Port Sampler Rover – Scientific Technician 2 – Career Seasonal – *15702-23

Closing Date: 1/1/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

 

Position Description & Apply

 

 

 

FULL-TIME/CAREER SEASONAL

PORT SAMPLER ROVER 

SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 2 (ST2) 

Fish Program – Ocean Management 

Montesano, Washington – Grays  Harbor County 

 

Anticipated Season Length: Nine (9) Months 

February 1 – October 31 

Collect recreational and commercial catch data for short-term quota management and long-term management of ocean recreational and commercial fisheries! 

  Help ensure that ocean fishery catches do not exceed allowable levels established to conserve fish resources.

Chinook Salmon – Photo Credit: T. Black 

This is an opportunity to collect the data that will allow maximum fishing opportunities in economically depressed coastal communities. 

In this dynamic role, you will assure conservation objectives are met for long-term fishery sustainability. You will interact with the public, answering questions and explaining sampling procedures.

We are seeking a candidate with demonstrated values matching those of WDFW: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

 

Duties

Puget Sound Fishing – Photo Credit: Jason Whisenant

Our Port Sampler Rover,  

Conducts sampling of recreational and commercial fisheries:

• Collecting catch, effort, and biological data from the ocean recreational and commercial troll fisheries through angler interviews and examination of marine fish catches. 
• Daily, providing feedback and making judgments regarding sampling protocols and field procedures which directly affect the statistical validity of data used by ocean fishery managers to regulate fishery impacts and promote the conservation of fish populations through sustainable harvest – directly affecting the economies, livelihoods, and unique culture of Washington’s coastal communities.
• Recording, summarizing, and tabulating field data utilizing electronic devices, software programs, and paper forms. 
• Synchronizing data collection devices to databases and reporting all collected data on forms error-free and promptly to be available for in-season management needs.
• Travel to and from coastal Washington ports to provide the sampling units with gear, collect data, and facilitate communication between sampling units and supervisory staff.  

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:    
  1. Field 70%, Office 30%. 
  2. Fieldwork includes standing, walking, bending, negotiating steep ramps, slippery surfaces, unstable docks, boarding vessels, and occasionally lifting, handling, and manipulating large fish and coolers of fish weighing up to 60 pounds. 
  3. Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
  4. Fieldwork involves utilizing or being close to sharp sampling tools and fishing gear. Work can occur in busy fish houses or cannery rooms around various equipment and machinery.
  5. Coastal temperature and weather extremes may be encountered in the field. 
• Schedule:
  1. Monday – Sunday, non-scheduled, 24/7. 40 hours/week. 
  2. Weekend work, non-consecutive days off, occasional long hours, overtime, and holiday work required.
  3. Requires working long and odd hours during the ocean fisheries.
• Travel Requirements:   
  1. Daily travel is required to ports within Washington, including up to 8 hours of driving daily.  
  2. Occasional overnight stays are required.
  3. Destination overnight stays of up to 4 nights.
• Tools and Equipment:   
  1. Knives, scissors, tweezers, hemostats, measuring board, personal flotation device, iPad, T wand (Coded Wire Tag detector), and laptop.
• Customer Interactions:          
  1. Professional interaction with the public daily, listening to concerns, answering questions, explaining sampling policy and methodology, distributing catch, quota, and regulatory information, answering other questions, and referring questions to managers when needed.

 

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from high school or GED, including one (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 one (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.

Certifications/Licenses: 

• A valid driver’s license.

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: 

Experience: 

• Six (6) months experience as a Scientific Technician 2 Port Sampling. 

Knowledge Competencies:

• Salmonid Identification in their ocean phase.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Access.
• Demonstrate excellent competence in sampling duties; fish handling, species identification, standardized interviews, Coded Wire Tag wanding technique, Chinook DNA, and scale collection.

Natural Resource Technician 2 – Scotch Creek Wildlife Area – Career Seasonal- *05573-23

FULL-TIME/CAREER-SEASONAL
 NATURAL RESOURCE TECHNICIAN 2 (NRT2)

Scotch Creek Wildlife Area
 Okanogan, Washington – Okanogan County 

Season Length: Nine (9) months

March 1 – November 30

Provide field support on the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area by maintaining the facility and structures, using and maintaining equipment, recommending (to supervisor) and implementing projects that will maintain or improve habitats, species, or recreation on the wildlife area.  

Mule deer at sunset – Photo credit: Susan Jensen

Duties

Our Natural Resource Technician will,

Establish and maintain fish and wildlife habitat restoration projects:

• Apply herbicides on State listed noxious weeds and undesirable weeds to improve habitat conditions and comply with State Law.
• Plant, fertilize, mow, and prune herbaceous cover and riparian to improve habitat conditions.
• Assess field and vegetation conditions to determine the timing of herbicide applications, mowing, seeding, and pruning to achieve desired habitat improvements in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Operate a variety of equipment and vehicles to accomplish work activities:

• Utilize trailers for hauling equipment and materials including safely loading, securing, and transporting.
• Safely use hand-held power tools (e.g., chain saws, hedge trimmer, brush cutters, etc.) and other gas-powered equipment (e.g., generator, pump) to accomplish work activities.
• Utilize ATV and UTV vehicles in a safe manner to accomplish work activities.
• Drive 50hp-400hp tractors with attached implements to mow, disc, cultivate, harrow, or spray fields to establish or maintain restored habitats.

Conduct maintenance and repairs: 

• Replace or repair worn or damaged parts on tractor implements, tractors, vehicles, and other essential equipment as needed to extend the life of the item and for safe operation.
• Change motor oil, spark plugs, and air filers on small gas power tools to extend the life of the item and for safe operation.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Position functions both in the field, shop and office.
  • Hazards include: exposure to inclement weather; including extreme heat or snow, rough terrain and surfaces, hiking while carrying up to 50-pounds, exposure to various chemicals and chemical solvents, tripping/falling, high noise level, operating various vehicles, machines, equipment, and power tools. 
  • This position will occasionally perform duties in and around water. This position will be operating a boat to access work site.  Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
  • May lead Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crews or Volunteers.
• Schedule:
  • Monday-Thursday, 6:00 am – 4:30 pm, 10 hours/day. 
  • During peak workloads hours may be long and irregular.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Wildlife area units are in various areas of Okanogan County. Travel may include daily round trips of up to 100 miles.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Mini excavators, dozers, backhoes, trucks of various sizes (e.g., 1/2 to 1-ton pickup trucks), trailers, tractors, farm implements, ATV’s, disk, harrow, cultivator, chisel plow, mower, seed drill, and irrigation pumps and lines, fire suppression pumps and tools, chain saw, welder, drill, various hand tools, etc. 
• Customer Interactions:
  • Occasional interactions may occur while on the work site with the public in both field and office settings.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

OR 

Competencies: 

• Knowledge and experience with farming practices
• Knowledge of fire management practices
• Proficient at using GPS equipment to determine project area
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team on assigned tasks
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office software programs including Word and Excel
• Knowledge of wildlife habitat relationships. 
• Knowledge and experience in weed control.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS: 

• Valid driver’s license
• Washington State Pesticide Applicators License (to be obtained within 6 months of hire)
• First Aid (training will be provided – to be obtained within 6 months of hire)
• ATV certification (training will be provided – to be obtained within 6 months of hire)
• Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft dependent on supervisory direction, position need and training availability

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Working knowledge of weed management techniques.
• Working knowledge of heavy equipment and farm implements.
• Experience working with volunteers and elementary school science classes.
• Working knowledge of welding and metal work.
• Experience conducting prescribed burning operations.
• Knowledge of vehicle maintenance and repairs.
• Wildland Firefighter Red Card
• Commercial Driver’s License (Class A)