Field Technician — Salmon Traps & Spawning Surveys

State of Washington; Washington; On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Washington – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking a Fish Traps and Spawning Ground Surveyor to conduct juvenile trapping, adult weir operations, and spawner surveys for Chinook, coho, and chum salmon across the Grays River and Elochoman River systems. You will handle biological data, operate traps/weirs, and assist in field data collection, GPS tagging, and sample preparation.

The role emphasizes ESA-listed salmon monitoring and recovery efforts with fieldwork 85% of

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or GED, and two years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.
• College coursework in biology, zoology, fisheries, natural sciences, or related fields may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis.

Responsibilities

• Conduct juvenile salmonid trapping using rotary screw and/or fence-panel traps to collect data.
• Operate and maintain Elochoman River adult fish weirs and collect biological data.
• Perform stream surveys and spawning ground surveys across Lower Columbia River tributaries.
• Enter data into spreadsheets/databases and perform QA/QC on field data.
• Assist in data/sample preparation for lab analyses and collect biological samples as needed.

Skills

Salmonid identification

Weir operation experience

Fish tagging protocols

Data entry/QA/QC

GPS/iPad data collection

Boat handling in whitewater

Education

High school diploma or GED

College biology/natural sciences coursework substitution

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Access

Job description

State of Washington – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking a Fish Traps and Spawning Ground Surveyor to conduct juvenile trapping, adult weir operations, and spawner surveys for Chinook, coho, and chum salmon across the Grays River and Elochoman River systems. You will handle biological data, operate traps/weirs, and assist in field data collection, GPS tagging, and sample preparation.

The role emphasizes ESA-listed salmon monitoring and recovery efforts with fieldwork 85% of