Fisheries Technician 1 – Idaho Tagging Trailer Assistant

The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is hiring a Fisheries Technician 1 – Idaho Tagging Trailer Assistant in Lewiston, ID, starting April 24, 2026. The role involves manual fin-clipping and tagging of juvenile salmon and steelhead at various hatcheries in Idaho, requiring significant travel. Candidates should have knowledge of fishery biology and husbandry, with qualifications ranging from general experience to a relevant degree.
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to fill the open positions for the Fisheries Technician 1 – Idaho Tagging Trailer Assistant based in Lewiston, Idaho and surrounding areas, with an anticipated start date of April 24th, 2026.

The Trailer Assistant is responsible for conducting the manual adipose fin-clipping and coded-wire tagging on juvenile salmon and steelhead at nine anadromous hatcheries throughout the state of Idaho. The majority of the work is done with an automated fish-marking trailer and the Trailer Assistant is responsible for the operation of the manual section of the trailer. The Trailer Assistant will also help with the PIT-tagging operations at the nine anadromous hatcheries. Significant travel is involved working and traveling to the nine different IDFG anadromous fish hatcheries throughout the state of Idaho working collaboratively with IDFG to complete the project. Opportunity to gain extensive experience in a hatchery environment and some fish-rearing experience.

Essential Functions:
• Support captive fish-rearing activities including spawning, incubating, feeding, sampling, sorting, handling, medicating, anesthetizing, and transporting fish. Monitor the status of facility systems and equipment. Assist in the development, fabrication, construction, and maintenance of systems.
• Make regular facility inspections including, for example, dewatering equipment, pumps, flumes, gates, tanks, screens, filters, gatewells, and/or tag interrogation equipment. Monitor and maintain water quality levels. Record findings and adjustments made. Respond appropriately and immediately to emergencies.

Requirements

Knowledge Required by the Position:
• Knowledge of fishery biology (including knowledge of particular species of fish).
• Knowledge of fish husbandry.
• 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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

A range of experience and education may be presented. At the lower end of the range, candidates must present six months of General Experience* OR one year of education above the high school level that included at least six semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.

At the upper end of the range, candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience** OR a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major or at least 24 semester hours of coursework in any combination of scientific or technical courses. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.
• General Experience is (1) any type of work that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to perform the work of the position or (2) experience that provides a familiarity with biological sciences or the processes of the biological sciences.
• *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

Additional Mandatory Skills:
• elec. detection technology
• lift 40-50 lbs.
• valid driver’s license
• tow & maneuver trailers
• fish species ID skills
• compile and collect neat and accurate data
• specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)
• oral communication skills
• written communication skills
• repair & maintain equipment

Physical Demands: Demands can range from sedentary, to moderate –where there is walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, and bending, to rigorous. In the latter case, the employee must be able to handle buckets of water or gear weighing up to 50 pounds. Long daily periods of hiking, carrying equipment, swimming, and/or standing may be required.