Fisheries Technician 1- Restoration Monitoring and Passage Assessment

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission • Santa Barbara, CA

21h • Onsite

About The Position

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the
role of a Fisheries Technician 1 based in Santa Barbara, California. This is a
full-time temporary position. Work hours may vary based on task needs, but will
be between 32-40 hours per week. 

The incumbent will assist with two projects: California Department of Fish and
Wildlife's (CDFW)Monitoring and Evaluation of Salmonid Habitat Restoration
(MESHR) program and California Department of Transportation's (Caltrans) fish
passage barrier assessment project. The Fisheries Technician will assist the
PSMFC Biologist for an approximate period of 6 months, from May through October.
Staff work out of an office located in Santa Barbara, CA and commute to field
sites. Work involves travel to project sites (often remote) located in
watersheds throughout coastal areas of southern California, and occasional car
camping or other lodging for up to four days per week. 

As part of the MESHR project, the fisheries technician will assist with
qualitative and quantitative effectiveness monitoring of grant-funded habitat
restoration projects. Monitoring of restoration projects employs three
approaches: 1) detailed measurement of physical habitat characteristics,
including stream longitudinal profiles; 2) a rapid field assessment using
treatment-specific, qualitative checklists; and 3) assessment of fish response
to instream and passage projects via snorkel and spawner surveys. Primary
responsibilities will include establishing photo-point monuments, taking photos
of restoration sites, organizing data files, data quality control, map making
using ArcGIS, writing case study reports, maintaining equipment, and driving 4x4
vehicles.

As part of the Fish Passage Assessment project, the fisheries technician will
assist with conducting detailed fish passage barrier and habitat assessments on
Caltrans stream crossing facilities throughout coastal California. Assessments
involve recording data on stream habitat conditions, facility descriptions and
dimensions, and longitudinal and channel cross section profiles. This position
will be responsible for assisting with data collection, data management, and the
writing of assessment summaries.

Applicants should have a working knowledge of aquatic ecology/environmental
sciences; prior instream and/or upland field experience; willingness to learn
and follow CDFW, Caltrans, and PSMFC policies, protocols, and procedures; good
data management and field gear organization; good communication and
interpersonal skills; and scientific writing skills. Candidates must be
comfortable in the field under strenuous conditions (hot weather, small poorly
lit spaces, biting insects, presence of poison oak, and hiking in densely
vegetated riparian habitats with heavy gear).

Requirements

• able to swim
• lift 40 - 50 lbs.
• valid driver's license
• hiking
• camping
• CPR/First Aid
• operate GPS
• habitat typing
• habitat monitoring
• restoration proj. monitoring research land ownership
• fish species ID skills
• operate handheld data recorder
• compile and collect neat and accurate data
• specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)
• oral communication skills
• written communication skills
• repair & maintain equipment
• A range of experience and education may be presented. At the lower end of the range, candidates must present six months of General Experience OR one year of education above the high school level that included at least six semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.
• At the upper end of the range, candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience OR a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with a major or at least 24 semester hours of coursework in any combination of scientific or technical courses. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.
• General Experience is (1) any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with biological sciences or the processes of the biological sciences.
• Specialized Experience is experience that equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled.

Responsibilities

• Participate in survey crews that conduct regional fishery presence/absence research, recreational/commercial fishing surveys, anadromous fish escapement surveys (carcass, redd, trap/weir, snorkel, etc.), or tag detection and mark recovery surveys. Make standardized observations such as species identification, length, weight, behavior, growth, survival, reproductive condition, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens, fin clips or tags.
• Collect and organize biological and habitat samples and collections (such as scales, otoliths, ageing structures, other tissues, water quality, etc.).
• Make regular facility inspections including, for example, dewatering equipment, pumps, flumes, gates, tanks, screens, filters, gatewells, and/or tag interrogation equipment. Monitor and maintain water quality levels. Record findings and adjustments made. Respond appropriately and immediately to emergencies.
• Support watershed and stream assessments by working as part of a field team that performs habitat surveys. Includes road inventories, stream habitat inventories, channel typing, habitat typing, woody debris and riparian inventories.
• Summarize and input biological or habitat data on field forms, electronic data loggers, and/or desktop computers. May assist with preliminary data summaries and analyses, technical report writing, or database management.
• Research the land ownership of survey sites and assist in processes for gaining access approval, which may include direct landowner contact.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees