Commercial Fisheries Sampler Supervisor - Scientific Technician - Career Seasonal

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Title- Commercial Fisheries Sampler Supervisor
Classification- Scientific Technician 3 (ST3)
Job Status-Full-Time / Career Seasonal
Season Length-8.5 months– March 25 – December 7
WDFW Program- Fish Program – Puget Sound Sampling Unit
Duty Station- Bellingham, Washington – Whatcom County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW !

This position oversees dockside sampling operations, ensuring accurate collection and validation of recreational and commercial fisheries data for salmon, halibut, lingcod, marine fish, and shellfish.

The Commercial Fisheries Sampler Supervisor recruits and manages sampling staff to meet fisheries monitoring goals.

Directly support Tribal and WDFW biologists in assessing fish populations and managing sustainable fisheries.

By maintaining data accuracy and refining sampling protocols, this role plays a critical part in achieving catch allocations and spawning escapement targets.

What to Expect-
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Commercial Fisheries Sampler Supervisor will,

Staff Recruitment, Supervision and Data Review:

• Recruit, supervise, and review data for commercial staff.
• Ensure proper execution of sampling designs and accurate data collection.
• Provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and performance evaluations for direct reports.
• Manage and submit Order Payment Forms (OPFs), purchasing cards (P-Cards), and Travel and Expense Management System (TEMS) transactions for themselves and direct reports.

Fishery Sampling & Data Collection:

• Sample recreational and commercial fisheries for salmon, halibut, lingcod, other marine fish, and shellfish to determine catch per unit effort and species composition.
• Sample commercial salmon catch from both tribal and non-tribal fisheries at seafood processing plants. Coordinate with commercial fish buyers to schedule sampling duties from July 25 to December 7.
• Conduct creel interviews at boat launches, marinas, and shore-based fishing locations for recreational fisheries from March 25 to July 24.
• Assist in developing sampling protocols and ensure accurate data recording using electronic data collection applications and scale card paper forms.

Other Duties:

• Occasionally assist with test fishing and angler effort surveys (boat surveys) in Marine Areas of Puget Sound during mark-selective fisheries.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work Setting, including hazards:

• Work is conducted both in the field and in an office environment.
• Fieldwork includes inclement weather, rough water conditions, and confined spaces.
• Exposure to loud noises, strong odors, fish blood and slime, toxic fish spines or teeth, biting and stinging insects, pollen, and the use of knives.
• Tasks require repetitive movements of hands, finger manipulations, squatting, walking, boating, carrying, kneeling, and occasional lifting of up to 40 lbs.
• Work involves vehicle and vessel operations during boat launch and retrieval, sample salmon from boats, climb in and out of vessels, work on slippery docks in a marine environment, and properly wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) at all times when working on docks or water.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule:

• Non-scheduled work hours are typically 8-10 hours per day between 5:00am and 11:00pm, 40 hours per week.
• Weekend and evening work are required. May work more than 40 hours per week.

Travel Requirements:

• Travel within the Puget Sound area with occasional overnight travel.

Tools and Equipment:

• iPad, cell phone, electronic sampling device (Coded Wire Tag detector), weighing scale, calculator, knives, forceps, head lamp, measuring board, tally counter, tide book, canopy for shade, portable table, totes/bins, paper forms, labels, scale cards, pencils, pens, clipboard and scissors, Outboard motor boat operation including proper and safe fueling, boat trailer, GPS, compass, fishing tackle and gear including downriggers,…