Viable Salmonid Population (VSP) Monitoring – Scientific Technician 2 – Permanent – *16074-23

FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
VIABLE SALMONID POPULATION (VSP) MONITORING TECHNICIAN
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 2

Fish Program – Fish Management
Ridgefield, Washington – Clark County

October 16th – June 15th this position reports to the Anadromous Fish Investigations Unit.
 June 16th – October 15th this position reports to the Columbia River Management Unit. 

A new, conservation-focused opportunity in the beautiful Columbia River Valley has opened for a science-minded fish enthusiast to assist with the monitoring of the health and diversity of Chinook, coho, chum, and steelhead salmon populations, throughout the Lower Columbia River.Landscape of lower Columbia River – Photo Credit: Chase Gunnell

With that in mind, 
 This is a chance to work outdoors to gather vital information needed to assess Viable Salmonid Population (VSP) stock status and maintain sustainable recreational opportunities.
 
 You will be responsible for,
 Conducting VSP monitoring, fisheries sampling and Bonneville Dam Observations (BDO) on the lower Columbia River (LCR) and its tributaries.

Picture yourself,
 Collecting a host of data by foot or boat using fish monitoring equipment like weirs and traps, to assess stock status and maintain sustainable recreational opportunities.

This is an opportunity,
 To work with a dynamic team within the agency and outside agencies including field technicians, biologists, hatchery staff and complex managers.
Duties

The work of our VSP Monitoring Technician includes, 

 VSP Spawning Ground Survey, Bonneville Dam Observations and Fishery Monitoring:

• Conducts adult salmonid spawning ground surveys on LCR and its tributaries to collect data needed to measure VSP parameters and generate accurate and precise adult salmonid abundance estimates. 
  • Identifies and enumerates adult salmonids and their redds. 
  • Collects biological data from live adult fish and carcasses.
• Installation/removal, maintenance and operation of adult and juvenile monitoring weirs, traps and equipment.
  • Captures, identifies, enumerates, handles, and tags/marks salmonids (live adults and juveniles), including electrofishing.
  • Collects biological data from live adult fish and carcasses, and broodstock for established enhancement programs.
• Bonneville Dam Observation.
  • Identifies fall Chinook in Bonneville Dam fish within counting windows.
  • Distinguishes and quantifies tule and bright stocks.
  • Records results by stock on a datasheet. 
• Sport fishery creel and commercial fishery sampling and observing.
  • Interviews sport anglers, records species, catch, effort and biological data. 
  • Collects biological samples using Coded Wire Tags (CWT), Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT), DNA, and Visual Stock Identification (VSI) using established protocols.
• Conducts on-board commercial fishery observations.  

Snorkeling – Gather data in rivers via snorkeling to identify, count, collect fish, and deploy and inspect field gear:

• Snorkels for summer steelhead resights, and to inspect weirs, deploy nets for the capture of fish for sampling, along with observations of juvenile coho and Spring Chinook presence or absence before weir installations.
• Cleans weirs and checks for holes in weirs and traps. 

Data collection, entry, proofreading and management: 

• Field data collection:
  • Accurately records and proofs data collected during field activities.
  • Uses various handheld digital mobile data collection devices such as the Scion Workabout Pro3, data loggers, iPADs, Toughpads, GPS, PIT tag readers and CWT detectors.
• Uses a computer to enter and proof data that has been collected into established spreadsheets and/or databases, e.g., Traps, Weirs, Surveys (TWS) and Juvenile Migrant Exchange (JMX) and mainstem Columbia River sport and commercial and tributary sport fishing. 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Approximately 80% of the time is in a non-office environment (outdoor fieldwork). 
  • Conducting spawning ground surveys by foot or cataraft.
  • Working outdoors and exposed to hot day time temperatures that may exceed 100 degrees, and cold-air temperatures in the low 30’s combined with wind speeds that exceed 25 mph conditions and often with wet slippery footing. Must be able to lift (with or without assistance, as needed) large, live fish, typically up to 30 lbs. 
  • Repetitively carry loads up to 70 pounds of items such as broodstock tubes, buckets of water, seine nets and gear, short distances over rough terrain. 
  • Hiking up to six (6) miles per day over rough terrain under adverse weather conditions. 
  • Climbing in and out of boats. 
  • Accurately record repetitive data under adverse environmental conditions for long work hours. 
  • Sampling spawned out salmon carcasses with very strong odors.
  • Snorkeling in fast-flowing or whitewater conditions.
  • Walking over rough terrain in varying environmental conditions.
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations. 
• Schedule:
  • 40 hours per week, 24/7 non-scheduled.   
• Travel Requirements:
  • Travel is required as a part of the job certain times of the year. 
  • Daily travel to and from field locations is required.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Towing vehicles, normal hand and carpentry tools, winches, pulleys, and blocks, catarafts, 4×4 vehicles, 200’ beach seines, PIT tag injector, PIT tag reader, CWT detector, handheld data loggers and GPS units, scales, computer and palmtop computer, powerboats, and electrofishers.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Interacting with the public, personnel from other state agencies, and local landowners.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 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.  

     OR

• 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 six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.
• Professional and volunteer experience involving biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural resources, engineering, or closely allied fields may substitute, year for year, for experience.

Certifications/Licenses: 

• A valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Attain basic CPR/First Aid certification within one (1) year of hire and re-certified every two (2) years.
• Complete WDFW snorkel training and renew annually.
• Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and training availability.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

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

Knowledge of:

• Adult fish trapping techniques including resistance board and fixed panel type adult fish weirs. 
• Juvenile fish trapping techniques including operation of rotary screw and fence-panel with live box juvenile fish traps.
• Fish marking/tagging techniques and protocols.
• CWT and PIT tag detector operation
• Basic carpentry skills. 
• Advanced use of MS Excel and Access. 

Ability to:

• Identify salmonids, both adult and juvenile forms, and salmonid redds.
• Operate oar-powered vessels such as drift boats, catarafts, pontoon boats in white water conditions through class 1 – 3 rapids.
• Operate a motorboat using propeller and jet-pump propulsion.
• Operate handheld GPS and data logger device.