Fishery & Hatchery Policy Analyst – Environmental Planner 5 – Permanent – *05348-24

FULL-TIME/PERMANENT

FISHERY & HATCHERY POLICY ANALYST

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER 5 (EP5) 

Fish Program – Southwest WA – Region 5

Ridgefield, Washington – Clark County 

Southwest WA Region 5 Counties: Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum.

This recruitment will be posted until May 28, 2024 – first review of applications will take place May 14, 2024 – application review is ongoing, submit your application materials as soon as possible. This recruitment may be closed at any time. 

Serve as the WDFW Southwest Washington (Region 5) Tributary Fishery Manager.

Represent WDFW as a policy analyst for fishery and hatchery Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance in Region 5.

Work to plan, develop, administer, and implement projects to fulfill federal hatchery and fishery permit obligations.

This is an opportunity to provide policy recommendations to Program/Division Managers.

In this dynamic role, you will lead and coordinate tributary fishery management and engage in fishery run-reconstruction and forecasting.

With your experience, you will lead the implementation, evaluation, and reporting of federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) permit requirements.

You thrive on building collaboration and teamwork, in this role you will work with Fish Management and Science Division staff to plan, develop, administer, and implement projects to fulfill federal hatchery and fishery permit obligations. 

We are seeking a candidate, who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties:

Here is what you will be doing as our Fishery & Hatchery Policy Analyst,

Tributary Fishery Manager/Fishery Management and Evaluation Plan (FMEP) implementation and Compliance Monitoring: 

• Identify priorities for improved salmon and steelhead run-reconstruction and forecasting models for Southwest WA tributaries.
• Coordinate with personnel from various divisions and geographic regions to ensure effective staff coordination.
• Participate in run-reconstruction and forecasting with larger team.
• Lead, direct, develop priorities and provide project management for R5 tributary fishery assessment to provide key information to fishery managers and ensure compliance with federal ESA permits.
• Coordinate with Columbia River Harvest Manager and District Biologists on fishery rule making.

Mitchell Act Program/Biological Opinion (MA BiOp) – Implementation, Compliance Monitoring and Reporting: 

• Provide leadership, vision, and direction through clear communication to headquarters and regional staff involved to ensure all facets of permits are being implemented, evaluated, and reported as required.
• Communicate and coordinate with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) staff) regarding federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) hatchery permit implementation.

Participate on Region 5 Fish Management Team: 

• Provide appropriate briefings and recommendations to managers regarding administrative, fishery, hatchery, ESA compliance, and other fish management actions/issues.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:  
  • Work primarily occurs in the Region 5 office setting; telework options may be available.
  • Attendance at offsite meetings occurs occasionally.
  • Occasionally participate in field work related to work unit projects to conduct QA/QC of project objectives, and/or to observe operations/protocols.
  • Fieldwork is performed year-round under a wide array of weather conditions. Hazards include working around streams/rivers, boat docks/ramps and fish weirs/traps in varying weather & flow conditions.
• Schedule:
  • As a standard, this position follows a 40-hour work week, Monday – Friday with core hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Occasionally expected to work in excess of 40 hours per week (potentially including nights) and outside of the normal work week (i.e., Saturday, Sunday, holidays) to complete necessary duties.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Periodically travel throughout Washington and to other states for meetings and special projects.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Computers, vehicles, and field equipment appropriate to evaluate projects.
• Customer Interactions:        
  • Interaction with the public generally occurs through public meetings/workgroups, landowner contacts, presentations, and data requests.

Qualifications:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor’s degree or above with major emphasis in fisheries science, environmental science, natural resource planning, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

AND 

• Six (6) years of professional experience in fisheries science, environmental science, natural resource planning, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

OR

• A Master’s degree or above with major emphasis in fisheries science, environmental science, natural resource planning, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

AND 

• Four (4) years of professional experience in fisheries science, environmental science, natural resource planning, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

OR

• One (1) year as an Environmental Planner 4.

Please Note: 

• Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.
• Equivalent education/experience.

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: 

Experience: 

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint, and R-package use.
• Experience developing and managing multiple large and complex contracts/budgets.

Ability to: 

• Communicate Agency policies, management decisions, and scientific results effectively to WDFW management and field staff, external entities (i.e. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Forest Service (USFS), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board (LCFRB), etc.) and the general public.

• Collect high quality biological data, complete summarization and analysis and interpret results.

Knowledge of: 

• WDFW or other contracting processes and financial/budgeting software.
• Southwest WA salmon and steelhead populations, hatchery programs and fisheries.
• The Columbia River Mitchell Act Program.
• The ESA and hatchery/fishery permitting processes and permit types under the ESA.
• Hatchery/natural origin salmonid interactions, issues, impacts
• Fishery management and assessment principles/techniques.
• Salmonid population monitoring (adult and juvenile) techniques, methodologies, study designs and analyses including mark/recapture, area-under-the-curve (AUC), redd count expansion, peak count expansion.
• Adult and juvenile salmonid identification and salmonid redd identification.
• Salmonid life histories.
• Fish trapping and collection methods including seining, hook and line sampling, electrofishing, rotary screw traps, fence weirs, adult salmonid weirs, adult salmonid traps, etc.

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: Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave types. 

Eleven (11) Paid Holidays per year and one (1) personal holiday if the employee is scheduled to be, or has been, continuously employed by the State of Washington for at least four (4) months. 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), and an Employee Assistance Program.

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.

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 kaila.daudt@dfw.wa.gov.
• 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 kaila.daudt@dfw.wa.gov.
• 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 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov,  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 support@neogov.com.

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