Freshwater Monitoring Technician - Scientific Technician 2 - 2 Positions - Non-Perm - 2026-04909

State of Washington•Snohomish County – Other, WA

16h•Onsite

About The Position

This is a temporary, full-time position for two (2) Freshwater Monitoring Technicians. The appointment length is 3 months, from August 1, 2026, to October 31, 2026. The duty station is Stanwood, Washington. The role involves collecting catch and angler effort information for salmon, steelhead, and other fish species through interviews and drive-around effort counts in the Samish, Skagit, and Nooksack River basins. This position will participate in sampling and field studies to collect biological data supporting fisheries management. Responsibilities include conducting biological sampling of fish, collecting field data, and interviewing anglers to assess catch rates of salmon and steelhead.

Requirements

Graduation from high school or GED including one (1) year of high school science, and two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.
Graduation from high school or GED including one (1) year of high school science, and two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.
College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute year-for-year for experience, provided the course work includes at least six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.
Valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Experience sampling adult salmonids for marks and tags, including scanning fish for coded wire tags (CWT) and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags.
Experience using personal computers or mobile devices for data entry and writing to produce accurate and timely work products.
Experience using Microsoft Office Suite, primarily Excel and Word.
Experience identifying saltwater and river stage adult salmonids to species.
Experience identifying sex of adult salmonids.
Experience conducting creel surveys.

Responsibilities

Conducts angler creel interviews to estimate catch of target species and incidental impacts to non-target species during freshwater recreational salmon and steelhead fisheries.
Performs surveys to assess angling effort, counting angler vehicles and trailers at multiple, pre-determined river locations accessed by motor vehicle.
Records data into iPad application and on scale card paper form.
Samples all Chinook and coho salmon with electronic CWT detection devices.
Classifies, sorts, and enumerates marked (adipose fin-clipped) and unmarked salmon by CWT status.
Uses a knife to remove snouts from Chinook and Coho salmon with CWTs, which are used to assess stock specific impacts for fisheries modeling.
Samples salmon catch to obtain stock composition (DNA taken with scissors), age structure (scales taken with forceps), fish length (length taken by measuring device), and hatchery and natural-origin proportions (mark-status).
Contacts anglers to conduct creel interviews, traveling by foot to contact bank anglers at river access points and monitoring boat ramps for groups of returning boat anglers.
Asks predetermined questions about an angler’s fishing experience during interviews (e.g., trip length, target species, and catch and/or harvest).
Identifies salmonids to species and sex.
Observes and records hatchery or research marks on the fish.
Legibly records data from duty 1 above.
Accurately enters data to electronic devices.
Reviews and tabulates data.
Enters data to existing spreadsheets and databases in Excel, Access, or other apps.
Operates and maintains all equipment including sampling equipment, waders or other wearable gear if provided, and vehicles.
Performs vehicle maintenance including periodically checking oil level and monitoring fuel and level of washer fluid.
Provides sport fishing regulatory information to the public.
Liaison to regional supervisor and enforcement on fishery violations observed in the field.