Monitoring And Research - Fish And Wildlife Biologist 3 - Permanent - *16341-23

Salary: $5,088.00 - $6,838.00 Monthly
Location : Clark County - Ridgefield, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Job Number: 2023-16341
Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Opening Date: 12/27/2023
Closing Date: 2/7/2024 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
MONITORING AND RESEARCH
FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 3
Fish Program
Ridgefield, Washington - Clark County
This recruitment has been re-opened and will be posted until February 7, 2023. The first review of applications will take place on January 17, 2023. Application review is on-going, please submit your application materials as soon as possible. This continuous recruitment may be closed at any time.
Are you interested in leading efforts to understand the dynamic between wild and hatchery salmon and steelhead populations, and contributing directly to hatchery reform initiatives?
Supervise long-term life cycle monitoring activities and short-term research studies on the Kalama River and coordinate the development of hatchery broodstock programs.
Releasing juvenile steelhead - Credit: Danny Warren
Picture yourself,
Planning, organizing, and directing field and laboratory research and producing annual reports, peer-review manuscripts, and oral presentations that describe project outcomes.
This is an opportunity,
To oversee operation and data collection from juvenile traps and electrofishing projects, including rotary screw traps and fence weirs.
In this dynamic role,
You will lead the development and implementation of new assessments for factors affecting fish use of the Kalama Falls ladder.
We are seeking a candidate,
Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).
Duties
Some of what our Monitoring and Research Biologist will enjoy doing,
Oversee and lead life cycle Monitoring and other research activities and
collect data in rivers by snorkeling:

• Oversee operation and data collection from the adult fish trap at Kalama Falls Hatchery and adult spawning ground and snorkel surveys.
• Lead implementation of mark-recapture studies as part of Viable Salmonid Population monitoring on the Kalama River above Kalama Falls Hatchery. This will include coordinating and participating in summer steelhead snorkel surveys in the Kalama and assisting other basin leads by providing staff and participants directly in their snorkels.
• Maintain project data in agency databases such as JMX and TWS.
• In coordination with a supervisor, use statistical principles and ecological framework to estimate fish abundance and biological characteristics, fishery and hatchery impacts on fish populations, environmental impacts on fish populations, and other selected study objectives.

Serve on an interdisciplinary team responsible for implementation of monitoring actions and hatchery reform:

• Have knowledge on hatchery-wild steelhead interaction studies for the interdisciplinary team, including knowledge of historical data and results from the Kalama Steelhead Research program.

Supervise professional and technical staff:

• Set goals and objectives, develop strategies to implement and develop performance measurements and create standards for the purpose of ensuring individual and program performance objectives are met.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • The incumbent will work in an office or field environment, on a seasonal basis.
  • Fieldwork will involve working outdoors and exposed to hot and cold temperatures, conditions with wet slippery footing.
  • Snorkel in cold, fast-flowing, whitewater conditions up to six (6) miles per day and walk over rough terrain in varying environmental conditions. Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
  • Occasionally lift, with or without assistance, large, live fish (typically up to 30 pounds). Traps have moving parts, including winches for raising, lowering, and adjusting trap positions and are exposed to inclement weather and are subject to variable river flows.

Schedule:

• Typically, Monday - Friday, 5 days, 40 hours per week. Occasionally, this position is expected to work more than 40 hours per week, beyond core hours (potentially including nights), and outside of the normal work week such as weekends and holidays to complete necessary field and office duties.

Travel Requirements:

• Travel periodically throughout Washington and to other states for meetings, conferences, training, and special projects. Travel occurs on a regular basis from the office to the sampling sites.

Tools and Equipment:

• Vehicles, pontoon rafts, backpack electrofishers, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag applicators, temperature loggers and downloading equipment, coded wire tag (CWT) and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag wands, citizen band (CB) radios, GPS units, and snorkeling gear.

Customer Interactions:

• Interaction with the public generally occurs through landowner contacts, presentations, and data requests. Regular interactions also occur with local, state, and federal agencies.

Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science.

AND

• Three (3) years of professional experience in one (1) or more of the following:
  • Fish management or fish research.
  • Wildlife management or wildlife research.
  • Habitat management or habitat research.

Please Note:

• Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.
• A Master's degree in the applicable science will substitute one (1) year of the required experience.
• A Ph.D. in the applicable science may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Valid Driver's License.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Valid first-aid and CPR training card within six (6) months of hire and maintained accordingly.
• WDFW snorkel training and certification, with completion within six (6) months of hire and renewal expected annually.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of the Mitchell Act Biological Opinion as it relates to fish management requirements and hatchery operations.
• Knowledge of salmon and steelhead ecology and adult and juvenile population assessment methods, study designs, and analyses.
• Experience conducting statistical analysis and familiarity with associated computer programs/languages such as R, JAGS, STAN, WinBUGS.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to gather, summarize, and analyze data.

Supplemental Information
Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.
Experience and education selected, listed, and detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable in the application.
In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume.
• Three professional references.

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
JOIN THE WDFW TEAM:
Learn about our agencyand the perksof working for WDFW!
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field. We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency's mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).
WDFW employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth.
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.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer
VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:
To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 - Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE:
To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 - MS)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Note: Please blackout any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
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.
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone at 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.
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.
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