Fish Culturist 1

Holland America-Princess (Holland America Dawson City Inn); Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 52,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish is recruiting for a Fish Culturist 1 located in Anchorage at William Jack Hernandez Sportfish Hatchery. You will perform stocking operations, assist with hatchery work, manage release schedules, and interact with the public to explain hatchery programs.

The role requires a bachelor's degree in fisheries science or equivalent experience, the ability to lift 50 pounds, and the capacity to work outdoors in varying weather.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in fisheries science.
• Four years of any combination of progressively responsible work experience in aquaculture or related fields or equivalent education may substitute for the degree.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and perform moderate to heavy labor.

Responsibilities

• Perform fish stocking operations including loading, transporting fish, monitoring health and water quality during transport.
• Assist hatchery operations: fish rearing, feeding, tank maintenance and egg collection activities.
• Maintain stocking databases and execute fish release schedules as part of the statewide stocking plan.
• Provide public information at hatchery and stocking locations to promote understanding of operations.

Skills

Fish culture knowledge

Public outreach

Motor vehicles operation

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in fisheries science

Job description

Job Description

Effective July 1, 2026 the wage for this position increased by 3%. The wage listed in this job posting reflects the increase.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.

Please check our

residency definition

to determine if you qualify.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish is recruiting

for a Fish Culturist 1 located in Anchorage at William Jack Hernandez Sportfish Hatchery!

What you will be doing:

Perform fish stocking operations by maintaining stocking trucks and transport equipment, loading and transporting fish, monitoring fish health and water quality during transport, and making operational decisions to ensure successful releases.

Assist with hatchery operations, including fish rearing, feeding, tank maintenance, fish transfers, growth sampling, egg collection activities, and fish health monitoring.

Support development and implementation of the annual statewide stocking plan by maintaining stocking databases and preparing and executing fish release schedules.

Provide information to the public at the hatchery and fish stocking locations by answering questions and promoting understanding of hatchery operations and sport fish enhancement programs.

Perform minor fabrication, equipment repair, and facility maintenance projects to ensure hatchery infrastructure, fish culture equipment, and grounds remain safe and operational.

Our mission, values, and culture:

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and well-being are prioritized. Employees at all levels are encouraged to cultivate a culture in which everyone is valued, respected, and equitably treated. The Division of Sport Fish employs fisheries enhancement programs to increase angling opportunities, offer diverse angling experiences, and alleviate fishing pressure on potentially sensitive wild stocks. The primary means of achieving these objectives is through the rearing and release of fish from the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery.

The benefits of joining our team:

The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery presents an opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated team of fish culturists and maintenance staff at one of the nation's largest and most technologically advanced recirculating aquaculture system facilities. The incumbent will have the chance to develop technical skills related to fish rearing and maintenance of fish transfer equipment, oxygen delivery systems, and water quality monitoring systems. This position offers a flexible work schedule, which is highly dependent on the individual’s ability to work independently to accomplish goals and objectives.

The working environment you can expect:

This position is based at the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, situated along the banks of Ship Creek in Anchorage. The work environment involves spending a significant portion of the day outdoors and/or on the hatchery production floor year-round to carry out stocking activities, maintain stocking and fish transfer equipment, and assist other fish culturists with fish culture duties.

Position may require regular outdoor work in inclement weather during summer and winter seasons.

During “primary stocking season” (May-June), position will require travel throughout Southcentral Alaska. This may include working long days (10 hours plus).

Position may require occasional overnight travel.

Position requires the ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

Position requires the ability to bend, lift, and stand for long periods of time, and the ability to perform moderately heavy laboring work.

Who we are looking for:

We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:

Uses a logical and systematic approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.

Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Possesses knowledge of procedures for operating motor vehicles, including cars and trucks.

Possesses knowledge of the care and handling of fish including feeding, health, reproduction, life support systems, and cleaning tanks.

Uses efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills; uses training, feedback, or other opportunities for self-learning and development.

To view the general description and example of duties for a Fish Culturist 1 please go to the following

link:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs

Special Note:

A valid driver's license is required.

This position may be in possession of, or have access to, firearms/ammunition.

Ability to lift and carry more than 50 lbs.

Position requires the incumbent to obtain a DOD DBIDs card to access JBER/Fort Richardson Military Base.

Position requires the incumbent to possess a Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with and tanker endorsement per federal regulations (49 CFR 383) within 12 months of hire, to register and to maintain registration with the federal CDL Drug & Alcohol Testing Clearinghouse prior to performing safety-sensitive duties, and to provide consent to the Employer to review driver information in accordance with 49 CFR 382.

Current First Aid and CPR Certification. Training provided by the department at no cost to the employee.

OSHA skid steer forklift training.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college with a major in fisheries science or a closely related field.

Substitution:

Four years of any combination of progressively responsible work experience in aquaculture or mariculture and/or post-secondary education from an accredited college (3 semester/4 quarter hours equal one month) in aquaculture, aquatic ecology, fish biology, fisheries, fisheries resources, fisheries sciences and management, fisheries technology, marine biology, natural resource management, oceanography, or veterinary science will substitute for the required bachelor's degree.

Additional Required Information

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

If selected, please provide the following at the time of the interview:

Three (3) professional references with current contact information.

Transcripts, if using to meet minimum qualifications (unofficial copies are acceptable).

Two (2) most recent work evaluations.

COVER LETTER

A cover letter is NOT required for this position.

Your complete application packet will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment process.

FIREARMS

This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition. In accordance with the federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (PL 104-208), if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you may not hold this position.

A \"misdemeanor crime of domestic violence\" is an offense that is (1) a misdemeanor under Federal or state law; and (2) has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim.

If you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, do NOT apply for this position.

COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE (CDL) REQUIREMENT

Hire approval is conditional in that the proposed appointee successfully obtains a Class B Alaska Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with N-Tanker endorsement within 12 months of hire.

This position requires the incumbent to possess a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) per federal regulations (49 CFR 383) within 12 months of hire, to register with the federal CDL Drug & Alcohol Testing Clearinghouse prior to performing safety sensitiv