Fishery Biologist

Residency Requirement

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries is recruiting a Fishery Biologist 1 located in Fairbanks, Alaska.

• Yearly seasonal work from early August to mid‑April, with dates varying.
• Lead field operations for the annual subsistence salmon harvest survey and supervise two Fish and Wildlife Technicians.
• Coordinate logistics, conduct surveys, and ensure data quality, including demographic and harvest information.
• Use Survey
  123, Field Maps, and other GIS products to manage, review, and visualize survey data.
• Work with residents of 33 Yukon River communities and analyze data in R to support salmon fishery management.
• Develop maps, create outreach materials, and contribute to annual report writing.

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and well‑being are paramount, and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.

Join a dedicated group of professionals in the Fairbanks office and have opportunities to travel through the largest watershed in Alaska. This position will provide you with experience for advancement into future jobs in the Fishery Biologist series and contribute to the management of transboundary Yukon River fisheries.

This position is stationed in Fairbanks from August through February each year and involves leading two surveyors, supporting their remote travel, and interacting with tribal and community personnel while conducting household surveys in person, by phone, or by mail. Daily work also includes maintaining confidentiality, updating and creating GIS‑based maps and materials using tools such as Survey
123 and Field Maps, and analyzing survey data in R.

• Requires infrequent travel within the State (normally one trip of up to 7 days length occurring 1–3 times per season).
• Work may take place during evening hours, including weekends, and outdoors in inclement weather during the field season (September to December).

Please describe any experience you have with the following position‑specific competencies in your application and cover letter; if you lack experience in an area, simply note that.

• Experience supervising and providing logistical support to remote field workers.
• Strong multi‑tasking, communication and organizational skills, and a self‑motivated individual.
• Strong data entry and QA/QC experience.
• Experience conducting harvest (fish, game, etc.) related surveys and/or collecting other types of information from the public in person and/or over the telephone.
• High level of experience using ArcGIS (including AGOL, Survey
  123, and Field Maps) for data collection and mapping, R for statistical analyses, iOS mobile devices for communication and data entry, and Microsoft Office (including Word and Excel).

A valid driver’s license is required. This position may be in possession of, or have access to, firearms/ammunition.

First Aid/CPR:
For those not already certified, training will be provided by the department at no cost to the employee.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, fisheries science, or natural resource management.

Substitution: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college that includes or is supplemented by the following credit hours will substitute for the degree in a specific field:

• At least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, aquaculture, aquatic ecology, fisheries resources, or natural resource management (excluding courses that focus on agricultural husbandry techniques, human population dynamics, or the design and manipulation of landscapes), of which 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) are upper division…