Fisheries Technician 1 - Tacoma Power Cushman Hydroelectric Project

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission • Shelton, WA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting a Fisheries Technician 1 to be based at the Cushman Dam in Tacoma, Washington. Position/Project Specifics: Fisheries Technicians perform duties related to the protection, preservation, propagation, and sampling of fish species, as well as the preservation and enhancement of aquatic habitats. Technicians provide practical, hands-on support for research, operations, program administration, and natural resource program activities. Tacoma Power is working in conjunction with Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to provide support for natural resources management requirements associated with operation of Tacoma Power's Hydroelectric Projects. Duties associated with this position will be primarily focused on Tacoma Power's obligations at the Cushman Hydroelectric Project but may occasionally require travel to the Cowlitz or Nisqually Hydroelectric Projects. The successful candidate will be a member of the Tacoma Power Natural Resources Services and Delivery team. The body of field work for this position is comprehensive and functions as key staff support for field data collection efforts as well as data entry and data QA/QC. Primarily, duties include assisting with rotary screw trap operations, riverine habitat surveys, spawner ground surveys, fish passage efforts, and captive fish rearing tasks. This position provides valuable experience for individuals pursuing careers in aquatic and fisheries sciences.

Requirements

• Able to swim/navigate in swift water
• Swiftwater Training
• Valid driver's license
• Fish Species Identification Skills
• Hiking in rough terrain
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• CPR/First Aid Training
• Compile and collect neat and accurate data
• Demonstrates field work in inclement weather conditions
• Juvenile salmonid species identification skills
• Snorkeling
• Carcass and redd surveys
• Habitat monitoring
• Oral and written communication skills
• Repair and maintain equipment
• MS Office Suite (Access, Excel, Teams, Word, etc.)
• ESRI Products (ArcGIS, Field Maps, Survey123, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Support operation of a rotary screw trap by participating in daily trap checks. Duties include enumerating fish by species and age class, collecting length, weight, scales, and DNA samples from captured fish, and performing mark/recapture studies.
• Support stream assessments by working with a field team that performs habitat surveys. Includes extensive documentation on stream channel dimensions, habitat typing, large woody debris, and riverbed substrate.
• Participate in anadromous fish escapement surveys by conducting spawner ground surveys and collecting information on live fish, carcasses, and redds. This task will require swiftwater training, use of a dry suit, and snorkeling.
• Conduct standardized observations such as species identification, reproductive condition, fin clips or tags.
• Support captive fish rearing activities including spawning, feeding, sampling, and transporting fish as well as possibly cleaning and sanitizing tanks.
• Summarize and input biological or habitat data on field forms, mobile collection devices, and desktop computers.
• Assist with preliminary data summaries and analyses, technical report writing, or database management as needed.

What This Job Offers

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