Project Description and Duties:
These positions are supported by two projects focused on early life stages of pink salmon in Prince William Sound (fertilized egg to emergent fry stage) and Chinook salmon in the Copper River (parr and smolt stages). The Prince William Sound pink salmon project includes implementing a fully-crossed experimental design investigating effects of parental-origin (wild vs. hatchery), spawn locations (intertidal vs. freshwater), and adult runtiming (early vs. late) on measures of early life history development of offspring (hatch proportion, egg/embryo survival, stress and immune response pathways, phenological match/mismatch). Duties for this project will include euthanizing adult pink salmon, egg/milt take, fertilizing eggs, dissections to remove otoliths (ear stones), handling and preserving tissue samples, operating a hydraulic pump to deploy egg capsules in spawning gravel, and deploying a network of environmental sensors in the study area.
The project on juvenile Chinook salmon involves sampling parr by beach seine and minnow traps (including lethal sampling and organ/tissue preservation) during the late summer/fall period in upper tributary streams of the Copper River. Some assistance will also be needed to conduct some field testing of microacoustic tags (surgical implantation) and deployment and maintenance of hydrophones in the field in preparation for a tracking study on smolts planned for spring 2027.
Experience working on research vessels at sea and jet powered skiffs or other watercraft on rivers is preferred. Both individuals will be supervised by either the principal investigator or a field crew leader. Successful candidates should have experience performing scientific work in remote field locations as part of a team, be comfortable working out on research vessels and field camps with limited amenities, have a willingness to work under challenging weather conditions, and be familiar with a variety of field methods used in fishery science.
Background:
Prince William Sound is located in the northeast corner of the Pacific at 60° N and includes an intricate network of maritime glaciers, rain forests, offshore islands, barrier islands, wetlands, and freshwater and marine systems. Prince William Sound has 4900 km of shoreline and is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains that reach 4,300 m and contains the most extensive system of tidewater glaciers in North America.
The neighboring Copper River is the 10th largest river in the United States and the second in Alaska based on average discharge at the mouth (mean annual discharge 1630 cubic meters/s). The Copper River originates in a dry, subarctic continental climate before cutting through a canyon in the Chugach Mountains to the warm, moist maritime climate of the Delta where the river drains into the Gulf of Alaska. The river begins in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park at Copper Glacier on the northeast side of Mt. Wrangell in the Wrangell Mountains and flows 470 river kilometers to the Gulf of Alaska near Cordova on the Copper River Delta.
These projects are supported by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Council and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund.
Responsibilities and Qualifications:
Successful candidates will have experience in the field and be capable and willing to work in remote locations outside of the communication network. The access road to some of our field camps is rough with a few hazards – the crew will be responsible for safely and responsibly operating and maintaining our 4WD work truck, ATVs and a small skiff (16’ outboard with tiller) to access our field camp and sampling locations. The job will require working in streams (wading, carrying heavy gear, sometimes in swift current), so candidates need to be physically fit and comfortable working in and around streams and rivers. Experience working in bear country and handling firearms is highly desirable. The work will require great attention to detail and an ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively with our partners. A successful candidate should also have some experience using computer software for data entry and data processing. Individuals will need to have a valid US driver’s license. There will be training opportunities at the beginning of the term for CPR, First Aid, boat operation, bear safety, and handling firearms.
Term:
Beginning July 2026 and lasting approximately 2-3 months. The work will be based out of Cordova, but will involve frequent travel to field locations.
Wages and benefits:
Research Technician wages range from $17-24/hour, depending on experience. Unemployment insurance and workers compensation are included. Lodging costs in Cordova will be covered and food costs will be covered during periods of field work.
Application deadline: April 1, 2026
