Coho Spawning Ground Surveyor - Scientific Technician 2 - Non-Permanent - 3 Openings - 2026-06601
About The Position
If you enjoy working outdoors and want to play a direct role in conserving Washington's iconic salmon and steelhead populations, this position offers a rewarding opportunity to make an impact. As a Coho Spawning Ground Surveyor, you'll hike and raft through Lower Columbia River tributaries to conduct spawning ground surveys, collect biological data, and monitor the health, abundance, and distribution of Chinook, coho, chum, and steelhead. The information you gather will help assess stock status, guide fisheries management decisions, and support sustainable recreational fishing opportunities while collaborating with biologists, hatchery staff, field technicians, program managers, and partner agencies.
Requirements
- 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.
- 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.
- Equivalent education/experience.
- College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field may 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.
- Valid driver’s license.
Nice To Haves
- Sample designs using rotating panels.
- Fish passage barriers.
- Conducting commercial and recreational fishery sampling, including fish marking and tagging, habitat surveys, or stream characterization sampling.
- Operating, trailering, and transporting boats or other field research equipment.
- Experimental gear monitoring, fish passage assessments, or hatchery/wild fish identification.
- Common fish diseases, parasites, and water quality testing, including pH, salinity, and oxygen content.
- State and Tribal fisheries regulations and practices.
- Current CPR/First Aid Certification
Responsibilities
- Conduct adult salmonid spawning ground surveys on Lower Columbia River tributaries to collect data used to measure Viable Salmonid Population (VSP) parameters, including Diversity, Distribution, Abundance, and Productivity, which is used to determine the viability and health of salmonid populations and generate accurate and precise adult salmonid abundance estimates.
- Identify and count live and deceased adult salmonids, as well as redds.
- Collect biological data from salmonid carcasses, including Coded Wire Tag (CWT) status, sex, marks, fork length, previous clips, marks, scales, DNA, and potentially otolith collection.
- Accurately record data collected during field activities into an iPad.
- Operate handheld digital data collection devices, including iPads and CWT detectors.
- Submit scale cards, CWT snouts, DNA, and otolith sample collections in a timely manner.
- Download field data from iPads daily and notify the supervisor of any data errors requiring correction.
Benefits
- There are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
