Fisheries Technician 1- Lower Granite Dam

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission • Pomeroy, WA

15h • Onsite

About The Position

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the
role of Fisheries Technician 1, located at the Lower Granite Dam, close to
Pullman, WA.

This position is anticipated to begin March 25, 2026 through the end of season
(typically October 31, 2026) with an average of only four (4) hours per day
(typically mornings). However, one day per week from April until June, this
position may do Gas Bubble Trauma (GBT) exams for which the technician will
receive eight (8) hours for that day.

The fisheries technician is responsible for preparing for sampling activities
and must be on-site at the specified time to set up the sampling/recirculation
system: fill with water and anesthetic, clean recirculation filters and/or tail
screens, and any other preparations as needed before crowding and sampling fish
is scheduled to begin. As fish enter the wet lab sorting trough, the fisheries
technician enumerates the fish, identifying species, fin clips, elastomer tags,
descaling, and symptoms of columnaris, scans the unclipped Chinook, Coho, and
Sockeye for Coded Wire Tags and records this information on tally boards and
hand logs. The fisheries technician ensures the sampling site and equipment are
clean after each sample. Upon completion of sampling, the fisheries technician
is expected to dewater the system and clean the lab. 

Gas Bubble Trauma exams are conducted once per week from April until June.
Training is provided in Cook, Washington. The work is physically demanding and
requires standing for long periods of time at the wet separator, collecting
fish, anesthetizing the fish collected, and examining the fish under a
dissecting microscope for signs of gas bubble trauma. This position also
requires using proper lifting methods to lift and carry buckets of fish down a
ramp and set of stairs, remove the netting and move heavy crowder screens
through large holding tanks of water to facilitate fish sampling.

The above is intended to give a general description of the day-to-day work
entailed. There may be additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Compile and collect neat and accurate data
• Fish Species ID Skills
• Oral communication skills
• Written communication skills
• Lift 40 - 50 lbs.
• 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 provides 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

Nice To Haves

• Repair nets (seine, gill, etc.)
• CPR/First Aid
• Able to swim
• Using fish keys
• Operate handheld data recorder
• Specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)

Responsibilities

• Administer anesthetic for the safe handling of endangered species for a regular sampling regimen.
• Participate in sampling, sorting, and handling of fish.
• Assist in the fabrication, construction, and maintenance of systems.
• Be on-site by 0600 hours to set up the recirculating system, clean tail screens and any other preparations as needed before crowding fish.
• Remove netting and move heavy crowder screens through large water holding tanks to facilitate fish sampling at 0700 hours.
• Dewater system after sampling is done and clean lab.
• Once per week, examine 100 fish for GBT.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed