For more information, please follow this link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3593766/shellfish-disease-prevention-lead-biologist-fish-wildlife-biologist-4-perma

Salary– $59,688.00 – $78,408.00 Annually

Our Lead Shellfish Disease Biologist, 

Guides programmatic oversight, supervises work unit, and provides independent leadership and direction to achieve agency objectives for shellfish disease and invasive pest risk management and policies. Tasks include:

• Provides biological support and agency expertise on issues relating to shellfish and marine plant (e.g., seaweed) disease.
• Establishes program objectives and goals based on knowledge of shellfish and seaweed disease risks to manage risk to the state’s shellfish resources, marine ecosystems, and stakeholders. Provides leadership and direction to effectively achieve resource management and protection goals and implements agency policies and rules regarding shellfish and seaweed disease control. 
• Supervises a team in executing program work designed to manage risks associated with shellfish and seaweed disease. Evaluates employee job performance, establishes work priorities, and designates work assignments in consultation with the Puget Sound Shellfish Policy Coordinator. Manages personnel issues relating to staff conflicts, absenteeism, performance issues, etc. in a positive manner for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.
• Assists and supports subordinate staff in achieving their professional development and career objectives.
• Develops and implements staff training and development plans to provide cross training of employees.  
• Monitors work for timely and consistent progress and reviews final work products to ensure that high quality professional standards are met. 
• Represents the Department as technical lead in resource management forums with the shellfish and seaweed aquaculture industries, Washington Treaty Tribes, NGOs, public aquaria and other educational institutions, other state natural resource agencies including Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources; and at conferences; prioritizes strong relationship building and maintenance. Also interacts with the public and responds to inquiries.
• Supports management of the Washington Aquatic Invertebrate (Shellfish) Import Advisory Committee and coordinates and participates in meetings. Participates in other committees related to shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, and shellfish and seaweed health and biosecurity. 
• Assesses political, social, and economic impacts of management alternatives of state, national, and international significance pertaining to shellfish and seaweed disease issues.
• Maintains up to date knowledge and understanding of topics related to shellfish and seaweed disease, invasive species, shellfish and seaweed aquaculture and other industries engaged in importing or transferring shellfish and other activities connected to shellfish disease risks.
• Engages with Puget Sound Shellfish Unit, Coastal Shellfish Unit, WDFW Aquatic Invasive Species unit, Finfish Health unit, WDFW Enforcement, and WDFW Licensing on matters related to shellfish and seaweed health and disease. Together with Puget Sound Shellfish Policy Coordinator, engages with regulators in other states, especially the West Coast Commerce Region, and the federal government. 
• Manages statewide shellfish disease control budget.
• Improves program efficiency and works towards modernizing data management and workflow.
• Ensures a safe work environment and that all individuals are welcomed and treated fairly and respectfully, and employees feel empowered to contribute fully to serving their work unit, the agency, and Washington’s citizens. 

Oversees shellfish and seaweed permitting intended to manage risks associated with movement of shellfish, including disease and genetic risk. Tasks include: 

• Maintains and enhances shellfish and seaweed permitting and other tools aimed at disease and pest risk management—including development and maintenance of standards and conditions; overseeing review of permit applications and the permitting process to meet the needs of the state, the agency, and stakeholders; engages with stakeholders.
• Oversees an active facility and site inspection program. Oversees and performs permitting and compliance field work including, but not limited to inspecting and touring hatcheries, nurseries, shell stockpiles, farms, equipment, and other shellfish aquaculture facilities; seafood wet storage sites; public and private laboratory facilities; and educational and display facilities. 
• Coordinates with WDFW and federal enforcement as needed. 
• Ensures thorough management of all files and data related to shellfish permitting and develops/maintains databases. 
• Oversees development of education, outreach, and awareness strategies and tools; and together with Puget Sound Shellfish Policy Coordinator, supports development of policies aimed at shellfish health concerns.
• Ensures website(s) is maintained and informative.    

Oversees shellfish and seaweed disease surveillance and response actions. Tasks include: 

• Designs, directs, and participates in field work intended to ensure monitoring of shellfish and seaweed health concerns—including surveys to evaluate and understand pest and pathogen status of marine waters, beaches, and facilities.
• Designs and conducts shellfish health event response activities and recommendations.
• Coordinates with health professionals in conducting laboratory analysis of samples. Also coordinates with sister agencies, industry, tribes, outside shellfish health professionals or researchers, and other stakeholders. 
• Develops and maintains shellfish disease emergency response plans as well as other disease and pest-related management plans.  
• Oversees management of data related to survey, monitoring, and response work and develops/maintains databases and data standards.
• Supports or conducts research related to shellfish or seaweed disease or pest issues.

Oversees agency’s Aquatic Farm program for shellfish and seaweed aquaculture. Tasks include: 

• Works with WDFW Licensing in overseeing management of shellfish and seaweed aquatic farm requirements and projects intended to advance development of and compliance with this program. 
• Provides or oversees technical support related to the agency’s Aquaculture Production Reporting portal. 
• Oversees GIS and related database and other tool development to manage shellfish and seaweed Aquatic Farm program. 
• With Puget Sound Shellfish Policy Coordinator, WDFW Licensing, and the agency’s Finfish Health Program, pursues a comprehensive update of the Aquatic Farm program.

WORKING CONDITIONS: 

• Work Setting, including hazards:   
  1. Work occurs in an office setting and in the field. Fieldwork can include working on beaches, aboard vessels in marine waters, and at hatchery, nursery, laboratory, and other indoor or outdoor facilities.  
• Schedule:   
  1. Office work is Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week. Fieldwork hours are more variable and may include weekends or holidays, sometimes exceeding 40 hours per week. 
  2. Schedule flexibility is required. 
• Travel Requirements: 
  1. Regular and ongoing fieldwork and travel for meetings, workshops, and conferences will consist of both day trips and occasional overnight stays around the state and occasionally out of state. 
  2. Occasional overnight travel up to five days at a time may be required in remote locations. 
• Tools and Equipment: 
  1. Motor vehicles, outboard skiffs, boat trailers, scientific measuring instruments, hand and power tools, electronic tablets, cell phone, office equipment, microscopes and other laboratory and sampling equipment. 
  2. Expected to operate personal computers at an expert skill level. Ability to use handheld compass and GPS in a field setting.
• Customer Interactions:
  1. This position interacts with the shellfish aquaculture industry, public aquaria and other educational institutions and organizations, tribal co-managers, sister agencies, commercial fishing and seafood industries, the public, and staff from other entities to meet program objectives.

Qualifications

Note: Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

AND

OR 

Note: A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute for one (1) year of the required experience. A Ph.D. in the applicable science will substitute for two (2) years of the required experience. 

Experience in: 

• Working with shellfish.
• Experimental design.
• Engaging in sometimes contentious natural resource management interactions and in sometimes challenging field conditions.
• Data analysis, summarization, and presentation. 
• Experience conducting and summarizing literature reviews.
• Working with natural resource stakeholders.
• Pathogens and pest issues of aquatic organisms or methods of disease control.

Ability to: 

• Communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing on both technical and non-technical levels.
• Apply laws and departmental rules and regulations to problems of disease control.

Licenses: 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Master’s or Doctoral degree with an emphasis in aquatic animal health, disease/pathology, invasive species management, aquaculture, or policy related to any of the above. 
• Spanish language proficiency. 

Experience in: 

• Developing and managing databases, with Geographic Information Systems, and basic website editing.
• Developing information products or otherwise educating stakeholders on natural resource issues.
• Preparing grant proposals and budgets. 
• Modern research procedures including bio-statistical methodology. 
• Computer use and programming in database management and statistical software. 
• Operating according to and contributing to the development of policies and rules (regulatory experience). 

Familiarity with: 

• The marine ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest.
• Shellfish aquaculture and associated production systems, especially in Washington.
• Water treatment systems used to manage animal health and biosecurity in hatchery, aquarium, and other aquatic animal husbandry facilities.