Fisheries Technician 4

State of Montana • Fort Peck, MT

7d • Onsite

About The Position

This position will mainly be sampling and monitoring endangered Pallid Sturgeon. Employee will collect fisheries data using a variety of gears in the Missouri River. Gears that may be used, but not necessarily limited to include trammel nets, trotlines, boat electrofishing, larval netting, benthic trawling, trap nets, telemetry equipment, etc. The employee will be required to travel in a jet boat in remote areas of the Missouri River. Employee must, with training accurately identify, measure, and record data on all fish captured, operate telemetry equipment, complete habitat survey measurements, take water quality measurements.
Employees may be asked to enter, analyze, and report data in written and oral form. Employees will be required to assist in the maintenance of equipment and tools. Position will be supervised by a fishery biologist and a Fisheries Technician 5. Employee will assist in public outreach events. Employee may be asked to write in limited capacity reports for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
This position would be approximately 11.5 months of the year and depending on performance may be for more than one year. It is likely the hired employee would be able to work year-round with potential funding sources. Accommodation of other start and end dates may be possible.
Working conditions involve outdoor work, often in inclement weather. Employee must work from a boat throughout the year; must be able to deploy and retrieve nets and haul large fish into a boat for extended periods; push boats through shallow areas of fast-flowing, large rivers. Employee must accept hazardous working conditions such as running jet boats on large rivers. Work often requires extended exposure to sun and high temperatures. Routine repair and maintenance of boat trailers and engines. Employee will work in large relatively remote stretches of the Missouri River between Fort Peck Dam and the North Dakota border. Overnight travel, both camping and staying in hotel rooms will be required.
The incumbent will work in the field with supervision. Lab work is usually accomplished with no supervision. The work plan objectives and tasks are established by the fisheries biologist and manager. Monthly schedules are coordinated with the management biologist. Project direction and assistance is provided by the fisheries biologist, the regional fish manager, co-workers, and personnel from other agencies. Site specific projects and sampling protocols are often modified, designed and initiated to facilitate completion of project objectives. The incumbent is expected to make decisions on a regular basis that concern the accuracy and timeliness of work products to conform with established criteria. The incumbent is required (on a regular basis) to adapt, adjust and develop study designs, methods and techniques to best suit conditions in the field and to best meet the objectives set forth in the work plan.
Fort Peck is located along the Missouri River in the plains of Eastern Montana. A wide variety of outdoor opportunities exist within the area. The county seat of Glasgow, MT is approximately 20 miles away with a population around 3,500.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in fish biology, fish and wildlife management, ecology, biology.
• One year of job-related experience.

Responsibilities

• Sampling and monitoring endangered Pallid Sturgeon
• Collect fisheries data using a variety of gears in the Missouri River
• Accurately identify, measure, and record data on all fish captured
• Operate telemetry equipment
• Complete habitat survey measurements
• Take water quality measurements
• Enter, analyze, and report data in written and oral form
• Assist in the maintenance of equipment and tools
• Assist in public outreach events
• Write in limited capacity reports for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Benefits

• Employees who exceed 1,040 hours in a calendar year are also provided health, dental and life insurance.
• Other benefits include retirement, paid vacation, sick and holidays.
• This position may be covered by a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association).

What This Job Offers

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