Internship-Alaska-Fisheries Technician Placement

The Student Conservation Association is offering an internship for a Fisheries Technician in Sitka, AK, from May to September 2025. The role involves operating a fish weir, collecting data on salmon, and performing various fieldwork tasks in challenging conditions. Candidates must be physically fit, willing to work in adverse weather, and capable of handling equipment. This position is suited for those seeking immersive experiences in Alaska's fisheries.
Position Summary

The ideal candidate for this position is looking for an immersive experience working in the fisheries field in remote Alaska. The work and field conditions will be challenging at times, but there will be no shortage of wildlife, breathtaking scenery, and rich culture along the way. In this position, you will learn about salmon, freshwater ecology, remote fieldwork, fisheries data collection, boats, bears, Alaskans, and our rich way of life. Please submit an application, if that sounds like a fun summer for you.

Schedule

May 16, 2025 - September 12, 2025

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities for this position revolve around operating a remote fish weir to enumerate adult salmon escapement. Regular duties include construction and take down of fish weirs, collection of fish scale, length, and weight samples, recording field data, operating outboard motorboats on the ocean and lakes, and data quality control. Additionally, you will occasionally collect zooplankton and phytoplankton samples, water samples for nutrient analysis, and limnological field data, such as, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and light penetration profiles. You will also be responsible for helping with field camp maintenance and operations which will include operation of equipment (pumps, gasoline and propane fueled equipment and power tools), cutting firewood, etc.

Marginal Duties

On occasion you may be asked to help with other Sitka Ranger District projects, not associated with weir work, which may include working with Sitka Ranger District staff to help conduct wildlife, fish, or habitat surveys, implement watershed and fish habitat improvement projects, removal of old structures, assisting with the kids’ fishing derby and other educational outreach programs.

Required Qualifications

A candidate must be willing to serve in the conditions present in Sitka, AK. Typically, SCA interns and USFS staff will work 8-10 hours a day with a maximum of 12 hours per day. Work is conducted in all weather conditions (Sitka is nestled in a rainforest), around coastal brown bears and pesky bugs. Weir work requires walking on uneven surfaces that can be wet and slippery, standing or snorkeling in cold, sometimes fast-moving water (waders and drysuits will be provided), and carrying up to 40 pounds over moderate distances.

This is a rifle carrying position. ALL candidates will be required to take a drug test and carry a rifle in the field (bear and rifle safety training will be provided).

Desired Skills:

Proficiency in swimming

Willingness to learn

Good communication

Ability to maintain a positive attitude in adverse conditions

Ability to work and live with a diverse team

Good sense of humor

Emotional intelligence to resolve social and emotional disagreements with field crew members

This SCA Position is authorized under the Public Land Corps Authority. All participants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States. Hours served can be applied toward the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority.

Preferred Qualifications

Previous firearm experience is a plus, but not required

Hours

40 per week

Living Accommodations

This position is based out of Sitka Alaska, but the primary work for this position is based at a remote field camp. Field stints will typically last 6-10 days with a maximum of 12 days in the field. The SCA interns will live (2-4 people at a time) with other forest service staff in a mixed-gender, one-room cabin. The cabin amenities include electricity, an outhouse with a view, and wood heating, but there is no running water or shower. Cell phone coverage is limited or non-existent and there is no internet, while in the field. Field camps are provided with USFS radios and inreach devices for communication with the USFS office and in case of emergencies. You will frequently see other folks at the work site, who have travelled to the area to fish for the day.

Compensation

$450/week living allowance

$300/month housing allowance (for USFS housing)

$1500 one-time roundtrip travel stipend

$3050 reimbursable duty-related expenses ($250 for PPE and $2800 for in-season duty travel)

AmeriCorps Award of $2,817.14 (requires 675 hours)

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

Personal Vehicle Information

Not needed

Additional Benefits

Bear Safety

AmeriCorps: Eligible/Optional

Equal Opportunity Statement

SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members. SCA is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. The Student Conservation Association, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

Physical requirements and working conditions specific to the position are available in the full job description.