Job Description
Position/Project Specifics:

The Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) (B13) habitat restoration project consists of a multi agency effort to enhance juvenile salmonid rearing habitat and adult spawning habitat in the upper Sacramento river basin. The project seeks to engineer, maintain, and monitor off-channel habitat enhancement sites as well as some in-river sites. Three strategies for restoration have been implemented to increase juvenile and adult habitat to date. Adult spawning restoration sites primarily consist of gravel placement to promote spawning by Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Steelhead/Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Juvenile rearing restoration sites are primarily side channel construction or rehabilitation, designed to provide increased juvenile rearing habitat during fluctuating flow releases from Keswick Dam.

The tasks/duties of the position support the project by providing baseline data informing management decisions. The candidate will collect juvenile fish habitat use and abundance data using snorkel, and habitat attributes, flow, and GIS mapping using Trimble. Data tasks will consist of recording field data, QA/QC of the data, and performing basic statistical analyses of data is likely. Experience and/or proficiency with scientific data management tools such as the GIS framework, R programming language, MS suite of programs, or Pathfinder software is desirable but not required. Daily activities include driving and towing small jet-powered watercraft. Spending 6-8 hours in the field is normal, hiking and wading in small streams is a daily activity. Snorkeling and wading in swift water during adverse weather conditions is a routine activity for this position. This is primarily a field-based position and the successful candidate may be routinely exposed to adverse weather conditions throughout all months of the year. Upkeep of field equipment and occasional construction/removal of fisheries monitoring devices is anticipated. Candidates will also assist with other ongoing adult fisheries monitoring activities such as video monitoring, carcass counts, biological sampling, tagging, and redd monitoring.

The schedule will be 10 hours a day, four days a week. Weekend work is not anticipated but weather events occasionally dictate a change of schedule in response to environmental conditions. Approximately 80/20 field/office work ratio is a general estimate. Driving trucks and towing boats is a requirement.  Minimum HS degree, BS or BA preferred. Environmental, biological, or science-based degree preferred but not mandatory. Ideal experience would be at least 1 year in fisheries, wildlife, or the natural sciences.

Essential Functions:

  • Participate in survey crews that conduct regional fishery presence/absence research, recreational/commercial fishing surveys, anadromous fish escapement surveys (carcass, redd, trap/weir, snorkel, etc.), or tag detection and mark recovery surveys. Make standardized observations such as species identification, length, weight, behavior, growth, survival, reproductive condition, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens, fin clips or tags.
  • Collect and organize biological and habitat samples and collections (such as scales, otoliths, ageing structures, other tissues, water quality, etc.).
  • Summarize and input biological or habitat data on field forms, electronic data loggers, and/or desktop computers. May assist with preliminary data summaries and analyses, technical report writing, or database management.

Knowledge Required by the Position:

At the lower end of the range, employees use knowledge of basic arithmetic, reading, writing, and data collection to perform routine or repetitive tasks.

At the upper end of the position range, employees use knowledge of the basic principles and protocols of fish biology to make readings, measurements, and observations; execute tests; collect samples, etc.   If complex equipment systems are operated, the employee has the knowledge to perform calibrations or adjustments to achieve desired results.

Additional Mandatory Skills: 

  • snorkeling                                           
  • carcass and redd surveys
  • electronic detection technol.               
  • able to swim                           
  • lift 40 – 50 lbs.
  • load boats on trailers                         
  • tow & maneuver trailers        
  • valid driver’s license
  • operate motorized boats                     
  • operate GPS
  • fish species ID skills               
  • operate handheld data recorder         
  • compile and collect neat and accurate data   
  • specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)
  • oral communication skills                  
  • written communication skills
  • construction, fabrication and installation skills                                  
  • repair & maintain equipment

Physical Demands:

Demands can range from moderate –where there is walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, and strenuous sweeping– to rigorous.  In the latter case, the incumbent must be able to handle buckets of water or gear weighing up to 50 pounds.  Long daily periods of hiking, carrying equipment, swimming, and/or standing may be required.  Camping out for extended periods may be required. Some work requires the ability to maintain footing in fast-moving water.

Work Environment:

A portion of the work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation.  The majority is performed in fish processing labs, fish holding areas, and/or in the field.  Incumbents may work on narrow, elevated walkways and platforms that are over or adjacent to water.  Field work involves exposure to all types of weather, slippery rocks, trails, irregular terrain, insects, poison oak, rough or fast-moving water, or cold water temperatures. Work at high elevations or aboard boats may be required.

Apply here: https://recruiting.adp.com/srccar/public/RTI.home?c=1161651&d=External#/