Screw Trap Operator - Scientific Technician - Non Three

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Title-Screw Trap Operator
Classification-Scientific Technician 2
Job Status-Full-Time - Non-Permanent
Number of Vacancies-Three (3)
Appointment-3 months – March 16, 2025 – June 15, 2025
WDFW Program- Fish Program
Duty Station- Twisp, Washington – Okanogan County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW !

This is an opportunity to gain valuable fieldwork experience in fisheries.

Assist in the operation and maintenance of two (2) smolt traps in the Methow River Basin, playing a key role in data collection through daily trapping and mark-recapture studies.

The insights gathered contribute to critical conservation efforts for ESA-listed steelhead and spring Chinook salmon.

What to Expect-
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role,the Screw Trap Operator will,

Operate rotary screw traps:

• Ensure proper operation of rotary screw traps, including installation and maintenance.
• Collect juvenile salmonid abundance data for estimating basin-wide natural smolt production.
• Conduct mark/recapture trials to estimate trap efficiency.
• Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag juvenile natural salmonid species.
• Collect biological information (length, weight, scale samples and DNA fin clips) from target and non-target taxa.
• Enter information into established databases such as Microsoft Excel, Access and JMX.
• Performing quality control on the data entered

Operate in-stream passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag interrogation sites:

• Install, repair, and maintain in-stream PIT tag interrogation sites.
• Conduct site visits to remove debris and ensure that antennas are working properly.
• Repair or replace compromised equipment when necessary.

Assist with other hatchery monitoring and evaluation activities:

• Assist other biologists with collection and spawning of hatchery brood stock, and miscellaneous other duties as needed.

Working Conditions:

Work Setting, including hazards:

• Inclement weather and navigating a rope-guided boat across the river to access the smolt traps during periods of high water and debris.
• Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
• Smolt traps may have periods of instability, random movement, and can be very icy at times.
• Frequent noise exposure and fish sampling requires the use of anesthesia chemicals (MS-222) and concentrated alcohol for sterilization and tissue preservation.
• Daily lifting and carrying buckets full of water, sometimes up and down ramps and lift weights of up to 75lbs when assembling the trap.
• Assist with the maintenance of interrogation sites.
• Fix electrical issues, remove debris from the antennas and carry large and heavy objects to site locations.
• Travel to some sites may require the use of snowshoes.
• Other Sampling Tasks:
  • Brood stock collection may be performed at Wells Dam, which requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) often during very hot and sunny conditions.
  • Work regularly in a swift, whitewater river environment, endure long hours of adverse weather with minimal shelter, while maintaining meticulous attention to detail and accurately recording collected data.

Schedule:

• Typically, 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M.
  
  - 4:30 P.M. during dayshift operations.
• The night schedule is usually 10:00 P.M.
  
  - 7:00 A.M. for 4 nights followed by a 7:00 P.M.
  
  - 11:00 P.M. shift. During the night schedule, days off will vary.
• During peak work periods, working nights, weekends, and holidays will be required.

Travel Requirements: Travel is required to field locations throughout the watershed to accomplish project duties. Occasional travel may be required to gather supplies from distant locations.

Tools and Equipment: Field equipment includes basic hand and power tools, water pumps, generators, computers, GPS units, and sampling equipment such as coded wire tag (CWT) detectors, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag readers, knives, scissors, tweezers, tricaine methanesulfonate (ms-222), personal flotation devices (PFD), hearing protection, hard hats, throw ropes, life rings, waders…