Scientific Aid

Job Title

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Northern Region Coastal Fisheries Program has openings for Scientific Aids located in Fortuna, CA.

In this position, you will be part of a team of scientists conducting field surveys to monitor federally and state listed populations of salmon and steelhead within the watersheds of the Northern California coast. This monitoring project provides information vital to the recovery of these listed species. This position provides training and experience in fisheries monitoring techniques, wilderness safety and navigation, scientific data collection, and teamwork.

Work duties vary seasonally. From October through April, scientific aids monitor adult salmonid populations through spawning ground surveys and operation of acoustic sonar cameras. From May through September, fieldwork includes monitoring juvenile salmonid populations by snorkel dive surveys, electrofishing, and netting, and the surveying of aquatic and riparian habitat. This includes acoustic sonar camera set up, deployment, operation, data transfer, and maintenance.

Work assignments also include data entry and analysis, and preparation of field gear and equipment.

Personal Leave Program:
Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions ranging from 2% to 4.62% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program.

The Fish and Wildlife Scientific Aid classification is a non-testing classification.

Applicants who receive public assistance under the CalWORKs program shall be given hiring priority consideration as provided in Government Code, Section 19063.

Applicants who receive public assistance need to identify themselves as CalWORKs recipients in the comments section of the STD 678, Examination/Employment Application.

Applicants must submit verification of CalWORKs eligibility, which may include the most recent Notice of Action showing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligibility or a copy of the most recent aid check stub.

Applicants may obtain verification from the CalWORKs program. If CalWORKs verification is not submitted with the application, it will not be processed as CalWORKs eligible.

Participation by a public assistance recipient is voluntary and in no event shall any person be subject to sanctions, through loss of benefits or eligibility, for not applying for, accepting, or continuing in a seasonal or entry level non-testing classification opening.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.