Description

SIX (6) OPENINGS
FULL-TIME/NON-PERMANENT
SHELLFISH SAMPLING TECHNICIAN
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 2 (ST2)

Fish Program – Puget Sound Shellfish
Mill Creek, Washington – Snohomish County

Anticipated Appointment Length: 3 months
June 17, 2024 – September 13, 2024

Envision yourself in the field, collecting essential data for the sustainable management of Puget Sound shellfish resources.

Conduct comprehensive surveys of recreational crustacean and intertidal shellfish and perform squid creel surveys across the Puget Sound with an emphasis on crustacean fisheries.

Dungeness Crab – Credit: Don Velasquez

Picture yourself,

Collecting data designed to evaluate recreational harvest including counting, measuring, and weighing harvested shrimp, crab, bivalves, squid, and seaweed.

With your data collection experience,

Enter and upload recreational shellfish catch information gathered through recreational fisher interviews.

The optimal applicants,

Will have experience interacting with members of the public and providing quality customer service.

We are seeking a candidate,

Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties

Here is what you will be doing,

• Interview recreational fishery participants at assigned access points.
• Properly implement interview procedures and sampling protocols, and accurately record data on appropriate electronic or paper forms.
• Collect catch record card (CRC) recording compliance data for the Puget Sound recreational Dungeness crab fishery.
• Professional interaction with the public, including conducting outreach and education through fisher interviews focused on explanation of current harvest regulations, shellfish species biology, and Puget Sound resource management.
• Conduct harvester effort sampling to quantify daily shellfish harvester intensity through ingress/egress surveys. Perform effort surveys for recreational shrimp and bivalve fisheries from boats or ground and entering data into mobile device applications.
• Liaison to regional supervisor on fishery violations observed in the field.

• Conduct error checks of sampling data.
• Enter data from crustacean and intertidal stock assessment surveys which may include samples processed in the field and samples processed in a wet lab setting.

Support shellfish program stock assessment and biological data collection:

• Participate in the biological sampling of adult, juvenile and larval crab throughout Puget Sound using defined protocols.
• Participate in intertidal stock assessments, including participating in clam and oyster surveys.
• Process lab and field samples from crustacean and bivalve test fisheries and biological studies, assuring samples are processed accurately and sampling protocols are maintained.
• Occasionally process bivalve and crustacean biological samples in the lab. Data collected includes length, weight, sex, shell condition, egg status and species.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Work occurs both in the field and in an office environment.
  • Fieldwork is conducted traversing public beaches, dockside/access sites, and aboard various vessels in marine waters including the 38’ WDFW Vessel (#699 research vessel) and smaller boats (small outboard motorboats, inflatable rafts, and 24’ to 34’ agency vessels).
  • Boat-board work is conducted in all waters of Puget Sound and the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca in inclement weather conditions.
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
  • Perform strenuous field activities in inclement weather, carry heavy, awkward loads (up to 50 lbs) over difficult terrain, including slippery rocks and other surfaces, sticky mud, and steep banks on a periodic and infrequent basis. Must be able to dig holes in rough terrain.
  • Ability to stoop, squat, and bend for extended periods of time while digging holes in difficult substrate on beaches.
  • Ability to work for extended periods of time over an 8-hour workday.
  • Office-based work will require working under fluorescent light, working at a computer for prolonged periods, utilizing scanners and copiers, and processing samples in a wet lab.
• Schedule:
  • 24/7 non-scheduled. Typically, 6 - 12 hours per day between 5:00 A.M. – 11:00 P.M., 40 hours per week.
  • Ability to work an irregular schedule including evenings and weekends is required.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Occasional overnight travel is required seasonally.
  • May be required to use personal vehicle for work use, with mileage compensated, if an agency vehicle is not available.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • iPad, electronic sampling equipment weighing scale, calculator, calipers, head lamp, buckets, tally counter, paper forms, labels, pencils, pens, and clipboard, personal flotation device (PFD), WDFW apparel, gloves, and rain gear, GPS units, cellphones, motor vehicles, navigation systems, hip waders, chest waders, microscopes, and cameras.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Interacts with co-workers from WDFW and Tribes, commercial harvester or fishers, fish and shellfish buyers, fish processors, recreational anglers and shellfishers.
  • Interacts with the public during data collection, provides basic information regarding fisheries resources, agency programs and activities and sport fishing regulatory information.
  • Provides a high level of customer service to anglers and the public. Includes possible contact with individuals who are frustrated.
  • Liaison to regional supervisor and enforcement on fishery violations observed in the field.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

OR

Please Note:

• Professional and volunteer experience involving biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural resources, engineering, or closely allied fields may substitute, year for year, for experience.
• College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute, year for year, for experience, provided the course work includes at least six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter hours of natural science classes.

Certifications/Licenses:

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• First Aid/CPR within six (6) months of hire.
• Successful completion of agency training and/or certification for assigned watercraft is dependent on supervisory direction, position need and?training availability.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

Experience:

• Six (6) months of professional fieldwork experience.
• Six (6) months of professional biological data collection experience.
• Interacting with members of the public and providing customer service.
• Conducting creel surveys and sampling fisheries.
• Using a GPS in a field setting.
• Using electronic data collection tools.
• Biological data collection using electronic scales and scientific calipers.
• Science topics education and outreach experience.

Knowledge of/Familiar with:

• Locally occurring crustacean species.
• Recreational crabbing and shrimping methods and gear.
• Current recreational crustacean harvest regulations in Puget Sound.
• Geography of Puget Sound and Hood Canal region.

Ability to:

Supplemental Information

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume.
• Three professional references.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

JOIN THE WDFW TEAM:

Learn about our agency and the perks of working for WDFW!

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field. We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency’s mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

WDFW employees may be eligible for the following: Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave types.

Eleven (11) Paid Holidays per year and one (1) personal holiday if the employee is scheduled to be, or has been, continuously employed by the State of Washington for at least four (4) months.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), and an Employee Assistance Program.

UNION - WAFWP:

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:

To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to [email protected].
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE:

To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at [email protected].
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – MS)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email [email protected], or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or [email protected].

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