Fish Hatchery Support Member -AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy•Neah Bay, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Fish Hatchery Support Member is an AmeriCorps service position hosted at Makah National Fish Hatchery in Neah Bay, Washington, through Conservation Legacy’s Stewards Individual Placements WaterCorps Program. The member supports hatchery operations, primarily fish culture for Chinook, Coho, and steelhead, and provides supplemental field science and public outreach support alongside hatchery staff. The hatchery works with the Makah Tribe as a co-steward and uses available science to guide decision-making and production goals. Its goal is to increase Pacific Salmon abundance for harvest opportunities on the Makah Indian Reservation and surrounding watersheds. The service term runs from February 1, 2027, through July 30, 2027, for 26 weeks and 900 service hours. The position is typically expected to serve 40 hours per week, though schedules may vary with project needs. The rural location makes a personal vehicle important; housing may be available to applicants from outside the area. The member will receive orientation and training, including training in hatchery operations and safety. Performance is evaluated based on completion of required hours, assignments, and communicated performance criteria. Reporting includes bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Requirements

Must meet the stated Tribal eligibility criteria: be a member of a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, Band, or Village; be Alaska Native; possess at least one-half degree Indian blood derived from Tribes Indigenous to the United States; or be a qualifying descendant of members of Federally recognized Tribes, Bands, or Communities who resided on an Indian Reservation on June 1, 1934, as shown by completing BIA Form 4432.
Must be a United States citizen, United States national, or lawful permanent resident alien.
Must have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, or meet the stated AmeriCorps enrollment and diploma-completion condition.
Must agree to provide information establishing eligibility and complete National Service Criminal History Checks for Conservation Legacy and the host site.
Ability to lift at least 50 pounds.
Ability to walk at least 4 miles daily on uneven ground.
Ability to work more than 8 hours a day, if needed, in inclement weather such as rain, wind, or sun.
A personal vehicle is important due to the rural setting.
Must be able to serve a typical 40-hour week, with schedules varying according to project needs.

Nice To Haves

Strong interest in pursuing a career in fisheries and/or natural resource conservation science.
Experience working in fisheries or fish hatcheries.
Relevant college degree or coursework preferred but not required; relevant coursework could include biology, fisheries or aquatic science, forestry, wildlife biology, oceanography, ecology, and environmental science.

Responsibilities

Feed fish, clean raceways, remove mortality, sample fish, assist with fish releases, and support fish health management.
Collect abiotic data, including salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature.
Support fish marking and tagging by preparing raceways, moving hoses, crowding raceways, and operating fish pumps.
Enter and manage data, including in Excel spreadsheets.
Support field projects evaluating hatchery programs and natural-origin fish in the watershed.
Maintain sampling instrumentation, incubators, raceways, and fish-culture supplies.
Operate lawn mowers and weed whackers to assist with hatchery upkeep.
Assist FWS Information and Education staff with local outreach activities, answer visitor questions, lead hatchery tours, support school visits and programs, and help with outreach events.
Participate in natural resource projects led by the Makah Tribe, which may include green crab trapping, habitat evaluations, Hoko Fish Hatchery support, or watershed science.
Complete bi-weekly timesheets and track accomplishments.
Participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as required during the service term.