Salmon Stock Assessment Technician - Scientific Technician - Non-Perm

Salmon Stock Assessment Technician

Classification: Scientific Technician 2
Job Status: Full-Time/Non-Permanent
Appointment/Season Length: 4.5 Months – August 16, 2026 to December 31, 2026
WDF Program: Fish Program – Fish Management Division
Duty Station: Port Townsend, Washington – Jefferson County

• Conduct summer Chum and Coho spawning surveys, walking and/or rafting long stretches of rivers and creeks, counting live salmonids, redds, and carcasses.
• Sample spawned out Chum carcasses by taking length, sex, scales, DNA, and otoliths.
• Record survey data in the digital platform FTS and organize collected biological data samples.
• Operate adult summer Chum traps and assist at the Snow Creek Weir, including brood stock collection and spawning for the Dungeness River Supplementation Program and netting, handling, counting, and releasing live salmonids from traps.
• Identify species and sex, clean debris from traps, assess trap integrity, assist with trap installations and maintenance, and provide grounds maintenance at the Snow Creek Weir/trap sites/duty station field office.
• Organize trap and survey data, and biological samples.
• Enter data into Microsoft Access databases and Excel spreadsheets.
• Perform quality control checks on trap and survey data.

Primary duties performed in field settings in and around rivers and streams, requiring walking up to five miles per day on rugged, uneven, and often slippery terrain, both in and out of the water. Involves frequent handling and sampling of fish weighing up to 50 pounds. Fieldwork conducted in variable and sometimes extreme weather conditions. Access to field sites may require driving on roads that are partially flooded or covered in snow.

May involve work in or near water, including operations of a pontoon in areas with potential hazards such as log jams.

Full-time, 40 hours per week. Work shifts not fixed and may vary based on operational needs. Flexible schedule required; may be assigned hours at any time within a 24-hour period.

Travel required from the assigned duty station to river sites. Technicians will cover a large spatial area daily to survey. Use of agency automobiles and personal vehicles may be authorized.

Communicate with project volunteers, the public, private landowners, and tribal co-managers.

Valid driver’s license.

• Option 1:
  Graduation from high school or GED, including one year of high school science, and two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.
• Option 2:
  Graduation from high school or GED, including one year of high school science, and two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

College coursework involving a major in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute year-for-year for experience, provided the coursework includes at least six semester or nine quarter hours of natural science classes.

• Capability to identify river stage salmonids and other game fish species.
• Knowledge of the watersheds and fisheries of Jefferson County.
• Experience with salmonid sampling for length, sex, scales, DNA, and otoliths.
• Experience conducting spawning ground surveys for salmonids.

In addition to pay, WDFW employees may be eligible for other benefits. Additional information available through the WDFW benefits program.

WDFW is an equal opportunity employer. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, notify WDFW of veteran or military spouse status by email ter.gov. Veterans only – attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter. Please redact any personal information such as social security numbers.

Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

For questions regarding this position, please contact Cheri Potter ter.gov referencing job # .