Fish Culturist

Idaho Department of Fish and Game Career Opportunity

Applications will be accepted through 11:59 PM MDT on the posting end date. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is currently recruiting for the position of Fish Culturist. This announcement will be used to fill the current opening at the Clearwater Fish Hatchery in Ahsahka, Idaho and may be used to fill future statewide openings.

About the Current Opening:

The Clearwater Fish Hatchery is a Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) anadromous production facility that cultures Chinook Salmon and steelhead. It also serves as a redistribution station for resident trout. Adult trapping and spawning operations are conducted at several off-station satellite facilities and include angler collection of locally adapted steelhead brood stock. The program is diverse, dynamic, and entails close cooperation with USFWS and Nez Perce Tribe partners.

Located in Ahsahka, Idaho, the hatchery is part of the Northern Hatchery Complex and is supervised by the Northern Hatchery Complex Manager out of the Clearwater Regional Office. Staff includes a Fish Hatchery Manager 2, two Fish Hatchery Assistant Managers, three Fish Culturists, and a Utility Craftsman.

Why IDFG?

We are a premier natural resource agency dedicated to preserving, protecting, perpetuating, and managing Idaho's fish and wildlife for this great state. We are committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence as we cultivate opportunities for our customers to engage with our natural resources and become resource stewards for future generations. We are highly dedicated to our mission, committed to our team, and we know how to balance work/life commitments while loving the work we do.

What We Offer:

• Generous vacation and sick leave accrual that begins as soon as you start (approximately 3 weeks of vacation the first year, increasing with state longevity)
• Eleven paid holidays a year
• Eight weeks of paid parental leave
• Multiple saving plans – optional 401(k) and 457 plans
• Incumbents are required to live on station
• Incumbents are expected to work a rotational on‑call schedule
• Incumbents must be capable of lifting and carrying 50+ lbs. Work includes handling and feeding fish, climbing on and off fish transport trucks, and standing and working in cold water for up to eight hours per shift. This position requires working with toxic chemicals, heavy dust, high voltage, loud noises, and slippery surfaces. Work is conducted in all weather conditions, with frequent irregular schedules and required weekend, holiday, and evening work.

Responsibilities:

• Spawn fish and monitor development of eggs and fry.
• Implement feeding schedules required for specified growth rates.
• Clean tanks and raceways.
• Observe fish behavior for signs of stress or disease.
• Implement water and feed treatments and prophylactic measures.
• Grade and sort fish, track hatchery inventory, and enumerate daily fish mortality.
• Load, transport, and plant fish.
• Maintain records and contribute to reports documenting hatchery activities, fish diseases and treatments, and production studies.
• Conduct hatchery tours and explain operations.
• Assist in maintenance and minor repairs of hatchery equipment, vehicles, and buildings.
• May act as a crew leader and direct activities of temporary staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Good knowledge of aquaculture and ichthyology, including the growing and maintaining of fish; typically gained by completion of an associate degree or technical certificate in Aquaculture or Fish Biology/Fish Science, or related associate degree in biology, zoology, or other closely related biological science field with at least 12 credits of relevant coursework.
• Some knowledge of report writing involving scientific or biological data and terms; gained by at least six credits of college-level coursework, or by at least six months of experience collecting/recording data used in reports.
• Experience communicating orally in one‑to‑one and group situations; gained by at least three credits of college-level coursework, or at least six months of experience conducting fish hatchery tours or giving training presentations.
• Experience entering and retrieving data, preparing…