Classification- Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 – (In-Training)
Job Status- Full-Time - Permanent
WDFW Program- Fish Program – Hatcheries Division
Duty Station- Naselle, Washington – Pacific County – Naselle Hatchery
Housing- Housing is Provided 
*Standby- Currently Assigned 
In-Training – We are recruiting to hire at the Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 or 2 level, and we will train a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 up to the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2.
Salary- Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 Range: $3,581.00 - $4,771.00 – Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 Range: $3,925.00 - $5,271.00

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Join the future of fish conservation in Washington while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

Contribute to scientific, technical, and maintenance operations at Naselle Hatchery, helping to rear anadromous and non-anadromous species of fish.  

What to Expect-
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Fish Hatchery Specialist will, 

Perform Fish Culture: 

• Calculate and feed fish according to pond populations and weight samples. Adjust feed size and amount fed as needed.
• Monitor fish behavior and health.
• Monitor egg and fish production and disinfect and enumerate eggs. 
• Identify, sort, and sample species for spawning and adult distribution.
• Clean ponds and raceways, troughs, and incubator systems to maintain fish health.
• Perform fish inventories, splits, grading, marking trailer inventories, weight samples and plants. 
• Collect adult mortality and fill out correct head tags for brood stock and enter data into hatchery documents and fish books.
• Conduct remote trapping and spawning operations, including transport of equipment and gametes.
• Track temperature units (TU’s) and monitors chillers to adjust TU’s, including tracking thermal marks.
• Receive eggs and samples and distributes them into rearing vessels at correct loadings as well as ponds fry according to proper TU’s.
• Incubate eggs using a variety of vessels including, shallow troughs, isolation buckets, upwelling incubators and vertical trays.
• Scan fish for various tags using coded wire tag (CWT) wands, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag detectors, and other tag associated equipment.

Record Keeping and Reporting: 

• Accurately fills out and submits agency forms such as fish transfer tickets, hatchery invoice forms and other relevant forms.
• Assist or develops forms or spreadsheets for more efficient record keeping.
• Perform water quality analysis and discharge monitoring reports (DMR) as required by the Department of Ecology to maintain hatchery discharge permits (NPDES).
• Maintain purchasing card account, ledger of hatchery expenses, and completes order payment forms for vendor payments.

Operation and Maintenance of Facility and Equipment:

• Maintain proper water flow and rearing environments.
• Monitor and maintain facility support systems i.e., diesel generators, domestic and ozone water treatment plants, alarm panels and other support systems.
• Apply herbicides or controlled burning for weed control. 
• Maintain hatchery housing such as building/maintaining fences, plumbing and minor electrical repairs and road access to residences, hatchery by plowing, grading, and snow blowers.
• Operate forklifts, tractors, yard maintenance equipment, fish pumps and common power tools
• Design/fabricate needed hatchery equipment such as fish racks, weirs, intakes screens, fish transfer equipment, adult fish gates, etc., using metal, aluminum, plastic, and wood.

Working Conditions: 

Work Setting, including hazards: 

• Work outdoors in all weather conditions for approximately 250 days per year. Weather conditions may include rain, snow, sun, darkness, and high/low temperatures.
• At times this position will repetitively lift at least 50lbs.
• Use a respirator and other personal protective equipment (PPE) while working with various chemicals used at facility.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule: Typically, Monday – Friday,8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Work hours can vary greatly at different times of the year depending on the work schedule and weather conditions. 

Housing: Housing is provided.

*Standby: This position requires standby, which involves overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day when on duty. The standby schedule consists of working 10 consecutive days, including 7 days of standby duty, followed by 4 days off. Response time between 15 - 45 minutes, depending on time of the year.

Travel Requirements: Travel may be required to accomplish agency goals.

Tools and Equipment: Hand and power tools, lawn care equipment, tractors, forklifts, welding equipment, egg picking machines, water sampling instruments, transport trucks, passenger vehicles, adult fish pumps, adult fish counters, coded wire tag (CWT) identification equipment, trash pumps, pressure washers, diesel generators, small gas engine, computers, and software.

Customer Interactions: Effectively communicate with the public and volunteers, including regular interactions with small community groups.

Qualifications:

This Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training) series provides mentoring and career development opportunities for candidates with limited hatchery and fish culture experience.

Candidates will be hired as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 or 2, dependent on skills and experience.

Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month in-training plan, the selected candidate will automatically be promoted to a Fish Hatchery Specialist 2.

Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 1:

Option 1: Associate’s degree in fisheries technology, biology or closely allied field.

Option 2: Three (3) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology or closely allied field.

Option 3: Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school.

Option 4: Three (3) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery.

Certifications/Licenses:
Valid Driver’s License

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Forklift certification within the first year of employment (agency provided).
• This position requires standby (response time 15 – 45 minutes).

Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (Goal Class):

Option 1: One (1) year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 and successful completion of agency supervised training program.   

Option 2: Associate degree in fisheries technology or closely allied field and one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.  

Option 3: Two (2) years of education towards a bachelor’s degree in fisheries or closely allied field and one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery 

Option 4: Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school and one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery. 

Option 5: Three years (3) of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery. 

Certifications/Licenses:
Valid Driver’s License

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Forklift certification within the first year of employment (agency provided).
• This position requires standby (response time 15 – 45 minutes).

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

Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology or closely allied field

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 - WAFHP:

These positions are in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Hatchery 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 Hatchery Professionals (WAFHP).

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 Elizabeth.Bullard@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 Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov and reference job #2025-05264.

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