Fish Passage Technician - Scientific Technician - Non Two

Position: Fish Passage Technician - Scientific Technician 3 - Non-Permanent - Two Openings - 2025-09272

Title - Fish Passage Technician

Classification - Scientific Technician 3

Job Status - Full-Time – Non-Permanent

Number of Vacancies - Two (2)

Appointment Length - 6.5 months – February 2, 2026 – August 13, 2026

WDFW Program - Habitat Program

Duty Station - Olympia, Washington – Thurston County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption:
Water Surface Drop – Photo Credit: WDFW

Gain hands-on field experience assessing fish habitat access, quality, and quantity across Washington State’s freshwater streams.

In this role, you’ll independently plan and conduct fish passage inventories and habitat evaluations, identifying natural and human‑made barriers affecting anadromous and resident salmonids, and collecting data using GIS mapping tools.

Your fieldwork and data analysis will directly support the conservation of fish and aquatic ecosystems statewide.

What to Expect

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Fish Passage Technician will,

Inventory Data Collection

• Conduct advanced on‑site evaluations statewide for the WDFW Fish Passage and Diversion Screening Inventory, including inspection, analysis, and reporting of human‑made, in‑stream structures such as culverts, dams, fishways, lake outlet screens, and water diversions.
• Assess fish use and perform barrier analysis of identified in‑stream features, including locating, identifying, and assessing natural barriers to fish passage such as waterfalls, high‑gradient stream sections, and subsurface flow.

Habitat Surveys

• Independently plan, organize and conduct physical habitat evaluations of freshwater streams, including measuring stream features such as pool‑riffle ratios, channel width, water depth, temperature, substrate ratios, stream gradient and estimating canopy and in‑stream cover.

Data Entry and GIS

• Process physical and biological stream data, using established data conversion and statistical procedures in Excel spreadsheets and Access databases.
• Use GIS software (Arc Pro) to create maps of fish passage features and habitat assessment sites.
• Use Arc Pro to perform calculations related to habitat data analysis and Level B Hydraulic Analysis, including stream gradient, stream length, elevations, precipitation, and drainage basin area.

Hydraulic Project Effectiveness Monitoring

• Collect on‑site data following a strict protocol to evaluate the long‑term effectiveness of stream simulation and no‑slope designs.

Working Conditions

Work setting, including hazards:

• Primarily a field position with approximately 80% of the work week spent outside, the other 20% is spent in the office entering data.
• Fieldwork may include long hours in inclement weather conditions, work along busy state highways, walking streams through thick vegetation, navigating uneven and slippery terrain, and climbing over or around log jams and woody debris while carrying up to 30 pounds of field equipment.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule

Typically, Monday – Thursday 7:00 A.M.

-5:30 P.M. working 40 hours per week. The standard work schedule includes the potential for occasional evening and weekend work as needed. Alternative schedules may be considered based on business needs. This position is not telework eligible.

Travel Requirements

Vehicle travel up to 200 miles per day to survey locations. Overnight travel required.

Tools and Equipment

Survey equipment (laser, auto level, stadia rod, gravel probe), machete for brushing, other pertinent sampling gear as needed for data collection per the protocols found in the Fish Passage Inventory, Assessment, and Prioritization Manual.

Customer Interactions

Interact with other state agencies, state and local government officials, Tribal members and representatives, local entities, and members of the public. Coordinate with and obtain permission from landowners prior to entering private property.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Option 1:

• Graduation from high school or GED, including one (1) year of high school science.

• Four (4) years of experience as a Scientific Technician.

• All of the…