This is an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on field experience and collect data necessary for the management of coastal marine fish populations and address concerns regarding overfished species.

Envision yourself engaging in at-sea and shore-based research studies to collect, document, and report data on a diverse range of marine fish species.

Picture yourself, collecting biological information on various marine fish species caught by research, commercial, and recreational fisheries.

With your fish identification experience, accurately identify and collect data on up to 100 bottomfish species, and 10 forage fish species.

The optimal applicants, embody strong skills in diplomacy and relationship building between coworkers, stakeholders, and the public.

We are seeking a candidate, who models WDFW (Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife) values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties

Dockside sample marine fish landings at Washington’s coastal ports, primarily at Ilwaco, Chinook, and Westport, and secondarily at La Push and Neah Bay:

• Collect biological, catch, and effort information on commercial and recreational groundfish, commercial coastal pelagic species (CPS) fisheries, and research project landings.
• Collect biological information (weight, length, sex, maturity, genetic tissue samples, ageing structures) on various marine fish species caught by research, commercial, and recreational fisheries.
• Evaluate catch and species composition of fishery landings.
• Correctly identify marine fish species including the approximately 100 species of groundfish and 10 coastal pelagic species (CPS) found on the Washington coast.
• Enter data and conduct data quality control, following unit protocols.
• Operate agency research vessels.

Participate in at-sea research surveys of the marine fish species that inhabit Washington’s coastal waters from the Washington/Oregon border, Sekiu River, Strait of Juan de Fuca and extending to the California/Mexico border:

• Assist with daily project operations, including but not limited to, collecting fishing effort and catch composition data, collect biological data (weight, length, age structures, genetic tissue samples, eDNA), and accurately identify species.

Process samples at the Region 6 headquarters laboratory:

• Process fins (dry, cut, mount), otoliths, spines, vertebras, and other fish structures or tissues for age reading or other scientific evaluation.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work Setting, including hazards:

• Work settings may include onboard vessels while at-sea, coastal beaches and estuaries, fish buying facilities, recreational or commercial fishing docks, laboratories, and office environments.
• At-sea duties may be performed onboard agency-owned vessels, chartered vessels, or commercial fishing vessels in unprotected coastal waters where sea state conditions can deteriorate quickly.
• Some extended at-sea trips may require living onboard with limited/reduced accommodations such as sharing a living space, water restrictions for bathing/basic cooking facilities.
• Navigate slippery/moving decks and docks, climb steps/ladders, frequently and repetitively lift of up to 50 pounds unassisted over a 10-hour work shift. Communicate on a CB/VHF radio, and over loud motors and other vessel equipment.
• Processing biological samples requires working in a laboratory setting up to 10 hours per shift.
• Other hazards may include vessel mechanical failure, risk of puncture wounds/lacerations from sampling equipment, knives, or fish spines and repetitive stress injury from processing fish samples and computer data entry.
• Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.

Schedule:

• Schedule will be flexible and is determined by ocean/weather conditions and by vessel offload schedules. This will include working days, evenings, nights, and weekends.
• At-sea surveys may require up to 14-hour workdays and up to 80-hour workweeks.
• Dockside sampling involves up to 14-hour workdays but is typically conducted within a 40-hour workweek.
• Office and lab work are typically Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. or four (4) ten (10) hour shifts.

Travel Requirements:

• Travel will be variable depending on the activity. Travel will be necessary for some projects and will entail multiple nights with lodging at the agency’s expense.
• Depending on specific project logistics, meals will be provided for the group as “camp groceries” or individuals will be responsible for acquiring food for personal use from grocery stores or restaurants.
• When in travel status, per diem is available to cover food expenses.
• Extended travel of up to one (1) month may be required to accomplish at-sea surveys. Food is provided during extended at-sea trips.

Tools and Equipment:

• Scientific equipment includes environmental sensing equipment and visual survey equipment, personal computer, electronic data loggers, electronic and mechanical scales, fishing rods, reels, pressure washer, tagging devices, knives, dissection tools measuring boards, cameras and vehicles and vessels.

Customer Interactions:

• Interact with the public while port sampling and provide basic information regarding sport fishing, fisheries resources as well as agency programs and activities. May include contact with some individuals who may be upset or frustrated.
• Interact with commercial skippers, crew, and research biologists and scientists (state and federal) during research surveys and office staff and dockside crew at commercial fish dealer/processing plants.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Graduation from high school or GED, including one (1) year of high school science AND two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.

OR

Graduation from high school or GED including one (1) year of high school science AND two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

Please Note:

College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute, year for year, for experience, provided the course work includes at least six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter hours of natural science classes.

Certifications/Licenses:

Valid Driver’s License.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and training availability.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

Knowledge of/Familiar with:

• Commercial fishery landing and processing operations, and sport fishery operations.
• The operation of electronic sampling and tagging equipment including coded wire tag (CWT) and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag equipment, environmental sensing equipment, and GPS tracking equipment.
• Commercial and sport fishing marine gears, methods, and regulations.
• Marine fish sampling techniques and random sample design.
• Laboratory equipment including microscopes, precision saws and fume hoods and capable of operating lab equipment safely following State and Federal guidelines.

Skill/Ability to:

• Strong species identification skills and can correctly identify the approximately 100 species of groundfish and 10 coastal pelagic species (CPS) found on the Washington coast.
• Procedures for collecting and processing biological ageing structures (otoliths, fins) from a variety of marine fish species.
• Collect data systematically with a high degree of accuracy, precision, and completeness.
• Clearly communicate verbally and in writing with individuals and groups within and outside of the agency.
• Review and compile data collected by themselves for quality control.

Experience with:

• Trailering and operating outboard vessels and can safely and expertly operate agency research vessels.
• Using Excel, iForm, Access, and email software at a basic level.

Learn more about this opportunity and how to apply.