Work in Washington Veterans Jobs

Position/Project Specifics:

  Technician is needed to conduct stream surveys of Up-River Bright fall Chinook salmon in the Hanford Reach area of the Columbia River.

Technician will conduct river surveys to sample post-spawn fall chinook in the Hanford Reach and lower Yakima River. Staff will meet at the WDFW Pasco office and travel to the designated sampling area. Four teams of 2-4 staff will conduct surveys by boat and/or foot. Technicians will record length, gender, fin clips, scan fish for coded wire tags, and remove otoliths to determine origin. Data from the river surveys will be used to determine origin and age composition of the return.

*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, ageing 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.

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.  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 aboard boats is required.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

A range of experiences and education may be presented.  At the lower end of the range, cand