Fisheries Technician 1- Tagging Trailer Assistant

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission•Red Bluff, CA

About The Position

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting for a seasonal, benefits-eligible Fisheries Technician 1 position serving as a Tagging Trailer Assistant. The position is anticipated to start December 14, 2026, and involves significant travel to five or more anadromous hatcheries throughout Northern California. Housing is not provided. The Trailer Assistant manually adipose fin-clips and applies coded-wire tags to juvenile salmon and steelhead; some fish on early projects also receive a ventral clip. Most fish are processed on automated marking lines, while fish that are too small or too large for those lines, or are rejected by them, are processed in the manual section of the AutoFish Trailer. The assistant operates that manual section and supports the Trailer Operator with tasks such as crowding or bucketing fish, changing the outflow discharge pipe, and disinfecting the trailer. The role also supports captive fish-rearing activities and facility operations. Duties include handling fish, monitoring systems and water quality, inspecting equipment, recording findings and adjustments, maintaining or assisting with the construction of systems, and responding promptly to emergencies. The work may take place in an office, fish-processing labs, fish-holding areas, or in the field, including on narrow elevated walkways and platforms over or adjacent to water. Full-time, full-year benefited positions may be available to candidates who excel in this work environment.

Requirements

Meet the minimum qualification requirements through a qualifying combination of experience and education. At the lower end, this is six months of general experience or one year of post-high-school education including at least six semester hours of scientific or technical courses. At the upper end, this is one year of specialized experience or a four-year post-high-school course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major or at least 24 semester hours in scientific or technical courses. Equivalent combinations of experience and education qualify.
Knowledge of fishery biology, including particular fish species, and fish husbandry.
Knowledge of personal computer applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, email, publishing, presentation, database, topographic, bibliographic, and statistical-analysis software.
Ability to use electronic detection technology.
Ability to lift 40–50 pounds.
Valid driver's license and ability to tow and maneuver trailers.
Fish species identification skills.
Ability to collect and compile neat, accurate data.
Specific software skills, including spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, and statistical software.
Oral and written communication skills.
Ability to repair and maintain equipment.
Ability to meet physical demands that may include walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, carrying buckets of water or gear weighing up to 50 pounds, and extended periods of hiking, carrying equipment, swimming, or standing.

Responsibilities

Manually adipose fin-clip and apply coded-wire tags to juvenile salmon and steelhead; apply ventral clips to some fish on early projects.
Operate the manual section of the automated fish-marking trailer to process fish that are too small or too large for automated lines or are rejected by them.
Assist the Trailer Operator with crowding or bucketing fish, changing the outflow discharge pipe, disinfecting the AutoFish Trailer, and other tasks.
Support captive fish-rearing activities, including spawning, incubating, feeding, sampling, sorting, handling, medicating, anesthetizing, and transporting fish.
Monitor facility systems and equipment and assist in developing, fabricating, constructing, and maintaining systems.
Inspect facility equipment such as dewatering equipment, pumps, flumes, gates, tanks, screens, filters, gatewells, and tag-interrogation equipment.
Monitor and maintain water quality, and record findings and adjustments.
Respond appropriately and immediately to emergencies.