Cowlitz Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Lead - Fish & Wildlife Biologist

Cowlitz Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Lead

This is an opportunity to contribute to the conservation and long-term health of salmonid populations in Washington State. In this role, you will apply your fisheries management and leadership expertise to guide fish monitoring, evaluation, and anadromous salmonid reintroduction efforts across the Cowlitz River basin. With a strong focus on project management, you will serve as the program lead responsible for directing and implementing agency monitoring activities while collaborating with internal and external partners.

What to Expect:

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Cowlitz Monitoring & Evaluation Unit Lead will,

Oversee and implement the WDFW Cowlitz River monitoring and evaluation projects:
Lead, direct, supervise, and coordinate the activities as outlined in the FHMP Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (Cowlitz M&E), including the tasks below:

• Adult spring and fall Chinook spawner surveys
• Coho spawner surveys
• Winter steelhead spawner surveys
• Creel surveys
• Hatchery brood biological sampling
• Weir operations on select tributaries
• Cowlitz Falls and Mayfield fish facility oversight
• Cowlitz project management

Provide oversight and auditing of Cowlitz downstream passage projects Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility (CFFF) and Cowlitz Falls North Shore Collector (CFNSC) and Mayfield) to ensure public and agency confidence that mitigation obligations are being met.

Periodically observe operations including fish handling, to verify compliance with regional smolt handling guidelines.

Collaborate with Science Unit staff to provide an independent annual estimate of production and collection efficiency estimates for the CFFF.

Coordination with Tacoma Power staff and integrate monitoring efforts with other WDFW Region 5 programs.

Project management and implementation – contracts/deliverables:

• Annually develop scope of work, proposed budget and deliverables associated with task order contracts between Tacoma Power and WDFW.
• Direct, administer and track budgets.
• Complete and submit status reports as required by contract.
• Oversee communication within project staff and with Tacoma Power and review monthly contract invoices.
• Use statistical principles to estimate adult and juvenile population abundances, migration timing, size distributions, age structure, and other project outcomes from these studies.
• Summarize data requested for the Cowlitz Annual Program Review (APR) and participate in APR meetings with Tacoma Power and Public.

Supervise technical and professional staff:

• Supervise and mentor technical and professional level staff to support an effective, motivated team.
• Set goals and objectives, develop strategies to implement, and develop performance measurements and standards for the purpose of ensuring individual and program performance objectives are met.
• Manage personnel issues relating to staff conflicts, absenteeism, and performance issues, in a positive manner for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.
• Identifies and coordinates staff training and development needs.

Participate as WDFW technical support for the following work groups, committees, and subcommittees as needed:

• Cowlitz Fish Technical Committee (FTC): provides technical expertise and policy support to agency voting members on the FTC including preparing briefing documents on technical issues and policy recommendations in line with WDFWs goals for the basin.
• FTC Downstream Fish Passage Technical Work Group (TWG): participate in monthly meetings, work with WDFW Science Unit staff to provide technical expertise related to downstream fish passage issues and represents WDFWs policy objectives, develop materials and elevate technical or policy issues to supervisor and WDFWs voting member on the FTC.
• Cowlitz Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): participate in monthly meetings and work with supervisor and WDFW Science Unit staff to provide technical expertise related to implementing the Cowlitz M&E plan, including baseline and directed studies. Represent agency policy objectives, develop supporting materials and elevate technical or policy issues with supervisor and WDFWs voting members on the FTC.

Working Conditions:

Work setting, including hazards:

• Work is a mix of office and field based work depending on season and need, field-based environments include inclement weather conditions such as rain, cold, heat, and high-water events.
• Lift, carry, and load equipment weighing up to 70 pounds (e.g., pontoon rafts, seine nets, buckets, electrofishing equipment, and other field gear).
• Walk up to six (6) miles per day in and along streams, often over uneven terrain, and navigate steep, slippery stream banks.
• Operate pontoon rafts or boats in rivers with fast-flowing and whitewater conditions for distances up to 15 miles per day, as well as snorkeling in similar conditions for up to six (6) miles per day.
• This position involves working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating,…