Number of Vacancies- Three (3) Positions
Working Title- Sport Fishery & Stream Surveyor
Classification- Scientific Technician 2
Job Status- Full-Time/Non-Permanent
Appointment Length- 3.5 Months – September 1, 2025 – December 15, 2025
WDFW Program- Fish Program – Fish Management Division
Duty Station- Pasco, Washington – Franklin County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

With sustainability and conservation in mind, these positions will provide WDFW with the information needed to estimate harvest and the impacts of sport fisheries to ESA Listed species and other species.

These are opportunities to conduct sport fishery monitoring in the Tri-cities area during the fall salmon fishery and assists with stream surveys in the Hanford Reach/Yakima River.

We are seeking candidates to be responsible for estimating effort, catch, harvest, and origin of salmon and steelhead during summer and fall fisheries from the Highway 395 Bridge (Pasco) upstream to Priest Rapids Dam.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, this position will:

Field Data Collection.

• Sport Fishery Surveys: Collect detailed information from anglers participating in salmon/steelhead sport fisheries during on-site interviews at area boat launches and shoreline fishing access areas. Determine effort through boat trailer index counts and interviews. Identify harvest to species and collect biological information from the harvest including number, length, gender, fin clips, coded wire tags, PIT tags, and collect scales for aging.
• Stream Surveys: Collect post spawn salmon carcasses in-river by boat and along shorelines within the WDFW District 4 waters of the Columbia and Yakima Rivers. Sampling protocols will follow sport fishery methods with the addition of otolith collection (aging and origin) and spawn success (egg retention). Females will be dissected to determine spawn success. All carcasses will be cut in half post sampling to avoid duplicate sampling.
• Ensure all biological samples are collected following field sampling protocols defined by their supervisor(s). All salmon will be scanned for the presence of coded wire tags. Any fish with a coded wire tag present will be sampled following standard protocols and the snout will be removed and transported to the WDFW District office for processing.

Travel (daily).

• Tow, launch, and operate State boats ranging from 18’ to 20” in length.
• Maintain records including operator, date, boat number, gallons, costs, and collect and file all fuel receipts.

Data review and entry.

• Review all data collected in the field and upon returning to the office for completeness and accuracy.
• Properly collect, package, label, and process all biological samples at the end of each shift.

Vehicle and Boat Maintenance.

• Ensures that all equipment, boats, and vehicles are fueled, cleaned, sanitized, and maintained daily.
• Check vehicles and boats daily for routine maintenance (oil, tires, lights), oil and pump lubrication (boats), and notify supervisor of any mechanical problems as soon as they are observed.

Working Conditions:

Work setting: Work is conducted primarily in the field and will require travel to multiple public access sites and remote locations including work on-river in the Hanford Reach area of the Columbia River and the lower 30 miles of the Yakima River.  Field work will be conducted during inclement weather.   Hiking over rough and slippery terrain.   Individual may work with chemicals for biological sampling (ethanol) and vehicle operations (gasoline and oil).  Responsible for use and care of vehicles, boats, equipment, PIT tag readers, and CWT wands.  Stationed alone at public fishing areas for up to 10 hours per day to conduct creel sampling.  Many locations are primitive without facilities or quick availability to medical facilities.  Majority of the work will be near the Hanford Department of Energy site.  This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule: Position is fulltime and may occasionally require work over 40 hours per week. Scheduled days and hours of work will vary and will require work on weekends and potentially on holidays.

Travel requirements: Routinely travel to public and primitive access sites along the Columbia and lower Yakima Rivers. State vehicle will be provided. Stream surveys will require travel and routinely working from boats in the Columbia River.

Customer Interactions: daily interactions with anglers and the public during creel surveys. Technician will be collecting angler information on fishing times, locations, catch, and harvest in addition to biologically sampling all fish from each boat/angler.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications:

Option 1:  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.

Option 2:  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.

Please note:  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 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of natural science classes.

License:  Valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need, and training availability.
• Position will require completion of all State and WDFW mandatory trainings

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

• Undergraduate or Graduate degree in fisheries or closely related field.
• One (1) year of experience field sampling.
• Identification of freshwater and anadromous fish species of the Columbia River.
• Entering data into Excel and/or Access databases.
• Boat operation certification.
• Experienced outboard boat operation and/or small river craft.

Your application should include the following:

• A completed online application showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
• An up-to-date resume.
• 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 #2025-05537.

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