FISH AND WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN

State of California; California (MO); On-site; USD 48,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hot Creek Hatchery, part of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, seeks a Fish and Wildlife Technician in Mammoth Lakes to support fish care, vaccinations, and stocking.1

The role requires ability to operate and maintain hatchery equipment, transport fish with a CDL vehicle, and respond to emergencies. A 12-month limited term position with weekend work is available.

Qualifications

• Experience in fish and wildlife conservation work and associated field activities.
• Ability to perform heavy manual labor in varied weather conditions.
• Strong teamwork and communication; follow oral and written instructions.
• Experience in aquaculture operations and facility maintenance (painting, plumbing, electrical, carpentry).
• Ability to collect data and maintain simple records.

Responsibilities

• Care and production work at Hot Creek Hatchery.
• Responsible for injections and stocking of fish.
• Transport fish with CDL-equipped vehicle within Eastern Sierra.
• Respond to power outages and hatchery maintenance needs.
• Work weekends/holidays on a rotational basis; reside in state housing at Hatchery.

Skills

Fish & wildlife conservation

Heavy manual labor

Teamwork

Welding

Repair & maintenance

Tools

Painting

Plumbing

Electrical

Carpentry

Vehicle maintenance

Job description

Job Posting: Hot Creek Fish and Wildlife Technician

$3,999.00 - $5,196.00 per Month. New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/8/2026

Application Methods: Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account) By Mail Drop-off

Are you looking to be part of a dynamic team that protects the environment? The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Hot Creek Hatchery (HCH) is seeking a motivated individual to work as a Fish and Wildlife Technician located in Mammoth Lakes, California. Under the supervision of the Fish Hatchery Manager I, the Fish and Wildlife Technician: performs a variety of tasks at the Hot Creek Fish Hatchery related to the care and production of wild, domestic, and endangered fish, required injection vaccinations of fish, and fish stocking.

Ability to obtain a California class A or B Commercial Driver License with tank endorsement within the first year of employment to transport fish using a Commercial truck with customized tank to various waters throughout the Eastern Sierra. Respond to power outages on hatchery grounds and remedy problems. Will be assigned to work weekends and holidays on a rotational basis. This position requires ability to work in a team environment.

Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions ranging from 2% to 4.62% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program.

Please follow the link for more information regarding the 2025 Personal Leave program: Personal Leave Program - Human Resources - CalHR.

Fish and Wildlife Technician: Exam Bulletin Link

This position is a 12-month Limited Term (LT) and may be extended up to 24 months or become permanent.

During this 12-month Limited Term assignment, you will receive full health, dental, and vision benefits! You will also earn State Service and accrue monthly leave credits.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

Work in all weather conditions such as wind, rain, extreme heat, cold and direct sunlight. Open and close various types of valves, climb steep banks when necessary. Work near waters with uneven terrain and unpredictable flows. Climb ladders, operate various types of unusual support equipment used in the operation of the hatchery. Perform manual labor. Work throughout the State and at unusual hours; willingness to work on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Possess a valid class C Driver’s License to operate and maintain state fleet vehicles used at the hatcheries. with the ability to upgrade to a Class A within a year of appointment, which is a commercial license with proper endorsements to operate and maintain commercial planting vehicles. Work standby and respond to emergencies, power outages and alarms.

This position requires the employee to reside in State-Owned Housing at Hot Creek Hatchery.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• FISH AND WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN

FISH AND WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN $3,999.00 - $4,765.00A $4,151.00 - $5,196.00B New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions:

1

Telework:

In Office

Job Type:

12 Month Limited Term - Full Time

Department Information

Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) employees are committed to managing and protecting California’s diverse wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend.

California is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. As such, CDFW values diverse employees working together to protect nature for all Californians. CDFW is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where all backgrounds, cultures and personal experiences can thrive and connect others to our critical mission.

Join us and begin a meaningful new career!

While performing fish culture; ability to lift 40 pounds and swim 50 yards. The ability to handle 50 pound feed and salt bags and work in and around water. Negotiate 12 inch catwalks over open water. Climb in and out of 4 feet deep water-filled raceways. The ability to work for prolonged periods of time in 54-60 degree Fahrenheit water.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge and experience with fish and wildlife conservation work, construction, welding, repair, and maintenance work.
• Willingness to do heavy manual labor, work in adverse weather conditions.
• Keenness of observation; tact; and reliability.
• Communicate effectively. Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Prepare simple reports and maintain simple records.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the work.
• Analyze situations and take effective action.
• Perform a variety of skilled/semiskilled mechanical and construction work and direct the work of staff.
• Experience in aquaculture operations.
• Experience in collecting and gathering data, facility maintenance, painting, plumbing, electrical and carpentry, vehicle maintenance etc.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Contact Information

The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Civil Rights Office
[phone]
[e-mail]

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Filing Instructions

You must reference Position Number 565-602-0916-905 and RPA Number E-R6 LF 25-011 in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) for Which You Are Applying section of the State Application Form (Std. Form 678). Applications that do not list the Position Number and RPA Number may not be considered.

It is recommended that Application Packages be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at https://jobs.ca.gov .If applications are mailed, we recommend applications are sent certified mail as we are unable to verify receipt.

Applications that do not follow the Filing Instructions may not be considered.

Resume – Resumes will be reviewed in addition to the STD 678 for employment history. Resumes must include the complete to and from dates (MM/DD/YYYY) and hours worked per week.

All job applicants must provide their employment history on the application form (State Application STD 678) rather than attaching a resume to the form, otherwise the application may be considered incomplete.

Applicants must submit a complete and accurate application package, free from spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free workplace. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.