Fisheries Technician 1 – Cowlitz Fish Passage Technician

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

13d • Onsite

About The Position

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the
role of Fisheries Technician 1 located at the Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility in
Randle, Washington.

Group Definition: Fisheries Technicians perform duties related to the
protection, preservation, propagation, and sampling of fish species and the
preservation or enhancement of their habitat. They use knowledge of procedural
requirements and processes to support the technical work of their unit. They
provide practical technical support to research, operations, or program
administration efforts.

Position/Project Specifics:

Staffing of the Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility, the Mayfield Juvenile Fish Facility
and the Adult Fish Passage Facility. This position will fill a 5-day, 8-hour
work week that begins on Friday and ends on Tuesday. The incumbent may
occasionally be asked to work outside of this schedule. This position has the
potential to be extended, pending operational needs.

Locations: The Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility at Cowlitz Falls Dam in Randle,
Washington, the Mayfield Juvenile Fish Facility in Silver Creek, WA, and the
Adult Separation Facility at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery in Salkum, Washington.

Duties: This exciting position will provide a valuable opportunity to assist
with both upstream and downstream fish passage on the Cowlitz River. Are you
looking to gain or improve your experience handling juvenile and adult
salmonids? Would you like to learn more about fish passage projects at
hydroelectric facilities? If you answered yes, you are encouraged to apply for
this position!

Work will take place at Tacoma Power fish facilities and is part of a
cooperative project with Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC), who
employs the incumbents, and Tacoma Power, who supervises the employees.
Incumbents must be able to work days, including weekends, in inclement weather, exposed to noise, water and heights (in and outside of the facility) and must
follow all safety rules.

The Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility is a key component of the program to
re-establish anadromous populations of spring Chinook, Coho and Steelhead in the
upper Cowlitz River watershed. Smolts collected at the facility are transported
to the lower Cowlitz River and released to continue their oceanward migration.
Typical job duties include daily fish workup, assisting with collection of
biological information on a subset of fish, transporting fish throughout the
basin, and participating in various studies designed to assess and improve fish
passage.

The Mayfield facility is the the lower Cowlitz River juvenile collection
facility where juvenile outmigrants are collected, enumerated, tagged, and
released downstream to continue their journey out to the ocean.

The Adult Separation Facility is part of a trap and haul program where adult
salmonids are enumerated and checked for species, sex, marks, and tags, and
distributed to either broodstock for hatchery needs or transported around the
dams to spawn naturally. The progeny of the naturally spawned populations are
subsequently collected at the Cowlitz Falls and Mayfield sites.

Candidates must be comfortable working in inclement weather, exposure to loud
noises, and be comfortable in a wet environment. All facilities will require the
candidate to be competent with neatly and accurately recording data and
knowledgeable with data management. Proficiency in juvenile and adult salmonid
identification is preferred, though thorough training will be provided.

This position will assist with general housekeeping duties as well as keeping
all work areas clean and presentable. This position often works with others and
requires a positive, can-do attitude.

Requirements

• ability to lift 40 - 50 lbs.
• possession of a valid driver's license
• collection of neat and accurate data
• 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

• fish species ID skills
• trap/weir
• oral communication skills
• written communication skills
• repair & maintain equipment

Responsibilities

• Make regular facility inspections, including, for example, dewatering equipment, pumps, flumes, gates, tanks, screens, filters, gate wells, and/or tag interrogation equipment.
• Monitor and maintain water quality levels
• Record findings and adjustments made.
• Assess and communicate mechanical and biological conditions that may impact fish health.
• Respond appropriately to abnormal conditions. Call standby personal as needed to help address critical situations
• Identify, enumerate, and transport juvenile salmonids.
• Accurately record and enter data in spreadsheets.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level