Hatchery Operations Manager - Region 4 Central - WMS Band 2 - Permanent - 2026-06664

Title – Hatchery Operations Manager
- Region 4 Central

Classification – WMS Band 2

Job Status – Full-Time/Permanent

Program – WDFW Fish Program – Hatcheries Division

Duty Station – Sultan, Washington – Snohomish County

North Puget Sound Region 4 Counties – Served – Island, King, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom.

Remote Employment – This position may include telework options up to 4 days per week, at the discretion of the supervisor.

Posting Timeframe – This recruitment is scheduled to be posted until September 7, 2026. First review of applications will take place August 21, 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.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption:
Kayak Fly Fishing in Green Lake, Seattle
- Photo Credit:
Chase Gunnell

As our Hatchery Operations Manager for Region 4 Central, you will provide strategic leadership for five hatchery facilities and supervise a team dedicated to advancing fish conservation, hatchery operations, and fishery enhancement throughout North Puget Sound.

In this role, you will oversee fish production programs, support hatchery reform initiatives, and ensure safe, efficient, and compliant hatchery operations.

Working collaboratively with Tribes, partner agencies, volunteers, and Fish Program teams, you will help implement conservation and recovery strategies that contribute to the long-term sustainability of Washington’s fish populations.

Photo Caption:
Chinook Fishing, Marine Area 9 – Photo Credit:
Tim Johnson

In this role, the Hatchery Operations Manager for Region 4 Central provides strategic leadership for managing and sustaining Washington’s fish populations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leadership and Supervision: Ensure that staff understand and meet goals and expectations and accept responsibility for results. Promote cohesive, cooperative teamwork within operational guidelines.
• Budget Management: Ensure that budget proposals are accurate and with costs fully documented before presenting to Fish Program or funding entities. All complex facilities are operated within adopted budget allotments.
• Long-term, Strategic Planning: Develop strategic plans that reflect understanding/consideration for key issues and needs of constituents and the agency. Ensure that plans are proactively developed to meet emerging trends with needs, issues, and recommendations clearly documented in writing for future reference.
• Internal and External Constituent Communications: Ensure that affected parties are kept informed about agency and Fish Program goals and activities.
• Managing Production of the Complex: Ensures that brood documents are understood, modified as required, and complied with and the complex meets its expected contribution to achieving agency performance measures.
• Operational and Administrative Compliance: Ensure that facilities operate in compliance with all permits, policies, and procedures.

Work Setting, including hazards: Work is performed in an office setting with rare outdoor facilitation of hatchery operations.

Schedule: Position is overtime exempt – expected to schedule time within a typical 40-hour work week (typically 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

- Monday – Friday).

Travel Requirements: Frequent travel between complex facilities, and occasionally to Olympia and Regional Offices – traveling may occur during inclement weather.

Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.

An Associate’s degree in fish biology, fish culture, or a closely related field.

AND ALL of the following experience is required; experience may be gained concurrently:

Five (5) years of professional experience at an advanced senior level in:

• Resident fish culture practices.
• Salmonid fish culture practices.
• Fish health diagnosis, treatment and management practices.

Two (2) years of professional experience in/with:

• Supervising hatchery staff.
• Working with diverse operation budgets and budget management.
• Negotiating hatchery…