Fishery Biologist 1 (Field Monitor - PCN 111439)

State of Alaska•Fairbanks, AK

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Fishery Biologist 1 serves as the Field Monitor in the Upper Yukon River drainage and is based in Fairbanks, Alaska. This 11-month position leads a Fish and Wildlife Technician 2 in monitoring personal use, subsistence, and commercial salmon and nonsalmon fisheries in the Yukon and Tanana rivers. The role supports fisheries management decisions through data collection and analysis and communication with Alaska residents and fishermen. Office duties include conveying fishing schedules and salmon run strength information to the public, issuing subsistence and personal use fishing permits, helping commercial fishermen with registration and licensing, entering assessment, harvest, and biological data, and planning fieldwork logistics. Field duties include monitoring fishing activity and regulatory compliance, collecting biological samples, and leading salmon enumeration and spawning surveys by riverboat, on foot, and in helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Surveys take place from late July through early December and may involve trips of up to 10 days. The position also performs routine maintenance and minor repairs on outboard motors, four-wheelers, trailers, and snowmobiles. The position offers a balance of office and fieldwork, primarily based at the Fairbanks ADF&G office, with day trips between Fairbanks and Delta Junction and possible multi-day or multi-week travel to remote sites along the Yukon and Tanana rivers. A valid driver's license is required. First Aid/CPR certification is required; training is provided at no cost for those not already certified. The position may involve possession of, or access to, firearms and ammunition.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, fisheries science, or natural resource management.
Alternatively, a bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours in specified biological or natural resource fields, including 16 upper-division semester hours, and at least 12 semester hours in any combination of two or more of chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, geology, hydrology, or GIS.
A valid driver's license.
First Aid/CPR certification; training will be provided at no cost to employees who are not already certified.
Ability to explain complex fisheries assessment data, regulations, and fishing schedules to the public.
Ability to conduct spawning salmon surveys, distinguish salmon species, count salmon, walk riverbeds for 2 to 9 miles, and participate in multi-day aerial surveys.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Experience driving 16- to 24-foot outboard skiffs with 35- to 150-horsepower motors on rivers.
Experience driving snowmobiles and loading and unloading boats and snowmobiles on trailers.
Experience performing basic motor maintenance.
Experience using Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and Outlook, ArcGIS, and R.
Experience with data entry, computations, mapping, and writing.

Responsibilities

Lead a Fish and Wildlife Technician 2 in monitoring personal use, subsistence, and commercial salmon and nonsalmon fisheries in the Yukon and Tanana rivers.
Communicate fishing schedules and salmon run strength information to the public.
Issue subsistence and personal use fishing permits.
Assist commercial fishermen with registration forms and licensing.
Enter assessment, harvest, and biological fisheries data.
Compile and analyze fisheries data to support management decisions for fisheries throughout the Yukon River drainage.
Plan fieldwork logistics.
Monitor fishing effort and visit fishermen at remote fishing sites.
Check compliance with fishing regulations and collect biological samples as needed.
Plan and lead spawning salmon enumeration surveys in the Yukon and Tanana river drainages by foot, riverboat, helicopter, and fixed-wing aircraft.
Perform routine maintenance and minor repairs on outboard motors, four-wheelers, trailers, and snowmobiles.