See full job and application details at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3171251/natural-resource-scientist-3-ocean-fishery-manager-permanent-07866-21

Duties

Manages ocean recreational and commercial salmon fisheries. Tasks include:

• Designing and implementing annual ocean fishery sampling (salmon, halibut, groundfish, and albacore fisheries) and researching plans, ensuring compliance with state, federal, and tribal management agreements.
• Analyzing and interpreting data from ocean salmon fisheries in-season to estimate catch and formulating regulatory recommendations to ensure attainment of state and federal management objectives consistent with conservation and allocation for Endangered Species Act (ESA) Listed and other critical salmon stocks, the PFMC FMP, and the management plans and needs of other affected state, tribal and federal management agencies.

Manages, leads, and administers the WDFW Ocean Sampling Program. Tasks include:

• Leading, planning, training, supervising, and mentoring the work performed by the Ocean Sampling Program; and enhancing the effectiveness of employees through timely appraisal and professional development opportunities.
• Managing annual budget including expenditure allocation, tracking, and grant/contract development.

Represents the agency at public and/or professional meetings as assigned, including the North of Cape Falcon salmon season setting process and regulation hearings. Tasks include:

• Providing technical assistance and advice to members of agency administration, multi-jurisdictional colleagues and constituents and the public on ocean salmon management; and working with constituents to develop regulatory proposals.
• Providing support to the Salmon Technical Team (STT) representative in developing reports and inputs used in modeling proposed ocean fishery regulations. 

Disseminates information on ocean seasons and management actions to the public. Tasks include:

• Interacting with the public both in person and by phone and email answering questions, explaining the pre-season planning process and sampling policy, and distributing catch and quota information.

Report writing and distribution. Tasks include:

• Writing and distributing annual Ocean Mark Selective Fishery report, annual Ocean Fishery Sampling Plan, progress, and final reports for federal funding contracts.
• Publishing data analysis in and contributes to writing the STT Annual Review of Ocean Fisheries, and Preseason Reports I, II, and III.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Work occurs in the Office 90% and in the field 10% of the time. 
  • In the field, may spend several hours standing/walking during training periods (work may be very fast paced).
  • Tasks may include lifting, handling, and manipulating fish up to 60 pounds and carrying gear up to 20 pounds; negotiating steep ramps, slippery surfaces, and unstable docks; and boarding vessels. 
  • In office, long hours of computer work and time on the phone.
• Schedule:
  • Standard workdays are Monday – Friday; business hours are 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, with occasional weekend work and long hours (frequent long hours and weekend work during March-September).  
• Travel Requirements: 
  • Travel to ports within Washington may include up to 8 hours driving in a day. 
  • Occasional overnight stays may occur. 
  • In-state and out of state travel during pre-season planning process (up to 8 consecutive days).
• Tools and Equipment:
  • PC, iPad, knives, scissors, tweezers, hemostats, PFD, CWT detection equipment. 
• Customer Interactions:
  • Communicates frequently with the public in person, by phone, and in writing answering questions, explaining policy, regulatory processes, and distributing catch, quota, and regulatory information.
  • Coordinates with other states, tribal biologists, and federal managers and biologists.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor’s degree with major study in a natural science (Fish Science, Fish Management, Biology, etc.). 

       AND

• Five (5) years of progressively higher responsible management experience in natural resources.

      OR

• Professional equivalent experience may substitute, year for year, for the education requirement – this experience must be in aquatic natural resources, fish, wildlife, or natural resource management.    

Please Note: A Master’s degree with a relevant specialty may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience and a Ph.D. for two (2) years.
 
Certifications/License: 

• A Valid Driver’s License.

Experience:

• Supervising in a natural science setting.
• Communicating scientific information to a broad audience.
• Writing or contributing to scientific reports based on data analysis.
• Leading a team around a project or task.
• Resolving conflict as a leader of a team.

In-depth understanding of:

• Fish conservation and fisheries management principles.
• Endangered Species Act (ESA) law.
• Tribal Law.
• Ocean fisheries gear groups, allocation structure, and rulemaking procedures.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 
Job knowledge:

• Demonstrated leadership, team-building, and supervisory skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently to proactively solve problems and make critical decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced computer, data processing, and analytical skills, across multiple hardware and software environments.
• Experience in program management; budget development; management; and natural resource management issues.
• Aptitude with methods of biological data collection, interpretation, and presentation.
• Development of cooperative relationships internally and with other agencies; principles of negotiating; and oral presentations skills to communicate effectively when presenting complex information to professional, technical, and public audiences.
• Experience with experimental design, sample design, creel sampling, and fishery survey methods; recreational and commercial salmon fisheries.
• Contract development and administration.

 Ability to:

• Conduct data analysis and make inferences from data.
• Organize and prioritize work for self and others.
• Provide constructive correction, redirection and discipline when needed.
• Develop effective objectives, timelines, and action plans.
• Negotiate effectively.
• Use critical thinking in collecting, recording, compiling, and analyzing data.
• Coalesce team building and leadership and ability to work independently and as a team member.

Supplemental Information

Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.
 
In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.govand 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. 

IMPORTANT NOTES: 
All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link:   https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s priority during the Covid-19 health crisis is to keep our staff, candidates, and the public safe.  We are hiring and encourage you to apply to open positions. We have transitioned to a virtual recruitment process, to include web-based interviews.