Fish Hatchery Specialist - Puyallup Hatchery

Classification- Fish Hatchery Specialist 3

Job Status- Full-Time/Permanent
WDFW Program
- Fish Program – Hatcheries Division
Duty Station
- Puyallup Hatchery – Puyallup, Washington – Pierce County
Housing
- Housing is provided
Standby
- Standby is currently assigned

Help make a lasting impact on Washington’s fish and wildlife resources
while providing sustainable recreational, tribal, and commercial opportunities in the state of Washington.

As part of the Puyallup Hatchery team, you will support the day-to-day operations of a busy fish hatchery, ensuring the facility operations run smoothly while meeting important production and program goals.

As a key member of the hatchery team, you will lead a crew responsible for producing Chinook and coho salmon that contribute to the sport, tribal, and commercial fisheries throughout Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean.

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Fish Hatchery Specialist 3 will,

• Plan and coordinate fish transport.
• Load, haul, and plant fish at hatcheries and lakes.
• Apply sound fish culture practices to meet program goals.
• Project and monitor fish growth and feed requirements.
• Plan and coordinate rearing densities, intra-and inter-facility fish transfers, and fish releases to meet short- and long-range program goals.
• Evaluate fish size, growth rate, and health to determine appropriate feed requirements.

• Carry out assignments as a working leader.
• Ensure safety compliance.
• Demonstrate, instruct, and train others in methods, procedures, and proper task completion.

• Ensure working components of the fish hatchery are kept in good operating condition, including pumps and motors, vehicles, alarms, generators, and flashlights.

• Keep supervisor and management well-informed of production issues that may result in fish health concerns or program shortfalls.
• Represent the agency professionally and communicate effectively.

Work Setting, including hazards:
Work is performed outside in all weather conditions. Duties may require prolonged physical activities including sitting, standing, squatting, walking, carrying, kneeling, and repetitive hand and finger movements. Work may also involve confined spaces, slippery surfaces, loud noise, odors, biting and stinging insects, and the use of knives.

Perform frequent strenuous physical activities such as daily lifting of up to 50 pounds (fish feed bags, adult/juvenile fish, pumps and other equipment), unassisted. May transport agency staff and equipment in agency vehicles. This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Typically, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Work hours may vary at different times of the year, depending on the work schedule and weather conditions, and may sometimes include working evenings or weekends

Standby duties are not currently assigned - standby entails the employee being responsible for overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day after the regular 8-hour shift, with a response time of 15 minutes. The standby schedule consists of working ten (10) consecutive days, including seven (7) days of standby duty, followed by four (4) days off.

Housing is provided for this position.

Travel may be required for short periods of time to accomplish agency goals, complete required training, or to attend meetings.

Hand and power tools, lawn care equipment, tractors, forklifts, welding equipment, egg picking machines, water sampling instruments, small and large fish…