Fisheries Technician (Off-grid Salmon Hatchery) ALASKA

The Fisheries Technician is a temporary position located at remote, off-grid hatcheries in the Prince William Sound of Alaska and a semi-remote facility near Paxon, Alaska. PWSAC produces chum, sockeye, pink, and coho salmon. PWSAC is looking for enthusiastic individuals who will unite with PWSAC’s mission of sustainable fisheries, contributing to the culture and economy of the region. 

Jumpstart your fisheries career and gain hands-on experience working with Pacific Salmon at large-scale hatcheries in Alaska.

• Free room and board at hatchery locations
  • Dormitory setting with shared room occupancy
  • Sorry, no pets allowed
• 403(b) Retirement Plan -enrollment is optional
• Industrial/Heavy Duty rain jacket and bibs provided
• $500 Travel Reimbursement
  • Employees arrange their transportation to Anchorage, AK

Category: Full-time, Temporary
Payroll Classification: Hourly, Non-exempt
Location: Remote (off-grid), Hatchery or Field Station
Customary Work Hours: Variable, Based on 40-hour workweek (infrequent overtime)

Project Start Dates:

Armin F Koernig Hatchery

Located on Evans Island at the south-western entrance of the Prince William Sound. This facility will be rearing pink and chum salmon for ocean release as smolt. AFK collects approximately 190 million pink salmon eggs during eggtake operations.

Project Start Date: 08/16/2024

Cannery Creek Hatchery

Located in Unakwik Inlet at the northern end of the Prince William Sound. This facility will be rearing pink salmon for ocean release as smolt. CCH collects approximately 187 million pink salmon eggs during eggtake operations.

Project Start Date: 05/30/2024 ; 08/13/2024

Gulkana Hatchery

Located in the interior near Paxson, AK along the Copper River. This facility will be releasing sockeye salmon for lake/river release as fry. GKH collects approximately 36.75 million sockeye salmon eggs during eggtake operations.

Project Start Date: 08/09/2024

Main Bay Hatchery 

Located at Main Bay in the mid-west section of Prince William Sound, south of Whittier. This facility will be rearing sockeye salmon for ocean release as smolt. MBH collects approximately 12.4 million sockeye salmon eggs during eggtake operations.

Project Start Date: 07/26/2024

Wally Noerenberg Hatchery 

Located on Esther Island in the Prince William Sound, east of Whittier. This facility will be rearing pink, chum, and coho salmon for ocean release as smolt. WNH collects approximately 148 million pink, 153 million chum, 4 million coho, and 50 thousand Chinook salmon eggs during eggtake operations.

Project Start Date: 05/14/2024 ; 06/25/2024

Basic Function: Fish Technicians function as part of the hatchery operations team in the cultivating and rearing of fish. Under the direct supervision of a fish culturist or designated fish technician, performs routine entry-level and up to semi-skilled level work, participating in various phases of hatchery operations. 

Essential Functions: Work performed at any hatchery or remote location as needed. Must be able to move about freely; work outdoors in all weather conditions; ability to lift and carry 50 pounds for an extended period of time; ability to climb stairs and ladders; ability to climb aboard and about vessels and small aircraft; work in and around water -on docks and floats, raceways, and ponds; use telephones and computers unimpaired. Must be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language. Must be able to hear and see to receive verbal and written instructions. 

Description of duties and tasks: 

• Eggtake: Enumerating, caring, killing, spawning, and disposing of carcasses; preparing, cleaning, and maintaining incubators; monitoring and maintaining water quality; loading, enumerating, picking, and caring for egg/ alevin;
• Outmigration/rearing: enumerating and setting up outmigration of fry, feeding, sampling, raceway/net cleaning, health monitoring, releasing fry, incubation cleaning, and rebuilding
• Harvest: Preparing, repairing, and maintaining harvest equipment; loading, transporting, caring for, and unloading harvest pens; collecting and recording fish harvest management data.
• Perform other general duties associated with fish culture operations.
• Site cleanup, general maintenance and repairs, groundskeeping, and snow removal.
• Operates skiffs and small boats, live trap nets, ATVs, pickups, bobcats, power tools, or other equipment.
• Takes samples from commercial fisheries catches for data on species, size, age, and sex composition; collects scales, otoliths, ovaries, or other biological specimens, scale mounting.
• Use computers and computer software to conduct routine data entry or output.

Job Classifications:

FISH TECH I (Wage begins at $14/hr)

• Hired for general labor in hatchery operations
• Entry-level position, or laborer, for short-term work
• Little or no prior hatchery experience
• Generally works under close supervision 

FISH TECH II (Wage begins at $16/hr)

• Hired for general hatchery operations and labor with increased responsibility
• 6 months of in-season experience with hatchery operations or Associates/Bachelors in relevant Fisheries field of study
• Fundamental knowledge of fish culture procedures
• Ability to work with little supervision
• Demonstrated minor leadership qualities
• Previously rated satisfactory or above in performance evaluations

FISH TECH III (Wage begins at $17/hr)

• May act as a lead in hatchery operations and labor tasks with increased responsibility
• Has substantial, minimum 12 months, aquaculture/fisheries experience in related areas
• Can work effectively without supervision
• Demonstrated leadership qualities
• Previously rated satisfactory or above in performance evaluations

Positions Supervised: None

Disclaimer: Duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list, and additional tasks may be assigned from time to time. The scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to perform physically demanding work in inclement weather and other uncomfortable environmental conditions.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions and visual cues.
• Ability to learn the safe operation of small boats, power tools, firearms, and other hatchery equipment.
• Ability to collect data, maintain simple, accurate records, perform simple arithmetic computations and routine data entry.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a group.
• Ability to work carefully and safely around wild animals.

Minimum qualifications:

• High school graduation or equivalent
• Must have a current driver’s license

Preferred qualifications:

• Hatchery or animal husbandry experience
• Associates or Bachelors in Aquaculture, Fisheries, Wildlife, or relevant field