Skagit River Juvenile Salmon Biologist – Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2 – Permanent – *12923-24

Working Title– Skagit River Juvenile Salmon Biologist
Classification– Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2
Job Status– Full-Time/Permanent
WDFW Program– Fish Program – Science Division
*Duty Station– **La Conner, Washington – Skagit County
*The current duty station of this position is in La Conner, Washington (Skagit County).  This position is anticipated to move to a duty station in Stanwood, Washington (Snohomish County) on April 1, 2025.

**Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within the State of Washington and must be available to report to the duty station located in Stanwood, Washington as needed.  The selected candidate may be able to telework/work remotely at the discretion of the supervisor, but the number of days per week will vary seasonally.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Be a central figure in the capture, marking and population monitoring of juvenile salmonids at fish traps in the Skagit River basin, providing data to inform salmon conservation and management in Puget Sound.

In this dynamic role, you will work with monitoring scientists, habitat restoration practitioners, fishery managers, and hatchery evaluation biologists to interpret information generated by project activities.

We are seeking a candidate to achieve healthy, diverse, and sustainable fish and wildlife populations by analyzing results from monitoring efforts and communicating project outcomes to project partners.

WHAT TO EXPECT –

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, this position:

Manages and conducts natural resource assessments with a focus on determining the abundance, migration timing, and life-history diversity of juvenile salmonids.

• Oversees all aspects of project management and supervision for juvenile salmonid monitoring activities in the Skagit River basin, including the installation, removal, and daily operation of traps on the mainstem river and tributaries.
• Leads the implementation of established project sampling and safety protocols.
• Communicates with unit and other Department staff to provide trapping updates and recommend changes to sampling and safety protocols.
• Operates screw and scoop traps alongside technical staff as part of the crew rotation and assists with the operation of auxiliary trapping and tagging projects (Mannser Creek fence weir and Baker Lake coho salmon CWT program) when in operation.
• Identifies and enumerates juvenile migrants; records biological data, age, origin, and mark/tag presence; collects biological samples (otoliths, DNA, scales); and conducts efficiency trials while performing daily trap checks.

Prepares annual, contractual, and technical reports.

• Organizes, compiles, and manages field data and associated juvenile trapping database, ensuring data quality and integrity both during and post-season.
• Summarizes and analyzes juvenile trapping data using established statistical procedures to produce estimates of juvenile abundance and characterize migration timing.
• Formulates report conclusions based on results, and drafts written reports for review by supervisory staff.

Directs and supervises technical staff to achieve project objectives.

• Hires, trains, and supervises scientific technicians to ensure safe and efficient operation of Skagit River basin juvenile fish traps.
• Counsels and settles employee conflicts, enlisting help of supervisor when necessary.
• Ensures staff complete required trainings and follow all applicable policies, regulations, and safety protocols and procedures of the Unit, Division, and Department.
• Manages project budgets, tracks expenditures and vehicle mileage, completes payments to vendors, and performs other administrative tasks.

Supports other salmon population monitoring and research activities in the Skagit River basin and North Puget Sound as assigned by supervisor.

• Assists with adult salmon stock assessment (spawning ground) surveys and biological sampling of anadromous fishes, hatchery monitoring and evaluation programs, sport, and commercial fishery sampling.

Working Conditions:

Work setting: Work is conducted both in the field and an office setting. Field work primarily consists of operating a rotary screw and an inclined plane (scoop) trap on the Skagit River from January through July, with periodic work at the Mannser Creek fence weir and Baker Lake Dam. Traps have minimal cover, are exposed to inclement weather, and are subject to highly variable river and debris flows. Screw and scoop traps have various moving parts (large winches, trap cone, large grated inclined plane, etc.) that can present pinching and crushing hazards during operation. Trap work requires long hours of work often at night and sometimes on the weekends, and the ability to carry heavy (50+ lbs) objects on slippery and uneven terrain. Screw and scoop traps are accessed using a skiff with outboard motor. Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.

Schedule: Schedule varies greatly between field and off-season. 40 hours per week, 8-10 hours per day, primarily Monday – Friday.  During off-season, employee works Monday – Friday in an office setting. During trapping season (January-July), employee works in a rotating schedule of 2-4 days and nights weekly while residing at mainstem trap site. Weekend and holiday work may be required during trapping season. 

Travel requirements: Some overnight travel—usually in the Puget Sound region—is required to attend trainings or assist with other field work.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science and one (1) year of professional experience in fish/wildlife/habitat management or research.

Or

Equivalent education/experience.

Please note:  Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.  A master’s degree or Ph.D. in the applicable science will substitute for the required experience.

License:  Valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

Successful completion of various agency trainings as assigned by supervisor, including but not limited to: First Aid/CPR, Wilderness First Aid, Motorboat Operator Training Course, Swiftwater Rescue, Chainsaw, and Basic Rigging.

Preferred Qualifications:

In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess some or all the following:

• Demonstrated success in writing or participating in scientific reports or articles.
• Experience training personnel, assigning work, evaluating performance, and providing feedback.
• Ability to set clear project objectives, develop a work plan, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to plan research expenditures and track budgets.
• Experience with fisheries sampling and capture techniques in rivers and streams, such as electrofishing, rotary screw traps, scoop traps, fence weirs, raft or shore-based redd surveys, angling.
• Experience handling, identifying juvenile salmonids.
• Familiarity with equipment used to implant and scan for coded wire tags.
• Ability to execute analytical approaches to address scientific questions, and ultimately draw conclusions from biological data based on facts and evidence.
• Experience with descriptive, comparative, and advanced statistical approaches.
• Knowledge of statistical programming languages and/or platforms such as R.
• Experience entering, organizing, and querying data sets using database software such as Microsoft Access.
• Knowledge of salmonid behavior, life history, ecology, and population dynamics.
• Experience coordinating activities with multiple entities and collaborators.

Your application should include the following:

• A completed online application.
• An up-to-date resume (chronological preferred) showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
• A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
• At least three (3) professional references with current contact information.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

In addition to pay and other special employee programs, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the “Benefits” tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.

Important Note: 

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link:  https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Union – WAFWP:

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.

Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice: 

Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following: 

• Notify us of your veteran or military spouse status by email at Cheri.Potter@dfw.wa.gov.
• Veterans only – Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
  • Please redact any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2024-1234 – Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications.   Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully.  All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer.  We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.  Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Request an accommodation: Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

Technical Difficulties: If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com. 

Other questions: If you have other questions regarding this position, please reach out to Cheri.Potter@dfw.wa.gov and reference job #2024-12338.

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