Cowlitz Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Lead - Fish & Wildlife Biologist

Title: Cowlitz Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Lead

Classification: Fish and Wildlife Biologist 4

Job Status: Full-Time - Permanent

Program: Fish Program

Duty Station: Toledo, Washington – Lewis County

Posting Timeline: This recruitment is scheduled to be posted until July 6, 2026. The first review of applications will take place on June 22, 2026. Application review is ongoing, and applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible. Following the first review date, this recruitment may be closed at any time.

Salary

Note:

The salary listed above does not include the 2% pay increase that goes into effect on July 1, 2026.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

This is an opportunity to contribute to the conservation and long‑term health of salmonid populations in Washington State. In this role, you will apply your fisheries management and leadership expertise to guide fish monitoring, evaluation, and anadromous salmonid reintroduction efforts across the Cowlitz River basin. With a strong focus on project management, you will serve as the program lead responsible for directing and implementing agency monitoring activities while collaborating with internal and external partners.

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Cowlitz Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Lead will:

• Lead, direct, supervise, and coordinate the activities outlined in the FHMP Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (Cowlitz M&E), including:
  • Adult spring and fall Chinook spawner surveys
  • Coho spawner surveys
  • Winter steelhead spawner surveys
  • Creel surveys
  • Hatchery brood biological sampling
  • Weir operations on select tributaries
  • Cowlitz Falls and Mayfield fish facility oversight
  • Cowlitz project management
• Provide oversight and auditing of Cowlitz downstream passage projects (CFFF, CFNSC, and Mayfield) to ensure public and agency confidence that mitigation obligations are being met.
• Periodically observe operations, including fish handling, to verify compliance with regional smolt handling guidelines.
• Collaborate with Science Unit staff to provide an independent annual estimate of production and collection efficiency for the CFFF.
• Coordinate with Tacoma Power staff and integrate monitoring efforts with other WDFW Region 5 programs.

• Annually develop scope of work, proposed budget, and deliverables associated with task order contracts between Tacoma Power and WDFW.
• Direct, administer, and track budgets.
• Complete and submit status reports as required by contract.
• Oversee communication within project staff and with Tacoma Power, and review monthly contract invoices.
• Use statistical principles to estimate adult and juvenile population abundances, migration timing, size distributions, age structure, and other project outcomes from these studies.
• Summarize data requested for the Cowlitz Annual Program Review (APR) and participate in APR meetings with Tacoma Power and the public.

• Supervise and mentor technical and professional level staff to support an effective, motivated team.
• Set goals and objectives, develop strategies to implement, and develop performance measurements and standards to ensure individual and program performance objectives are met.
• Manage personnel issues related to staff conflicts, absenteeism, and performance issues in a positive manner to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.
• Identify and coordinate staff training and development needs.

• Cowlitz Fish Technical Committee (FTC): provides technical expertise and policy support to agency voting members on the FTC, including preparing briefing documents on technical issues and policy recommendations in line with WDFW's goals for the basin.
• FTC Downstream Fish Passage Technical Work Group (TWG): participate in monthly meetings, work with WDFW Science Unit staff to provide technical expertise related to downstream fish passage issues,…