Fisheries Technician 2- Wild Salmon and Steelhead Program

PSMFC; Idaho; Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission seeks a Fisheries Technician II for the Wild Salmon and Steelhead Program based in McCall, Idaho. The role is full-time, year-round with benefits, and includes field duties across seasons.

Responsibilities include operating rotary screw traps, performing snorkel surveys, conducting spawning ground surveys, and assisting in harvest monitoring while leading a small crew in field tasks and maintaining data records.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in fisheries or related field and one year of specialized experience.
• Knowledge of fishery biology and aquatic habitats.
• Ability to lead field crews and work long field days across seasons.

Responsibilities

• Lead and participate in operating rotary screw traps and snorkel surveys.
• Lead and participate in spawning ground surveys and harvest monitoring tasks.
• Supervise snorkel crew (6) and screw trap tenders (4) and maintain field data.
• Update databases and produce data summaries, tables, and graphs.

Skills

snorkeling

trap/weir

carcass and redd surveys

electronic detection tech

able to swim

lift 40-50 lbs

valid driver's license

hiking

operate GPS

habitat typing

compile data

GIS

statistical

Education

Bachelor's degree in fisheries or related field

Job description

Fisheries Technician 2- Wild Salmon and Steelhead Program

#26-1161

McCall, Idaho, United States

Job Description

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the role of a Fisheries Technician 2 - Wild Salmon and Steelhead Program based in McCall, Idaho. This is a full-time, full-year benefits-eligible position.

Schedule is variable based on duties and time of year. Field work occurs in March through October, and will require working long days, working 50% or more weekends, and frequent multi-day trips. November through February schedule is typically Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, office work. Schedule is fairly flexible during winter months. Position is full-time, with a contract lasting one year that can potentially be extended from year-to-year after annual review.

This position will include daily driving on backcountry and mountain roads.

Fisheries Technician II provides technical assistance and leads seasonal staff in the operation of rotary screw traps, snorkel surveys, spawning ground surveys, and anadromous harvest monitoring. Stationed in McCall, Idaho.

Incumbent joins the Wild Salmon and Steelhead monitoring crew tasked with monitoring and evaluating Idaho's anadromous salmonid populations. The primary duties of this position are; a) lead and participate in operating rotary screw traps on the South Fork Salmon River and in the Frank-Church Wilderness Area (50% of time), b) lead and participate in conducting snorkel surveys to enumerate salmonids in remote areas for up to 8 days at a time (20% of time), c) lead and participate in conducting spawning ground surveys for chinook salmon (10% of time), d) lead and participate in anadromous fishery harvest monitoring surveys (20% of time). This position will provide guidance and lead the work of a snorkel crew (6 individuals) and screw trap tenders (4 individuals).

The minimum requirement for this position is a bachelor's degree in fisheries, natural resources, or related field and one year of specialized experience.

Essential Functions

• Lead and participate in survey crews that conduct fishery presence/absence research, recreational/commercial fishing surveys, anadromous fish escapement surveys (carcass, redd, trap/weir, snorkel, etc.), or tag detection and mark recovery surveys. Make standardized observations such as species identification, length, weight, behavior, growth, survival, reproductive condition, fin clips or tags, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens.
• Lead and participate in crews engaged in captive fish rearing activities including spawning, incubating, feeding, sampling, sorting, handling, medicating, anesthetizing, and transporting fish. Crew may also monitor the status of facility systems and equipment, fabricate, construct, and maintain systems. Gather research data and organize information from fish samples or experimental projects.
• Lead crew in watershed and stream assessments and habitat surveys. May include stream habitat inventories (channel typing, habitat typing, woody debris, etc.), road inventories, and riparian inventories.
• Update database by entering, checking, and/or editing biological or habitat data that has been inputted on field forms, electronic data loggers, and/or desktop computers. Maintain, organize and provide access to databases. Write memoranda and short reports for transfer of data. Produce summaries including corrections. Produce presentation quality tables and graphs of data.

Knowledge Required by the Position

• Knowledge of fishery biology (including knowledge of particular species of fish).
• Knowledge of fish husbandry.
• Knowledge of aquatic habitats.
• Knowledge of the scientific method.
• Knowledge of sampling protocols.
• Knowledge of personal computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, publishing software, presentation software, database software, topographic software, bibliographic software, and statistical analysis packages.
• Knowledge of technical writing protocols.
• Knowledge of basic math.

Employees have the knowledge to resolve common technical or procedural problems for themselves or their work crew. They are able to assess or interpret the significance of their results and relate that to the overall objective of the project. They have the knowledge to outline, organize and execute the details of projects where unusual or irregular procedural or technical problems arise.

Additional Mandatory Skills

• snorkeling
• trap/weir
• carcass and redd surveys
• electronic detection technol.
• able to swim
• lift 40 - 50 lbs.
• valid driver's license
• hiking
• operate GPS
• habitat typing
• compile and collect neat and accurate data
• specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)

Physical Demands

Travel and working at remote field sites is required. Field work involves exposure to environmental elements such as slippery uneven surfaces and varying weather conditions and requires moderate to rigorous ability of walking/hiking, climbing, reaching, lifting and bending. Tasks include wading streams, swimming, hiking for long distances, and carrying up to 50 pounds of gear and equipment. Some camping for extended periods is also required during select seasons.

A portion of the work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. The majority is performed in fish processing labs, fish holding areas, fish processing plants, and/or in the field. Incumbents may work on narrow, elevated walkways and platforms that are over or adjacent to water. Field work involves exposure to all types of weather, slippery rocks, trails, irregular terrain, insects, poison oak, rough or fast-moving water, or cold water temperatures. Work at high elevations or aboard boats, research vessels, or commercial fishing vessels may be required.

Qualifications

Candidates must present successful completion of a 4-year course of study at an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree or higher that involved a major in biological science or related field with at least 6 semester hours in fisheries and aquatic subjects and at least 12 semester hours in animal or environmental sciences. An equivalent combination of experience and education can qualify.

Specialized Experience is experience that equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled. To be creditable, Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

Location

IDFG McCall Regional Office

12 months or more

Position Type

Full-Year

Travel Requirements

25% - 50%

Full-Year Employees working at least 30 hours a week are covered by the Company's Life, LTD and AD&D plan. They are eligible to enroll in medical, dental and vision insurance, as well as short term disability, voluntary Life, LTD and AD&D insurance, flexible spending and deferred compensation. An employee receives up to 120 hours of vacation during their first three years of service. After that, the amount of vacation increases every three years of service up to a maximum of 192 hours per year.

Driving

State Vehicle - Valid driver's license required. Offers of employment contingent upon passing driving records check.

Salary Target

$21.61-31.54/ hour

Closing Date

Oct 09, 2026

PSMFC participates in E-Verify. We consider all qualified candidates legally authorized to work in the United States and able to provide proof of eligibility. PSMFC is unable to support visa sponsorships or extensions.

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is an Affrivein Action (AA) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer, and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic data, or other legally protected status.

If you have a disability and need assistance completing the application form, you may call the PSMFC Human Resources office at [phone] between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. PT, Monday-Friday. Reasonable accommodations for interviews will be provided upon request to individuals with disabilities.

We maintain a drug-free workplace.

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