For more information, please follow this link: https://www.conservationjobboard.com/job-listing-willapa-bay-stock-assessment-fish-biologist—fish–wildlife-biologist-3—permanent—12179-22-olympia-washington/5709043602?utm_source=ongage&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=regular%20

Salary– $58,704.00 – $77,028.00 Annually

With that in mind, 

Picture yourself designing and developing preseason and in-season fishing models that meet agency conservation objectives while maximizing harvest opportunities.   

This is an opportunity to plan, develop, design, and supervise all aspects of stock assessment functions for salmon, steelhead, and other species as directed within Willapa Bay.  

The optimal applicant is a team player who takes pride in their work, are motivated, dependable, respectful, and able to easily establish rapport. 

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

Duties

Our Willapa Bay Stock Assessment Fish Biologist,

Stock Assessments: 

  • Independently designs and conducts (via foot, drift boat, aircraft, or other method) as well as supervises staff that conducts field studies to document annual abundance of salmon and steelhead spawning populations and provide analysis in final written (peer reviewed and/or agency publications) and oral format to agency staff, managers, and others.  
  • Perform the collection of and direct technical staff to collect data needed for population assessments for anadromous and inland fish stocks, enhancement, harvest management, life history, mortality studies including spawner escapements, Coded Wire Tag (CWT), mark status, and age/growth information for salmon and steelhead in the Willapa Bay River systems.   
  • Regional specialist for monitoring freshwater fisheries.
  • Oversees and manages stock assessment databases.  
  • Develops and maintains spawner escapement models used to estimate spawner abundances. 

Supervising: 

  • Assesses training needs of staff and arranges for or provides instruction.
  • Independently plans and assigns day to day activities of subordinate employees and reviews work of staff.
  • Manage the Inland Fish Program (lowland lakes, resident and anadromous cutthroat, rainbow trout and bull trout in streams and rivers) within water bodies associated with the Willapa Bay area:
  • Plans and oversees fish stocking programs and activities for Willapa Bay lowland lakes, high lakes, and reservoirs.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  • Work Setting, including hazards:
    • This position performs a mix of both office and field tasks, approximately 60 % field work and 40% office work. 
    • Work is performed in all-weather conditions and includes hiking up to 5 miles a day over very difficult terrain both in and out of moving water while occasionally carrying gear up to 50 pounds. 
    • Boating in rivers, streams, and lakes and possibly marine areas which may include class 3 whitewater and flying in fixed wing and helicopter aircraft performing fisheries monitoring tasks.
    • Snorkeling in rivers with cold, fast flowing/whitewater conditions under all weather conditions for up to 6 miles per day, operating motorboats and rafts in both marine and fresh swift water. 
  • Schedule: 
    • The core work hours for this position are Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 
    • Work outside of these hours maybe assigned as needed to complete work tasks and may include night and weekend hours (including spawner ground surveys, recreational fishery monitoring, or on-board commercial vessels). 
    • Fieldwork hours can vary due to inclement weather, river conditions, access, and fish densities. 
  • Travel Requirements:
    • Travel is required for fieldwork – spawning ground surveys, recreational fishery monitoring, or commercial monitoring (on-board or fish house sampling). 
    • Travel may also be assigned for salmon management participation (North of Falcon, Pacific Fishery Management Council) as well as training opportunities and statewide study/project participation. 
  • Tools and Equipment: 
    • Standard office equipment, computer (either desk-top and/or laptop) and necessary software, power and drift boats and trailers, electro fishers, nets, GPS equipment, motor vehicles (4×4 and off-road), digital camera, flowmeter, radio communication equipment, tagging and sampling equipment, field gear, and chest waders.
  • Customer Interactions: 
    • Regular interaction with other WDFW and State biologists and researchers as well as tribal administration, biologists, and staff, County and Federal biologists, staff, researchers, and public utility staff and biologists.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • A Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science.

AND

  • Three (3) years of professional experience in fish management or fish research, wildlife management or wildlife research, or habitat management or habitat research. 

OR

  • Two (2) years as a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2.

Please Note:

  • Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis. 
  • A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute one (1) year of the required experience.
  • A Ph.D. in the applicable science may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

Knowledge of: 

  • Salmonid species, their spawning behavior and movement, general life histories.
  • Ability to collect and compile information and enter data/information into appropriate records. 
  • Analyze and interpret information to identify best options, or better courses of action, etc. 
  • This includes the organization and pre-screening of data and recognizing valid data for the purpose of discarding irrelevant data.

Certifications/Licenses: 

  • A valid driver’s license. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience:

  • Salmon and Steelhead spawning ground surveys. 
  • Salmon and steelhead salmon escapement reports. 
  • Excellent data organizational and collection skills. 
  • Differentiating between male and female salmonids at various states of sexual maturity. 
  • Operating coded-wire tag (CWT) and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag wands. 
  • Identifying salmonids to species at all life stages.
  • With written protocols in the field. 
  • Operation and maintenance of power and drift boats as well as trailer towing and backing experience. 
  • Experience operating electro fisher equipment, handheld electronics (iPad/Tough Pads), GPS, and data logger devices. 
  • Using a variety of tagging methods to assess the status of fish populations (i.e., PIT, acoustic, genetics etc).

Knowledge of: 

  • Statistical methods and population modeling options for fisheries, escapement and development of escapement goals and recovery plans.
  • Resident and anadromous life history and fisheries management methods and knowledge of the geography of the Willapa Bay Basin is necessary.
  • Software programs including R, spreadsheets (e.g., Excel), word processing, and databases (e.g., ACCESS), PowerPoint presentation software and G.I.S. software (e.g., ArcView).

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

  • Obtain a WDFW CPR/First Aid Training and Certification within six (6) months of hire provided by WDFW.
  • Obtain the following training and certifications within one (1) year of hire, all trainings provided by WDFW:
    • WDFW Snorkel training and certification.
    • Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and training availability.
    • WDFW Swiftwater Rescue.