Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training) - Vancouver Hatchery - Permanent - *05975-24

Description

With that in mind,

With your experience, you will monitor fish behavior, fish health, egg/fish production and disinfect and count eggs.

This is an opportunity to rear anadromous (fish born in freshwater who spend most of their lives in saltwater and return to freshwater to spawn) and non-anadromous species of fish.

We are seeking a candidate with demonstrated values matching those of WDFW: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties

Our Fish Hatchery Specialist 2,

Performs Fish Culture:

• Calculates and feeds fish according to pond populations and weight samples. Adjust feed size and amount fed as needed.
• Administers therapeutics, calculates, and administers drugs as prescribed.
• Identifies, sorts, and samples species for spawning and adult distribution.
• Cleans ponds and raceways, troughs, and incubator systems to maintain fish health.
• Identifies marked adults and collects tags/marks for bio sampling.
• Records data and is able to identify multiple marks by sight, UV lights or mechanical devices.
• Collects fish tissue and fluid samples for Fish Health Specialists without contaminating samples.
• Performs fish inventories, splits, grading, marking trailer inventories, weight samples and plants.
• Picks eggs loss by hand or using equipment and incubates for facility programs or shipments.
• Determines proper number of adults needed to meet program goals using fecundity based on egg size and species fertilized.
• Identify all targeted and non-targeted species, gender, stock origin and condition of maturity when trapping and spawning adults.
• Fertilizes eggs with sperm, according to pre-determined ratios using established spawning protocols and Hatchery Genetic Management Plans (HGMP) requirements.
• Incubates eggs using a variety of vessels including, shallow troughs, isolation buckets, upwelling incubators, and vertical trays.
• Analyzes condition factor (K) regularly to monitor fish health.
• Order feed and medicated feed for hatcheries and fish coop projects and tracks inventory.
• Monitor dissolved oxygen levels when in order to maintain proper carrying capacity of rearing units.
• Loads fish for transport using a variety of methods such as: electric fish pump, brail and crane.
• Liberates fish via trucks, helicopters, and boats.
• Contacts Fish Health Specialist when fish are showing signs of disease or illness and works closely with them in treating and diagnosing illness.

Record Keeping and Reporting:

• Accurately fills out and submits agency forms such as fish transfer tickets, hatchery invoice forms and other relevant forms.
• Create programs to calculate desired growth rates through yearly rearing cycle (Projection sheets) that monitor fish sizes using samples & feed conversions.
• Maintains purchasing card account, ledger of hatchery expenses, and completes order payment forms for vendor payments.

Operation and Maintenance of Facility and Equipment:

• Maintains proper water flow and rearing environments.
• Design/fabricate needed hatchery equipment such as fish racks, weirs, intakes screens, fish transfer equipment, adult fish gates, etc., using metal, aluminum, plastic, and wood.
• Actively identifies safety hazards and takes action or recommends remedies as appropriate.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Work is performed outdoors in all weather conditions typically 250 days per year.
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
  • Perform strenuous physical activities including walking, climbing, and repetitively lifting 44 lbs. of fish feed bags daily and occasionally lifting salt blocks and salt bags weighing up to 50 lbs.
  • Utilize a respirator and other personal protective equipment (PPE) while working with various chemicals used at facility.
• Schedule:
  • 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturday through Friday - 10 days on and 4 days off.
  • The work hours can vary greatly for this position at different times of the year depending on the work schedule and weather conditions.
• Standby:
  • Standby duties are currently assigned - standby entails the employee being responsible for overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day after the regular 8-hour shift. While on standby this position will work ten (10) days on and be off four (4) days.
  • All applicants applying for this position should understand that standby is a requirement for all positions in the Fish Hatchery Specialist series.
  • Management may determine it is necessary to assign standby in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of the agency and as necessary to protect the resources of the agency and if assigned, it will be a requirement of the position.
• Housing:
  • Housing is not provided for this position.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Travel may be required to accomplish agency goals.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Hand & power tools, lawn care equipment, tractors, forklifts, welding equipment, egg picking machines, water sampling instruments, small and large fish transport trucks, passenger vehicles, adult fish pumps, trash pumps, pressure washers, diesel generators, small gas engine powered equipment, computers, and software.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Communicate effectively with public and volunteers on a regular basis.
  • This position is located at a facility with a partner organization, Columbia Springs. Columbia Springs is a non-profit organization that offers educational experiences that foster a greater awareness of the natural world and inspire stewardship.
  • With this partnership, the FHS2 is required to engage and communicate with Columbia Springs staff along with other non-profit organizations, school aged tour groups and a high number of public and visitors.
  • It is critical that the FHS2 is comfortable talking to groups ranging in size from a few to large numbers of people during tours of the facility.
  • Assist in facilitating an annual special needs kids fishing event.

Qualifications

This Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training) series provides mentoring and career development opportunities for candidates with limited hatchery and fish culture experience.

Candidates will be hired as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 or 2, dependent on skills and experience.

Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month in-training plan, the selected candidate will automatically be promoted to a Fish Hatchery Specialist 2.

Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 1:

• An Associate’s degree in fisheries technology, biology, or a closely allied field.

Or

• Three (3) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology, or a closely allied field.

Or

• Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school.

• Three (3) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery will substitute for the required education.

• Valid State driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• This position requires standby with a response time of 15 - 30 minutes. (Standby is assigned and no housing available to facilitate standby).
• This position requires a Class B CDL with tanker endorsement within six (6) months of hire date.
• Some positions require a valid Washington State Pesticide Applicator’s License.

Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (Goal Class):

• One (1) year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 AND successful completion of agency supervised training program.

• An Associate’s degree in fisheries technology or closely allied field AND one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

• Three (3) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries or closely allied field AND one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

• Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school AND one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery.

Please Note: Three (3) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery will substitute for the required education.

• Valid State driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• This position requires standby with a response time of 15 - 30 minutes. (Standby is assigned and no housing available to facilitate standby).
• This position requires a Class B CDL with tanker endorsement within six (6) months of hire date.
• Some positions require a valid Washington State Pesticide Applicator’s License.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

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

• Two (2) or four (4) year degree in Fisheries or closely associated field.
• Previous salmonid fish culture experience.

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 - WAFHP:

These positions are in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Hatchery 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 Hatchery Professionals (WAFHP).

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 kaila.daudt@dfw.wa.gov.
• 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 kaila.daudt@dfw.wa.gov.
• 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 JaymeChase@dfw.wa.gov, 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 support@neogov.com.

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