logbook data for fisheries managers.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Work occurs both in the field and in an office environment. Office hazards include working under fluorescent light, repetitively entering data into computer, looking at computer monitor for long periods of time, sitting or standing for long periods of time. Field work is conducted traversing public beaches, dockside and at access sites, and aboard various vessels in marine waters —including the 38-foot WDFW Vessel #699 research vessel and smaller boats (small outboard motorboats, inflatable rafts, and 24’ to 34’ agency vessels). Boat-board work is conducted in all waters of Puget Sound and the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca in inclement weather conditions. Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
  • Perform strenuous field activities in inclement weather. Must be able to carry heavy, awkward loads (up to 50 lbs) over difficult terrain, including slippery rocks, sticky mud, and steep banks on a periodic and infrequent basis. Must be able to dig holes in rough terrain. 
  • Stoop, squat, and bend for extended periods of time while digging holes in difficult substrate on beaches.
  • Lift field equipment overhead and manipulate while loading vehicle roof rack.
  • Office-based work will require work at a computer for prolonged periods, as well as utilizing scanners and copiers, and processing samples in a wet lab.
• Schedule:
  • 40 hours per week.  Weekend and evening work required.
  • Generally, 8-to 10-hours per day between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Occasional overnight travel required seasonally.
  • May be required to use personal vehicle for work use if an agency vehicle isn’t available.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • iPad, electronic sampling equipment weighing scale, calculator, calipers, knives, forceps, head lamp, measuring board, tally counter, tide book, totes/bins, paper forms, labels, pencils, pens, clipboard, scissors, personal flotation device (PFD), WDFW apparel, GPS units, cellphones, motor vehicles, navigation systems, depth sounders, marine radios, outboard boats and engines, rafts, chest waders, microscopes, and cameras.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Interactions with co-workers from WDFW and Tribes, commercial harvester or fishers, fish and shellfish buyers, fish processors, recreational anglers and shellfishers; interacts with the public during data collection, and provide basic information regarding fisheries resources, as well as agency programs and activities.
  • Provide sport fishing regulatory information to the public. Includes possible contact with individuals who are angry, distraught, or frustrated.
  • Provide a high level of customer service to anglers and the general public. Liaison to regional supervisor and enforcement on fishery violations observed in the field. Must adhere to Covid-19 safety protocols.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from high school or GED, including 1 year of high school science, and two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.

Or

• Graduation from high school or GED including 1 year of high school science, and two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

Please note:

• 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.
• Professional and volunteer experience involving biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural resources, engineering, or closely allied fields may substitute year-for-year for experience.

License:

• Valid driver’s license.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience conducting creel surveys and sampling fisheries in Puget Sound or a similar area.
• Knowledge of locally occurring intertidal bivalve species and experience in crustacean, molluscan, and finfish species identification and handling is desired. 
• Familiarity with the geography of Puget Sound and Hood Canal region and experience with biological sampling for populations studies is preferred. 
• Knowledge of commercial and sport fishing methods and gear.
• Familiarity with current harvest regulations of recreational crustacean and molluscan fisheries in Puget Sound.
• Experience interacting with members of the public.
• Experience using GPS in a field setting, electronic scales, and calipers for biological data collection, and experience using electronic data collection tools.
• Ability to interpret, update, and quality check maps in a variety of formats. Ability to work with specialized data collection forms and mobile device apps.
• Ability to understand and adhere to confidentiality rules, regulations, and restrictions.

To Apply
In order to successfully 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. 

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4107132/shellfish-harvest-assessment-technician-scientific-technician-2-non-perm-3-o