Fish Traps and Spawning Ground Surveyor - Scientific Technician 2 - Permanent - 2026-08808

State of Washington•Wahkiakum County – Other, WA

About The Position

The Scientific Technician 2 conducts juvenile salmonid trapping, adult fish weir operations, and adult spawner surveys for Chinook, coho, and chum salmon in the Grays River, Elochoman River, and other Lower Columbia River tributaries. The work supports monitoring of Endangered Species Act-listed salmonid populations and recovery of Chinook and coho salmon populations through management of hatchery-origin fish. The duty station is Cathlamet, Washington, in Wahkiakum County, and the position is in the WDFW Fish Program – Fish Management.

Requirements

Option 1: High school graduation or GED, including one year of high school science, and two years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.
Option 2: High school graduation or GED, including one year of high school science, and two years of laboratory or field experience assisting a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.
College coursework with a major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or a closely allied field may substitute year-for-year for experience, provided it includes at least six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.
Valid unrestricted driver's license.

Nice To Haves

Experience identifying salmonids and other fish species at larval, juvenile, and/or adult life stages.
Experience identifying salmonid redds.
Experience with resistance board and fixed-panel adult fish weirs.
Experience with juvenile and adult salmonid fish marking and tagging protocols.
Experience with fishery monitoring, observing, and sampling.
Experience rowing non-motorized, oar-framed boats such as drift boats and catarafts in Class I–II whitewater conditions.
Experience with Microsoft Excel and Access.
Basic carpentry skills and experience operating hand tools.
Experience operating coded-wire tag and PIT tag detectors.
Experience using handheld iPad and data logger devices.
Experience working alone in remote field locations.
Experience with juvenile trapping techniques, including rotary screw and fence-panel traps with live boxes.
Experience euthanizing fish.

Responsibilities

Assist with installation, operation, maintenance, and removal of juvenile migrant traps, including rotary screw and fence-panel traps with live boxes, to estimate juvenile salmonid outmigrant abundance.
Identify, count, handle, mark, and recapture juvenile salmonids and other fishes.
Snorkel in rivers to identify, count, or collect fish and deploy or inspect field gear.
Assist with daily operation and maintenance of the Elochoman River adult fish weir and collect biological data on adult salmonids.
Troubleshoot and modify weir designs to improve efficiency, and assist with installing and removing adult fish weirs on the Grays and Elochoman rivers.
Conduct adult salmonid spawning ground surveys on the Lower Columbia River and its tributaries; identify and count live and dead adult salmonids and redds; and mark redd locations and enter biological data using GPS and iPad devices.
Operate pontoon rafts while conducting spawning ground surveys in Class I–III whitewater conditions.
Prepare field data and samples for laboratory analysis, including salmon scales, DNA samples, coded-wire-tag-positive snouts, and otolith samples.
Accurately record, proof, and perform quality assurance and quality control on field data, and enter data into spreadsheets or databases.
Collect adult chum salmon for brood stock using various methods.
Collect biological data from salmonids and adult white sturgeon harvested in the Deep River Select Area Fisheries Enhancement commercial fishery.
Perform other duties as assigned.