Fish Biologist.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Suches (GA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is seeking a Fish Biologist to support hatchery operations, conduct fish culture activities, monitor water quality, and maintain records. The role involves field and facility work, data collection, and contributing to annual reports.

The position requires a basic degree in biology with aquatic coursework and demonstrated experience in fish culture and data documentation. Office and outdoor duties are included.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biological science with coursework in aquatic subjects and animal sciences.
• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 level.

Responsibilities

• Perform hatchery operations including spawning, incubation, feeding, and broodstock care.
• Monitor water quality and fish health, documenting observations and trends.
• Maintain electronic records and generate reports on hatchery activities and production.
• Assist hatchery manager with annual reports, facility management, safety, training, and outreach.

Skills

Fish culture

Water quality

Data collection

Record keeping

Education

Bachelor's degree in biological science

Job description

Duties

As a Fish Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs a variety of operational tasks and applies standard methods and practices relating to daily hatchery operational activities including fish cultural activities, disease control, collection, care, treatment, and spawning of broodstock; incubation of eggs; feeding, cleaning, and sample counting of fry and fingerlings; cleaning of raceways and tanks; distribution of eggs, fry, and fingerlings; and the tagging and marking programs.
• Conducts visual and microscopic examinations of fish for diseases and parasites. Identifies issues and makes recommendation regarding appropriate course of action.
• Maintains electronic records and generates reports of ongoing hatchery operation activities including feeding records; water quality; incidence of disease/stress and treatment; brood stock inventory; and production records.
• Collects, monitors and analyzes a wide variety of water management parameters and biological data.
• Assists the Hatchery Manager with a variety of technical and administrative duties associated with hatchery management and operations, e.g. develops annual hatchery report detailing all station operations, resource issues, hatchery production, planning, facility and infrastructure management and maintenance, safety, training, budget, partnerships, outreach, public relations, and resource needs.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This Probationary Period Is An Extension Of The Appointment Process And Therefore Requires The Agency To Determine If Continued Employment Would Advance The Public Interest, Meet The Organization Goals And Mission Of The Agency, And/or Otherwise Promote The Efficiency Of The Service. In Determining If Your Employment Advances The Public Interest, The Agency Will Consider

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/13/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

Basic Educational Requirements

In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one.

• A. Degree: possess a Bachelor's or higher degree with a major in biological science that includes: At least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology AND at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. You must submit transcripts supporting this required education.

-OR-

• B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-AND-

Specialized Experience Requirement:

you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). You must include hours per week worked on your resume.

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience performing fish culture activities:

• Participate in spawning operations, egg collection, fertilization, incubation monitoring, and the care of fry and fingerlings, following established protocols to support healthy production.
• Feed and observe fish: Administer appropriate feed based on life stage and monitor fish behavior, growth, and appearance to identify early signs of stress, disease, or environmental imbalance.
• Monitor and maintain water quality: Collect and evaluate key water parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and flow rates, ensuring conditions remain within optimal ranges for trout health and development.
• Participates in the monitoring, surveying, and assessment of wild fish populations, including conducting field sampling, evaluating habitat conditions, recording biological data, and supporting efforts to track species distribution, health, and long-term population trends.
• Assists with the implementation of the hatchery outreach program by providing tours, maintaining the hatchery visitor center, and conducting fishing events.

OR-

• Education: Successful completion of at least one year of graduate-level education in biological science or related field of study. You must include transcripts.

OR-

• Combination of education and experience. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week on your resume and transcripts.

Volunteer Experience:

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support the basic education requirement and claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education:

To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Physical Demands

The work is often strenuous requiring physical exertion, e.g. walking long distances over wet and uneven surfaces, bending, stooping, stretching, lifting, and carrying items that weigh up to 50 pounds. Above average agility, dexterity and physical coordination is required to perform fine and precise work, delicate adjustments or exact measurements.

Work Environment

The work is performed in a normal office setting and outdoors. Outdoor work is performed in a wide variety of environmental conditions, locations and during all seasons, and may involve activities on vessels, exposure to hazards found in the wild and long exposure to water of various temperatures and currents. Response to alarms indicating mechanical equipment or water supply failure frequently interrupts sleep and may require long hours of physical effort such as removing ice and debris from water supply intake, brushing pond screens, or repairing the mechanical screen cleaner. This work may be performed alone. The incumbent is responsible for performing the duties of this position in a safe and orderly manner and in accordance with Service policy.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here,

The duties of this position are not suitable for telework.

Government housing may be available.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.