Fish Hatchery Specialist 3 – Wallace River Hatchery – Permanent – *02301-24

FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
FISH HATCHERY SPECIALIST 3 (FHS3)
WALLACE RIVER HATCHERY

Fish Program – Hatcheries Division
Sultan, Washington – Snohomish County

STANDBY DUTIES ARE NOT CURRENTLY ASSIGNED
HOUSING IS NOT PROVIDED

Be a part of the future of fish conservation in Washington while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

This position will be involved in leading the day-to-day facility operations of Wallace River Hatchery and Sunset Falls.

Picture yourself, 

Leading crew members in feeding, cleaning, and transferring fish, determines the proper rearing densities for ponding and planting fish.

With your fish culture experience, 

Collecting various types of biological and environmental samples such as fish tissue, fish scales, ovarian fluid, water, and feed for transport to laboratories.

The optimal applicants, 

Will prioritize safety in day-to-day operations, by actively identifying safety hazards, acting, or recommending remedies as needed.

We are seeking a candidate,

Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties:

Some of what our Fish Hatchery Specialist 3 will enjoy doing, 

Fish culture and data collection at Wallace River Hatchery, Reiter Ponds, Sunset Falls and Snohomish Basin: 

• Carry out sound fish culture practices to meet program goals.
• Identify and communicate opportunities to improve fish culture practices.
• Project and monitor fish growth and feed requirements.
• Actively seek to learn new fish culture practices.
• Administer and calculate medication levels prescribed to treat fish illness.
• Monitor egg and fish production.
• Collect adult salmonids by netting, snorkeling and snagging.
• Independently implement on site biological research projects to collect genetic samples, train lower-level staff in proper procedures in research protocols, as well as provide input into design changes driven by findings at the facility.
• Feed fish their calculated daily ration.
• Supervise the disposition of non-viable and surplus eggs, organize the transfer of eggs, and direct the distribution of carcasses to contract vendors or agency approved entities. 

Physical operation and maintenance of facility upkeep at Wallace River Hatchery, Reiter Ponds and Sunset Falls: 

• Ensure that working components of the fish hatchery are kept in good condition such as pumps and motors, vehicles, alarms, generators, and flashlights.
• Maintain the grounds in appearance and upkeep during seasonal events, requiring the ability to operate lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, pressure washers, forklifts, tractors, generators, and carpentry power tools.
• Keep intake screens and fish ways operable and clear of debris.
• Operate, maintain, and adjust water intake structures to ensure the fish way is functioning correctly as the river levels change. 

Crew leader at Wallace River Hatchery, Reiter Ponds, and Sunset Falls:

• Monitor projects/activities to ensure completion in a timely manner.
• Responsible for safety rule compliance, training, documentation and ensuring hazards are addressed.
• Develop the Facility Operations Manual, schedule monthly maintenance and ensure compliance with the Operations Manual.

Communications: 

• Keep supervisor and management well-informed on production issues that may lead to fish health concerns or program shortfalls.
• Build spread sheets to help properly communicate and enumerate hatchery programs and stocks of fish reared.

Data collection, entry, reporting, and budgeting: 

• Oversee others at the facility in collecting, compiling, and reporting all pertinent data. 
• Identify marked adults and collect tags/marks for biological sampling as directed and record data.
• Participate in handling, sorting, and enumeration of adult fish. 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Position will work outside in all inclement weather conditions. Typically, the employee in this position will be working outside about 250 days a year. 
  • At times this position will be required to repetitively lift at least 50 pounds of fish culture equipment including hoses, nets and pond seins and perform strenuous physical activities.  
  • Use of a respirator and other personal protective equipment (PPE) while working with various chemicals used at the facility. 
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.  
• Schedule:
  • Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. 
  • The work hours can vary greatly at different times of the year depending on the work schedule and weather conditions.

• Standby: 
  • This position may require standby, which means the employee is responsible for overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day. When on standby this position will require the employee to work ten (10) days and be off four (4) days. Response time is 15-30 minutes. 
• Housing: 
  • Housing is not provided. 

• Travel Requirements:
  • Travel may be required for short periods of time to accomplish agency goals and required training. 
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Power and hand 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:
  • Employee will interact with small community groups, volunteers, and the public on a regular basis.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• One (1) year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 2. 

OR

• Associate’s degree in fisheries technology, biology or closely allied field AND Two (2) years of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

OR

• Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology, or closely allied field AND Two (2) years of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

OR

• Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school AND Two (2) years of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

Please Note: Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.

Certifications/Licenses: 

• Valid Driver’s License.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Two (2) to four (4) year degree in Fisheries or closely allied field. 

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 agency and the perks of 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 – 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).

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 [email protected].
• 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 [email protected].  
• 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected].

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