Title- Toxics Monitoring Technician
Classification- Scientific Technician 2 (ST2)
Job Status- Full-Time/Permanent
WDFW Program- Fish Program - Toxics Biological Observation System (TBiOS) section
Duty Station- Olympia, Washington – Thurston County
Hybrid/Telework- This position is currently required to work in person but may be approved to work remotely up to 20% of the time at a later date at the discretion of the supervisor. 

This position is part of a team with two additional openings. If you’re interested in more than one role, please submit a separate application for each position. Applicants must meet the qualifications listed for each role to be considered.
Fish & Wildlife Biologist 1 - Job #2025-05039
Fish & Wildlife Biologist 3 - Job #2025-05043

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Under direct or close supervision of research scientists and biologists, this position supports the mission by executing field ecotoxicological studies and lab work to collect, organize and analyze data under WDFW’s Toxics Biological Observation System (TBiOS), a long-term program focused on measuring toxic contaminants and their harmful effects in Puget Sound’s aquatic life. 

This position uses established TBiOS procedures to support research scientists and biologists to perform field surveys to collect specimens for toxicological monitoring studies, process samples in the laboratory using standard operating procedures, and process data for the TBiOS database. This position represents critical support for research projects designed to identify and measure toxic contaminants in the Puget Sound ecosystem, to evaluate the health of aquatic organisms and determine whether conditions are improving or worsening.

What to Expect-
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Toxics Monitoring Technician will perform:

Laboratory work

• Using established protocols, processes field samples in the lab for biological metrics, analysis of toxic chemicals, evaluation of diseases, and other health-related endpoints. This involves resecting tissues and other body components from fishes and invertebrates using clean techniques defined in standard operating procedures.
• Creates composite samples of tissues.
• Helps to manage all lab-related activities including tracking and labeling tissue samples, transporting samples to and from labs, and maintaining appropriate lab conditions.

Field surveys

• Using established procedures, perform regular field surveys to collect fish and invertebrate samples for ongoing toxics monitoring.
  • This encompasses a wide range of sampling techniques including bottom trawling from a chartered fishing vessel, deploying/retrieving caged mussels in the intertidal zone, gill-netting for Pacific herring from small vessels, beach seining for juvenile salmonids, and purchasing adult salmon samples from tribal fisheries.
• Maintain supply inventories, prepare field sampling kits, and manage and track fish samples from the field to the lab.
• Collect field data using electronic devices/applications or written format.
• Assist with managing volunteers for mussel field activities.

Data and records management

• Process field data related to sampling effort and locations, tissue types collected, and lab data related to sample metrics
• Maintain paper and digital copies of all field and lab notebooks.

Working Conditions: 

Work setting, including hazards: 

• Field: The incumbent will assist with the collection of fish or invertebrates from boats and along the Puget Sound shoreline. This may include living on a boat for several days at a time. The incumbent will be subjected to inclement weather, including rough seas that may induce motion sickness. Shoreline sampling of mussels may occur along rocky and muddy shorelines at night in remote areas. The incumbent may lift heavy objects such as ice-filled coolers and baskets of fish on the deck of a moving boat. Fish handled by staff may possess sharp and venomous spines and may bite. The incumbent will assist with deploying and retrieving sampling nets from a boat or shore. This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments. 
• Lab: Work will involve sitting or standing at a lab bench while performing repetitive, sometimes tedious dissections of fish and invertebrates for long periods of time. Dissections and sample creation may occur in a mobile laboratory set up on a boat or an off-site location but mostly will occur at the NRB Marine Resources Lab. The incumbent may also haul frozen samples in and out of a walk-in freezer and may handle chemicals including formalin, alcohol, and various acids. Use of sharp instruments such as scalpels, knives, and syringes is required.
• Office: Working at a desk to enter data and prepare for lab and field efforts. Office hazards include working under fluorescent light, repetitively entering data into computer, looking at a computer monitor for long periods of time, and sitting or standing for long periods of time.

Schedule: Standard business hours are Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The incumbent will be expected to adjust the work schedule to meet needs of the program and on occasion work on weekends and nights. A flexible work schedule will be considered at the incumbent’s request, subject to supervisory approval.

Travel: Some travel is required, and is typically local or regional, to conduct field work, meet with partners, or attend or provide training. This work sometimes requires driving long distances throughout western Washington, sometimes at night. During field surveys, the incumbent may spend up to 5 days away from home on a boat or in hotels.

Tools and Equipment: Duties require the use of standard office furniture and equipment (e.g., desk, filing cabinet, laptop, printer, smart phone, electronic tablets, copy machine, etc), lab equipment (e.g., scalpels, syringes, meat grinders), field gear (PFDs, waders, boots, raingear), and field equipment (e.g., small boats and outboard motors, gill nets, beach and lampara seines, bottom trawls, and predator-exclusion sampling cages).

Customer Interaction: Frequent contact with research partners, tribes, volunteers, and landowners/managers.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications: 

Graduation from high school or GED, including one year of high school science and two years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1 or equivalent (laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a professional biologist, chemist, or zoologist may substitute for Scientific Technician status).

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 six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.

Licenses: Valid driver’s license

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

• Sampling fish and/or invertebrates in marine and/or riverine habitats, using a wide range of sampling methodologies. 
• Licensed for and experience with small boat operations. 
• Performing tedious lab procedures for long periods of time.
• Cleaning techniques to obtain high quality tissue samples for chemical analysis.
• Puget Sound fish and invertebrate species identification.
• Puget Sound riverine and nearshore habitats.
• Basic toxicological principles.
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint etc.…) 

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 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 RecruitmentTeam@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 diana.humes@dfw.wa.gov

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