The Fish Passage Biologist will review and evaluate detailed engineering designs, project scopes, biological assessments, and permits for fish passage projects. The Biologist will coordinate with state, federal, and local governments, other Tribes, and non-governmental organizations. This position reports to the Habitat Program Manager. As the position’s capacity allows, the Biologist will support other fish habitat restoration projects led by the Quileute Habitat Program.
This position is currently grant-funded for 18 months. The Biologist will be expected to apply for grants to secure future funding for the position.
PROJECT DUTIES:
- Conduct fish passage barrier inventories and habitat assessments following established protocols.
- Independently plan, organize, and conduct field work to assess barrier status and potential fish use.
- Regularly update a shared fish passage barrier database.
- Develop barrier correction prioritization reports for man-made barriers in the Quileute U&A.
- Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with external partners, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies to plan and implement fish passage projects.
- Participate in the identification, field verification, and engineering design review of barrier correction projects throughout the Quileute U&A.
- Oversee planning, permitting, and implementation of Quileute-led barrier correction projects.
- Grant writing, budget and contract management.
- Participate in internal and interagency workgroups.
- Prepare progress reports.
- Participate in training opportunities to maintain current understanding of fish passage topics.
- Participate in project effectiveness monitoring.
- Use ArcGIS Pro to create maps of fish passage features and habitat assessment sites.
- Collect data utilizing electronic mobile data collection forms (i.e., field map).
- Enter, download, organize, and maintain electronic data – includes data QA/QC.
- Support other fish habitat restoration projects led by the Quileute Habitat Program
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND ABILITIES
Skills in:
- Facilitation and negotiation to promote Tribal restoration efforts among other agency personnel, private landowners, and various stakeholders.
Knowledge of:
- Aquatic ecosystems and associated biota along with an understanding of physical stream and hydrologic processes and functions is required.
- Fish biology with an emphasis on anadromous salmonids of the Washington Coast.
- Fish passage criteria for salmon and steelhead.
- Watershed processes and basic hydrology at a watershed scale.
- Anadromous salmonid life history and ecology.
- Washington Fish Passage policy and permitting processes.
- Tribal Treaty Rights and roles/responsibilities as fisheries co-managers.
- The court rulings in United States v. Washington, No. 13-35474, also known as the “Culvert Case”
Experience with:
- Computer usage and specific programs including Microsoft Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheets), PowerPoint (presentation), and Explorer (web navigation). Must be able to efficiently operate each of these software applications.
- Mapping software (such as ArcGIS Pro) related to GPS applications, with the ability to discern property boundaries and ownership.
- Project and/or grant management.
- Ability to collect on-site data following a strict protocol that will be used prioritize projects for restoration.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required Qualifications:
*Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.
- Bachelor of Science Degree from an accredited college or university in Fisheries, Fisheries and Wildlife Science, Natural Resource Management, Forestry, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Policy, or a closely related field such as ecology, biology, hydrology, watershed management, geology, landscape architecture, regional planning, or environmental science.
- Minimum of two (2) years of experience relevant to the position
- Valid driver’s license.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Examples of relevant experience may include identifying fish habitat barriers and limiting factors, assessing habitat conditions, identifying and prioritizing fish restoration projects, habitat enhancements, actively participating in watershed management decisions, developing funding proposals, and developing workplans and budgets.
- A Master of Science degree from an accredited university or college, in Fisheries or environmental planning or a closely related field can be substituted for two years of experience.
Location: La Push, Washington
Work Info: Full Time: 40 Hrs/Week (M-F)
Salary: DOQ/E ($55,000 – $70,000)
