Eastern Washington Fish Science Manager - WMS Band 2 - Permanent - 2026-07260

State of Washington; Wenatchee (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington seeks an Eastern Washington Fish Science Manager to lead research, monitoring, and evaluation for salmon and steelhead management across the Columbia and Snake River basins. You will ensure rigorous science and strategic direction that informs conservation and mitigation decisions.

You will work with policy staff, Tribes, and partners to shape science priorities, translate findings for decision-makers, and supervise the Hatchery-Wild Interactions and Salmon Recovery Science

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in fisheries science, biology or zoology.
• Eight years of professional experience in multidisciplinary fish-related research.
• Experience supervising staff and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for monitoring, research and evaluation across Regions 1–3.
• supervise Hatchery-Wild Interactions and Salmon Recovery Science units and ~90 staff.
• Collaborate with policy staff, Tribes, and agencies on science priorities and mitigation.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Research design

Fisheries science

Policy liaison

Education

Master’s degree in fisheries science / biology / zoology

Job description

Title – Eastern Washington Fish Science Manager

Classification - WMS Band 2

Job Status - Full-Time/Permanent
WDFW Program – Fish Program – Science Division
Duty Station – Wenatchee, Washington (Chelan County) is the current duty station, however, depending on the successful candidate, other duty stations within Eastern Washington may be considered.

Remote Employment– This position may include telework options up to two days per week, at the discretion of the supervisor.

Posting Timeframe- This recruitment is scheduled to be posted until October 13, 2026. First review of applications will take place September 15, 2026. Application review is ongoing, and applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Following the first review date, this recruitment may be closed at any time.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption: Steelhead – Photo Credit: WDFW

As our Eastern Washington Fish Science Manager, you will provide strategic leadership for research, monitoring, and evaluation activities that inform critical conservation, management, and mitigation decisions in the Columbia and Snake River basins.

You will ensure WDFW’s science is focused on key conservation, management, and mitigation needs, communicated in a transparent and accessible manner to decision-makers, and meets a high standard of scientific rigor.

This is an opportunity to serve as WDFW’s technical expert on salmon recovery, hydropower mitigation, and adaptive hatchery management in Eastern Washington. Working across disciplines and with policy staff, Tribes, agencies, and other partners, you will help shape science priorities and translate complex research into actionable information for fish management.

Through your leadership of the Hatchery-Wild Interactions and Salmon Recovery Science units, you will guide work that supports healthy and sustainable salmon and steelhead populations throughout the Columbia and Snake River basins.

What to Expect

As our Eastern Washington Fish Science Manager, you will provide strategic direction for monitoring, research, and evaluation activities supporting salmon and steelhead management and recovery across Regions 1, 2, and 3. Key responsibilities include:

Scientific Leadership

• Provide leadership, vision, and direction for science activities in Eastern Washington, ensuring that science activities are focused on high-priority topics with strong management and policy implications.
• Develop a forward-looking Eastern Washington science program encompassing an all-H (Habitat, Harvest, Hatcheries, Hydropower) management framework.

Science-Policy Interface

• Serve as WDFW technical representative on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) related committees and workgroups designed to evaluate and adaptively manage the direct and indirect effects of hydropower development and operations on fish populations.
• Serve as point person on the development and implementation of scientifically robust monitoring and evaluation programs and other science needs in Eastern Washington associated with implementation of WDFW Anadromous Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery Policy, Hatchery Management Plans, and Hatchery Genetic Management Plans.
• Provide a clear and defensible scientific foundation for FERC mitigation decisions, and summarize, interpret, and communicate science needed to meet FERC mitigation requirements.
• Summarize, interpret, and communicate science to be used in ongoing litigation over Endangered Species Act Biological Opinions for federal dams in the Columbia River.

Supervision

• Supervise the Hatchery-Wild Interactions (HWI) Unit Leader and Salmon Recovery Science (SRS) Unit Leader and oversee approximately 90 staff within the Fish Science Division.
  • The HWI Unit consists of five (5) research teams in Eastern Washington with a primary responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of all WDFW salmon and steelhead hatchery programs in Eastern Washington.
  • The SRS Unit consists of two (2) research teams in Eastern Washington. The SRS Unit has primary responsibility for the foundational monitoring and evaluation of WDFW fisheries, population status and trends of salmon, steelhead, and bull trout in Eastern Washington.

Administration

• Negotiate and secure contracts, agreements, and programmatic funding to support science needs for conservation, fisheries management, and recovery.

Working Conditions

Work Setting, including hazards: Majority of work is performed in an office setting (90%) with some field work. Field work includes smolt and adult fish trapping operations, Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tag operations, working at hatchery facilities, and conducting stream surveys.

Hazards include navigating uneven and slippery terrain, slips, and trips.

This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule

Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 40 hours per week with some flexibility.

Travel Requirements

Frequent travel is required within and outside Washington State.

Customer Relations

Regular interactions with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies as well as Public Utility Districts (PUDs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and regional recovery organizations.

Qualifications

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

Required Qualifications

A Master's degree in fisheries science, biology or zoology or a closely allied field.

Required Qualifications – All of the following

• Eight (8) years of professional experience designing and conducting multidisciplinary fish-related research studies.
• Demonstrated professional experience supervising, leading, and coaching employees, including performance management.
• Six (6) articles published in peer-reviewed literature, including:
  • Four (4) articles for which you are the senior author.
  • Two (2) additional articles for which you are the senior or secondary author.

Certifications/Licenses

Valid unrestricted Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications

In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess one or more of the following:

• A Ph.D. in fisheries science, biology or zoology or closely allied field.
• Experience with analytical tools and statistical modeling used in the management of salmon and steelhead populations, including abundance estimation, life cycle models, and management strategy evaluation.
• Knowledge of Columbia Basin fish populations, hydropower operations and mitigation agreements, and recreational and commercial fisheries.
• Ability to work directly with tribal co-managers in the Columbia Basin on various topics including monitoring and evaluation, population status and trend, hydropower impacts, predation, and climate change issues.

Request an accommodation

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone [phone] or email [e-mail], 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 [phone] or [e-mail].

Other questions

If you have other questions regarding this position, please reach out to [e-mail] and reference job #2026-07260.