Fisheries Technician - Harvest Monitoring Project

The Fisheries Technician position at the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission involves field and office work focused on monitoring fisheries in Idaho's rivers. Responsibilities include supervising technicians, conducting angler interviews, data collection, report writing, and ensuring data quality. Candidates should have experience in fisheries, field supervision, and data analysis, and must be comfortable working in various weather conditions and driving long distances.
Position: Fisheries Technician 2- Harvest Monitoring Project

Position/Project Specifics

Successful candidate will be part of the Harvest Monitoring Project within Idaho's largest anadromous fisheries for steelhead, Coho and Chinook salmon. Work is based out of Lewiston, Idaho to monitor fisheries occurring in the Clearwater River, lower Salmon River, and the Snake River drainages. Work will be a combination of field and office work.

Primary field work is technician oversight, conducting angler interviews, and sampling harvest. Additional responsibilities include, but are not limited to: assisting in scheduling monitoring efforts and equipment for up to a 15-person crew, training technicians on data collection, equipment maintenance, and assisting other projects as assigned. Office work will generally be writing summary reports, producing professional quality figures and maps, assisting in annual report writing/editing, and quality control of fisheries data.

Previous work experience in fisheries, field supervision, data entry/analysis, and report writing is required. Candidate must be comfortable traversing steep rocky stream banks carrying a variety of field equipment, frequently in inclement weather. Candidate must possess excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and communication skills. Incumbent will work randomized daylight shifts often including weekends with occasional overnight stays for field work (camping, RV) and business meetings (hotels).

Applicant must be comfortable driving independently for long distances. A bachelor's degree in natural resources is preferred but not required.
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, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens, fin clips or tags.
• Lead and perform data entry for data from recovered tags, representative biological samples, telemetry devices, oceanographic data, fish tickets, commercial landing estimates, logbooks, scale cards, port sampling, onboard observers, etc. Error check the data, maintain and update the database, and analyze and organize data in the appropriate format (table, spreadsheet, memorandum, or report) necessary for transfer to individuals, agencies, and organizations.

Modify software programs and perform data queries. Prepare summary reports to transfer data.
• Lead crew in watershed and stream assessments and habitat surveys. This may include stream habitat inventories (channel typing, habitat typing, woody debris, etc.), road inventories, and riparian inventories.
• Develop and install components of naturalistic environments. Assist with analysis of the behavior of different species (plants and animals) in simulated environments. Videotape, photograph, and record data for characteristics such as growth, health, fitness, social activity, reproductive success, foraging success, and anti‑predator behavior.
• Update the 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 the 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…