Wildlife technician / fish culturist at State of Colorado Colorado

The State of Colorado is seeking a Wildlife Technician/Fish Culturist to manage and conserve natural resources. Responsibilities include producing and distributing aquatic wildlife, ensuring proper biological environments, and maintaining facilities. This position is open to Colorado residents only and offers various benefits, including flexible work schedules and remote work options. The role supports Colorado Parks and Wildlife's mission to enhance the state's wildlife resources and recreational opportunities.
Wildlife technician / fish culturist job at State of Colorado. Colorado.

OPEN TO STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:
• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program .

COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE Our Mission is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.

The two work units under the Bellvue–Watson umbrella, in conjunction with the 17 other State Fish Units exist to spawn, rear, and stock cold, cool, and warm water fish into the waters of Colorado according to the approved “Fish Stocking Schedule”, helping to fulfill Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s mission: to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.

The Bellvue-Watson facility hatches, rears, and stocks 300,000 catchable-size trout and over 1 million subcatchable trout. Therefore, it contributes to a significant part of the $2.3 billion dollar sport fishing and recreation industry in Colorado.

This position performs various functions related to sustaining a proper biological environment, to produce and distribute aquatic wildlife. The position makes precise biological and environmental assessments and ascertains and sustains proper water quality. This position also performs maintenance duties for unit grounds, buildings, and equipment. Specific duties include but are not limited to:

Fish Culture

Produces 1.3 million trout by anticipating and manipulating the rearing environment to include: nutrition and feeding, picking eggs, counting, weighing, sorting, spawning, hatching eggs, cleaning and disinfecting of rearing areas, and precise record keeping.

Fish Distribution
Ships and distributes 1.3 million live trout statewide by sustaining an artificial environment in the transport tanks and analyzing and testing receiving waters for acceptability of fish; drives and operates Class B CDL trucks, requiring a Colorado Commercial Driver’s License, while complying with the state and federal motor carrier safety requirements and regulations.

Water Flows and Chemistries
Anticipates and manipulates water quality by obtaining water tests for oxygen, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and pH; monitor water samples for oil and grease, suspended solids, settable solids; regulate and control water flows for hatchery rearing containers and ponds; remove toxic gases and bacteria through aeration and ultraviolet sterilization and increase oxygen content; manipulate water flows and fish numbers to ensure compliance with Colorado Department of Health regulations and permits.

Fish Health and Pathology
Performs analysis and prevention by recognizing signs and symptoms of stressed and diseased fish; treatment and prevention by calculating and administering the proper amount of drug or chemical used for treatment; must be knowledgeable and proficient in the use of laboratory microscopes, identification of disease organisms, drug and chemical applicability and precise water flow, drug and/or chemical dose calculation and disinfecting techniques.

Equipment and Vehicle Operation
Inspects and operates various vehicles and equipment in a safe and efficient manner. Vehicles and equipment include but are not limited to snowplows, graders, pickup trucks, dump trucks, fish trucks, forklifts, hydraulic cranes, backhoes, tractors, pond cleaners, welders, generators, power tools, pumps, mowers, and work carts.

Equipment and Vehicle Maintenance
Ensures that aquaculture equipment and vehicles are kept in safe and proper working condition by repairing, lubricating, inspecting, cleaning, and servicing; designs, invents, fabricates, tests, and calibrates new or specialized equipment for aquaculture use to increase productivity and enhance efficiency.

Building and Grounds Maintenance
Services, modifies, inspects, and fabricates facilities, buildings and water delivery systems required to raise fish. Performs landscaping and irrigation duties, including but not limited to water grass, mowing, pruning, brush cutting, snow plowing, snow shoveling/blowing, road grading.

Temporary Employee Training
Oversees temporary employees and volunteers to ensure that assigned tasks are completed according to standard operating procedures, safety manual, and accepted professional standards; trains, directs and explains work assignments and procedures to new employees, temporary employees and volunteers.

Public Relations
Conducts interpretive tours; accommodates day visitors; provides professional and technical information regarding Division policies and regulations; provides educational services and presentations.

Other duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications
Three years of work experience in aquaculture, propagating and/or rearing fish, fish culture, collecting and recording of aquatic wildlife data and/or professional aquatic research or an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position.

Substitutions
• Appropriate education in biology, fisheries research, fisheries management, or fisheries biology, ecology, wildlife management, zoology, marine biology or ichthyology may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis for the experience requirement.
Preferred Qualifications
• Current or former State experience relevant to this position
• Current or former Colorado Parks & Wildlife work or volunteer experience
• Have or be willing to obtain a CDL - Class B N-Liquid Bulk/Cargo Tanks and air brakes.

Conditions of Employment
• State of Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state of Colorado driver's license if operating a State vehicle.
• Daily fish deliveries can result in overnight travel as needed in accordance with CDL regulations and Fish Unit requirements.
• Exempt from overtime, on call 24/7
• Required to work holidays and weekends as part of a rotating work schedule
• This position will require but is not limited to the handling of Formalin, bleach, disinfection solutions, equipment batteries, gasoline, diesel, spray paint, and motor oil.
• Hazing of predatory birds/animals will require the use of discharging cracker/pyrotechnics as a deterrent.
• Must pass required pre-employment physical, pre-employment drug testing and background check.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

The Assessment Process
• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement .
• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, Anna Kargobai-Murray, at anna.kargobai-murray@state.co.us.

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact Anna Kargobai-Murray at anna.kargobai-murray@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

DNR uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll–Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.