Fish Culturist

SSRAA; Alaska; On-site; USD 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability insurance

403b retirement plan

Job summary

SSRAA in Petersburg, Alaska seeks a fish culturist to support the Crystal Lake Hatchery operations, including incubation and rearing of Chinook and coho salmon. The role involves daily fish culture tasks, egg-take, spawning, data collection, and routine maintenance.

Candidates should be willing to learn, with a background in aquaculture, fisheries biology, or fish husbandry preferred; SSRAA offers training, a background check, and benefits.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated hatchery work experience or related background.
• Willingness to learn general principles and practices of fisheries science and practical sampling.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily hatchery operations for freshwater and saltwater rearing.
• Assist in transport of fry, smolt, and eggs to other hatcheries and remote sites.
• Sample fish stocks and maintain routine checks; clean raceways and net pens; feed fish; apply treatments.
• Incubate fertilized eggs; perform egg takes, picking, disinfection, and seeding incubators.
• Maintain records of wastewater, incubation, sampling, mortality, feed inventory, and checks.
• Assist in facilities and equipment maintenance and supervise new hires when assigned.
• Support 24/7 site coverage when needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Hatchery experience

Learn fisheries science principles

Education

Associates degree in aquaculture or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Hand and power tools

Job description

Description

Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (SSRAA) is recruiting a fish culturist in Petersburg to work at the Crystal Lake Hatchery, located at mile 17.5 Mitkof Highway in Petersburg, Alaska. The Crystal Lake Hatchery program includes incubation and rearing of 1.7 million Chinook and 100,000 coho salmon. Work consists of general fish culture duties such as feeding and rearing, egg-take and spawn of adult salmon, incubation of fertilized eggs, data collection, and basic maintenance duties around the hatchery.

The ideal candidate must have the ability to develop healthy working relationships with co-workers and have a willingness to learn, share knowledge, and skills. Previous experience and education in aquaculture, fish husbandry, or fisheries biology is preferred but SSRAA will train the right applicants. The job requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time, lift, carry, push, or pull 50lbs or more repeatedly, work in inclement weather, and inside around cold running water. The successful candidate must have or be able to obtain an Alaska Driver’s License and all applicants undergo a background check.

Pay range is $20.69/hr – $28.06/hr, DOE. A $300 per month fuel stipend will also be offered to the successful candidate. Benefits include: health, dental, vision, life, long-term disability insurance, and participation in a 403b retirement plan. SSRAA is an equal opportunity employer.

Requirements

FLSA Exempt 29 CFR 784.100 Sec 13(a) (5)

Exempt Hourly

Reports to

Hatchery Managers

Location

Hatchery Site

Summary of Position

Under the supervision of the hatchery management team, carries out assignments in conducting the daily operations of the hatchery freshwater and saltwater rearing activities and related projects.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Performs all tasks necessary for the daily operation of the hatchery freshwater and saltwater production activities which may include remote camp work
• May assist with transport of fry, smolt, and eggs to SSRAA’s various other hatchery facilities and remote rearing sites.
• Responsible for sampling fish stocks, performing daily routine and checks, cleaning raceways and net pens, feeding fish, administering drug treatments, and the practice of good fish culture techniques
• Performs all aspects of the egg incubation process including but not limited to: egg takes, egg picking, egg disinfection/fungus control, and seeding incubators at proper densities as specified by the hatchery manager
• Maintain accurate records of all cultural activities including but not limited to: ADEC wastewater monitoring, incubation records, sampling data, daily mortality, drug treatments, feed inventory, and routine system checks as assigned.
• Assist in the maintenance of facilities and equipment
• May assist in the supervision of new hires as assigned
• Share in 24/7 site coverage, as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills & Abilities Required

• Demonstrated job experience applicable to hatchery work
• Job requires the ability to learn general principles and practices of fisheries science, scientific sampling and analysis on a practical basis

Preferable, but not required skills and experience

• Two years working full-time at a production scale salmonid hatchery and a minimum two-year associates degree in aquaculture or related field although previous related work experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Skill in general operation and maintenance of cultural, scientific and field equipment is desirable.
• Basic skills in the use of hand and power tools.
• Basic computer skills in the use of Microsoft Word and Excel and use of spreadsheets.
• Small boat operation.
• Basic knowledge of maintenance including plumbing, electrical, and carpentry.

Core Competencies

• Belief in SSRAA’s mission statement.
• Must be a self-starter.
• Must be safety conscious.
• Must be able to multi-task.
• Must be able to recognize critical components of a process and adapt as needed
• Ability to work as a team and be a problem solver.
• Maintain confidentiality when appropriate
• Able to communicate effectively and handle stress effectively.

Physical demands

Position requires physical/repetitive work, the ability to stand and walk for long periods of time. Must be able to lift, carry, push, pull, stoop, bend over, stretch, climb and sometimes work in confined spaces. Ability to lift and carry in excess of 50 lbs.

Work environment

Will require working indoors around cold running water sometimes in low light conditions with high ambient noise and working outdoors in inclement weather often around water. Some travel by boat and seaplane is required.

SSRAA is a growing organization changing as needed to best address its goals. Any description of work is a picture of the major responsibilities of a position at a given point in time. Jobs are dynamic and assignments/priorities may change. This position description is not intended or implied to be an employment contract but is a communication tool to explain the responsibilities, advertise the job, and identify performance measures and potential training needs. SSRAA is an at-will employer.