Fish Hatchery Specialist 4 - Beaver Creek Hatchery - Permanent - *2025-06940

Southern Arkansas University; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunities for professional growth

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Employee benefits program

Job summary

A state university in Washington is seeking a Fish Hatchery Specialist 4 to manage operations at the Beaver Creek and North Toutle Hatcheries. You will supervise staff, ensure compliance with safety regulations, and oversee budgets and production. Ideal candidates will have experience in fish culture and leadership skills. This is a permanent, full-time role with varied responsibilities in a dynamic environmental setting.

Qualifications

• One year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 3.
• Three years of experience performing fish culture duties.
• Two years of experience leading or supervising staff.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and mentor hatchery staff to maintain a motivated team.
• Develop and manage budgets for hatchery facilities.
• Oversee production and safety compliance at multiple hatcheries.

Skills

Supervision and mentoring

Budget management

Fish health knowledge

Effective communication

Education

Associate degree or higher in fisheries technology

Tools

Power and hand tools

Water sampling instruments

Computers and software

Job description

Overview

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Fish Hatchery Specialist 4 - Beaver Creek Hatchery - Permanent - 2025-06940

Classification- Fish Hatchery Specialist 4
Job Status- Full-Time – Permanent
WDFW Program- FishProgram – Hatcheries Division
Duty Station- Beaver Creek Hatchery - Cathlamet, Washington – Wahkiakum County
Housing- No Additional Housing Available
Standby- Not Currently Assigned
Please Note- The primary duty station for this position is Beaver Creek Hatchery, however the position will also supervise at North Toutle Hatchery

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW !

This is an opportunity to lead a team of dedicated hatchery professionals at the Beaver Creek and North Toutle Hatcheries.

As a leader, you will support staff by helping set clear goals, fostering professional growth and promoting safe and efficient performance.

You will also oversee hatchery operations including managing production, budget and spending plans and ensuring safety and compliance across all facilities.

What to Expect

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Fish Hatchery Specialist 4 will,

Supervise

• Supervise and mentor technical and professional level staff to support an effective, motivated team.
• Carry out personnel actions, recruitment, hire recommendations, evaluations, and corrective actions.
• Respond to workload demands by coordinating staffing across hatchery facilities. Ensures that workload demands are met within their assigned facility as well as other facilities within their region through coordination between the supervisors of those facilities.
• Ensure safety compliance and safety training coordination.
• Set goals and objectives, develop strategies to implement, performance measurements and standards for the purpose of ensuring individual and program performance objectives are met.
• Develop and implement staff training and development plans to provide cross training of employees, specific job-related training, and other approaches to provide opportunities for staff flexibility and development.
• Responsible for emergency Hydraulic Project Application (HPA) permitting and compliance and monitoring and reporting for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

Manage facility production

• Meet with fish health specialist to ensure production quality.
• Communicate with hatchery staff the emerging fish health issues.
• Develop with fish health staff and hatchery staff pro-active approaches to ensure best fish health available.
• Responsible for the collection and compilation of biological data and its input into Fish Books data base
• Manage and oversee Kelly Service employees while mass marking

Manage facility budgets

• Develop budgets and spending plans which identify routine and future financial needs of facility, program, and agency.
• Responsible for accurate and timely expenditure tracking
• Independently adjust spending patterns to meet allotments and changing needs.

Operation management and compliance

• Responsible for ensuring facility upkeep and maintenance.
• Communicate with agency personnel or contact contractors to coordinate repairs or improvements. When possible, repairs and maintains or directs staff to repair or maintain facility infrastructure or equipment.
• Updating emergency response procedures and protocols
• Maintain fleet vehicle maintenance schedule (CDL, non CDL vehicles, tractors, and small engines) and conducts minor repair on vehicles and equipment to insure proper operation.
• Work directly with agency staff to design or redesign of hatchery facilities.

Internal/external communications

• Coordinate and communicate as agency lead with constituent groups and volunteers and State, local, federal, Tribal entities to achieve agency mission (e.g., artificial production and nutrient enhancement)

Working Conditions

Work setting, including hazards

• Will work most of the year in inclement weather conditions (approximately 250 days per year).
• At times this position will repetitively lift at least 50lbs and perform strenuous physical activities.
• Use a respirator and other personal protective equipment (PPE) while working with various chemicals used at facilities.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule: 40 hours per week. The standard work schedule includes the potential for occasional evening or weekend work as needed. Schedules may vary based on business needs, time of year, and/or weather conditions.

Standby: Not currently assigned. This position may require standby which means the employee is responsible for overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day. When on standby this position will require the employee to work 10 days and be off 4.

Housing: No additional housing available.

Travel Requirements: Travel may be required for short periods of time to accomplish agency goals and required training, or to attend meetings.

Tools and Equipment: Power and hand tools, lawn care equipment, tractors, forklifts, welding equipment, egg picking machines, water sampling instruments, small and large fish transport trucks, passenger vehicles, adult fish pumps, adult fish counters, coded wire tag (CWT) identification equipment, trash pumps, pressure washers, diesel generators, small gas engine powered equipment, computers, and software.

Customer Interactions: Will interacts with co-managers and constituents almost daily. At times communicates with media outlets.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

One (1) year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 3 (FHS3).

Or

Associate degree or higher in fisheries technology, biology or closely allied field and three (3) years of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

Please Note: Four (4) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery may substitute for the education requirement.

In addition to the requirements above, the incumbent must have the following:

Two (2) years of experience leading or supervising staff.

Certifications/Licenses: Valid Driver’s License

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: Successful completion of agency training and/or certification is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and training availability.

Preferred Qualifications

In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess one or more of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries or closely associated field.
• Experience managing multi-species rearing programs
• Experience managing and building budgets and contracts.

Your application must include the following:

• A completed online application showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
• A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
• At least three professional references with current contact information.

Supplemental Information

In addition to pay and other benefits, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the “Benefits” tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Union -WAFHP: These positions are in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Hatchery Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish Hatchery Professionals (WAFHP).

Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice: Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following:

• Veterans only – Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter. Please redact any PII data such as social security numbers.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2024-1234 – Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. All staff are empowered to contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects diversity. Women, minorities, persons with disabilities, persons over 40, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Request an accommodation: Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone [phone] or email [e-mail], or the TDD at 800-833-6388.

Technical Difficulties: If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at [phone] or [e-mail] .

Other questions: If you have other questions regarding this position, please reach out to [e-mail] and reference job #2025-06940.