Fisheries Technician 2- Wild Salmon and Steelhead Program

Position/Project Specifics:

The incumbent will be assisting the project biologist with monitoring salmon and steelhead in streams and large rivers under the Comparative Survival Study and Wild Salmon and Steelhead programs for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). The position will be stationed out of Lewiston, Idaho. The individual will be responsible for understanding and leading efforts to trap, handle, and tag ESA-listed juvenile Chinook Salmon and steelhead on large mainstem river traps. The traps are located on the Snake River in Lewiston, Idaho and on the Salmon River in White Bird, Idaho. These trapping and tagging efforts serve to track migration timing and survival of hatchery and wild juvenile Chinook Salmon and steelhead in large rivers. The incumbent will also coordinate and lead efforts for snorkeling in streams, conduct spawning ground surveys for Chinook Salmon, and assist with other projects under IDFG's Wild Salmon and Steelhead program. Other expected duties include entering and managing quality data, assisting with maintenance and repairs of trapping and sampling equipment, and meeting project goals.

Duties include but are not limited to:
· Leading and managing a crew of up to six fishery technicians or bio-aides
· Data collection and quality assurance and quality control of data entry
· Managing and operating mainstem river fish traps
· Coordination with the IDFG/PSMFC regional staff and Idaho Wild Salmon and Steelhead staff

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Competency
· Initiative: identifies what needs to be done and take appropriate actions
· Communication: have the ability to make clear and concise written and oral communication to fishery scientists and to the general public
· Leadership: have the ability to provide guidance and direction to technicians in order to achieve project goals
· Ethics and integrity: performs duties with professionalism, honesty, and earned respect of staff and other agency personnel
Science
· Knowledge of fishery management practices that includes fish population dynamics, fish biology, and stream ecology
· Knowledge and work experience in various fish sampling methods
· Knowledge of the scientific method
· Knowledge of computer applications and software used to store and/or analyze data 
· Knowledge of statistical and mathematical methods

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, fin clips or tags, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens.
• Lead and participate in crews engaged in captive fish rearing activities including spawning, incubating, feeding, sampling, sorting, handling, medicating, anesthetizing, and transporting fish. Crew may also monitor the status of facility systems and equipment, fabricate, construct, and maintain systems. Gather research data and organize information from fish samples or experimental projects.
• Lead crew in watershed and stream assessments and habitat surveys. May include stream habitat inventories (channel typing, habitat typing, woody debris, etc.), road inventories, and riparian inventories.
• Update 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 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 work crew.  They are able to assess or interpret the significance of their results and relate that to the overall objective of the project.  They have the knowledge to outline, organize and execute the details of projects where unusual or irregular procedural or technical problems arise.   

Additional Mandatory Skills:

• snorkeling                                           
• trap/weir
• carcass and redd surveys
• electronic detection technol.               
• able to swim                           
• lift 40 - 50 lbs.
• valid driver's license
• hiking             
• operate GPS
• habitat typing                                     
• habitat monitoring                  
• fish species ID skills               
• operate handheld data recorder         
• compile and collect neat and accurate data   
• specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)
• oral communication skills                  
• written communication skills
• repair & maintain equipment

Physical Demands:

Travel and working at remote field sites is required. Field work involves exposure to environmental elements such as slippery uneven surfaces and varying weather conditions and requires moderate to rigorous ability of walking/hiking, climbing, reaching, lifting and bending. Tasks include wading streams, swimming, hiking for long distances, and carrying up to 50 pounds of gear and equipment. Some camping for extended periods is also required during select seasons.

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, fish processing plants, 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 at high elevations or aboard boats, research vessels, or commercial fishing vessels may be required.