Fisheries Technician 1- Upper Sacramento Monitoring

The Fisheries Technician 1 position at the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission involves fieldwork for the Sacramento River Basin Salmonid Monitoring Program. Responsibilities include maintaining underwater counting devices, processing migration data, and conducting surveys on salmonid populations. Candidates must be comfortable in swift water and adverse weather conditions. A high school diploma is required, with a preference for a degree in environmental or biological sciences. Experience in fisheries or wildlife is ideal.
Job Description

Position/Project Specifics:

The Sacramento River Basin Salmonid Monitoring Program is a cooperative agreement between PSMFC and the Department of the Interior as part of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act. The program seeks to make all reasonable efforts to ensure the longterm sustainability of Salmonid populations in the region. Adult Chinook salmon spawning, and escapement surveys have been historically conducted in the Upper Sacramento River basin to produce adult abundance and trend data that is used to evaluate the performance in regionwide recovery efforts. Specifically, these data sets are used for the following management purposes: provide a basis for juvenile Chinook salmon production estimates, monitor performance standards to evaluate the success of enhancement and restoration programs, assess hatchery influence, and contribute to inland and ocean harvest management. The purpose of this agreement is to collect essential baseline data to enhance populations of anadromous fish for the continued benefit of the American public.

The candidate will perform the necessary tasks required for maintaining underwater counting devices, processing migration data, data QA/QC, and reporting on salmonid migration statistics. In addition, the candidate will construct, install, and remove fish weirs and various hardware and software seasonally as well as troubleshoot electronics equipment and wiring. Spending 6-8 hours in the field or on a boat is normal, hiking and wading in small streams is a daily activity. Wading in or near swift water during inclement weather is expected. This is primarily a field-based position, and the successful candidate may be routinely exposed to adverse weather conditions throughout all months of the year.

Candidate must demonstrate swimming proficiency and be comfortable around cold, swift water. Video processing is a major component of the position, with seasonal, daily, or weekly time periods spent watching video footage of fish migration. Use of power tools and hand tools is common. The schedule will be determined based upon the fish return and sampling regime currently being employed. The candidates will not be expected to work nights. Some weekend work is expected. Driving trucks and towing boats maybe required. Minimum HS degree, BS or BA preferred. Environmental, biological, or science-based degree preferred but not mandatory. Ideal experience would be at least 1 year in fisheries, wildlife, or the natural sciences.

Preferred Experience:

Knowledge or experience working with Vaki, DIDSON, or ARIS equipment.

Essential Functions:
• Participate in survey crews that conduct regional 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, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens, fin clips, or tags.
• Collect and organize biological and habitat samples and collections (such as scales, otoliths, aging structures, other tissues, water quality, etc.).
• Summarize and input biological or habitat data on field forms, electronic data loggers, and/or desktop computers. May assist with preliminary data summaries and analyses, technical report writing, or database management.

Knowledge Required by the Position:

At the lower end of the range, employees use knowledge of basic arithmetic, reading, writing, and data collection to perform routine or repetitive tasks.

At the upper end of the position range, employees use knowledge of the basic principles and protocols of fish biology to make readings, measurements, and observations; execute tests; collect samples, etc. If complex equipment systems are operated, the employee has the knowledge to perform calibrations or adjustments to achieve desired results.

Additional Mandatory Skills:
• snorkeling
• carcass and redd surveys
• electronic detection technol.
• able to swim
• lift 40 – 50 lbs.
• load boats on trailers
• tow & maneuver trailers
• valid driver’s license
• operate motorized boats
• operate GPS
• fish species ID skills
• operate handheld data recorder
• compile and collect neat and accurate data
• specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)
• oral communication skills
• written communication skills
• construction, fabrication, and installation skills
• repair & maintain equipment

Physical Demands:

Demands can range from moderate –where there is walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, and strenuous sweeping– to rigorous. In the latter case, the incumbent 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. Camping out for extended periods may be required. Some work requires the ability to maintain footing in fast-moving water.

Work Environment:

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, 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 may be required.

Qualifications

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

Benefits

Seasonal Year Employees working at least 30 hours a week 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. Employees accrue sick time at a rate of 0.047/hour with a maximum of 96 hours per year. Employees also receive 12 paid holidays each year, paid time for jury duty, bereavement leave and 8 hours of Personal Leave.