Creel Surveyor - Scientific Technician - Career Seasonal

Title:

Creel Surveyor

Classification:
Scientific Technician 2

Job Status:
Full-Time/Career Seasonal

Season Length: 9.5 Months - August 15 – May 31

For the 2026 season, this position is anticipated to begin December 1, 2026.

WDFW Program:
Fish Program – Fish Management

Duty Station:
Dayton, Washington – Columbia County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Are you passionate about the great outdoors and committed to promoting sustainable fishing opportunities?

Join our team and conduct activities directly tied to the conservation of native fish populations in southeast Washington.

In this role, you will conduct creel surveys to monitor Snake River fall and spring Chinook fisheries and steelhead fisheries in the Snake, Grande Ronde, Tucannon, Touchet, and Walla Walla Rivers, contributing to estimates of harvest and wild fish impacts.

• Conduct steelhead, spring Chinook, and fall Chinook creel surveys.
• Identify fish species found in southeast Washington.
• Collect biological data and samples on fish species, including sex, length, marks, origin, scales, and genetic samples.
• Scan fish for coded wire tags (CWT) or passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and recover/read CWTs.
• Accurately record and tabulate all survey data.
• Compile summaries, check field data, and enter data into multiple data sets using Microsoft Office programs.
• Maintain equipment and tools to ensure proper function and safety.

Work Setting, including hazards:

Work occurs in both office and field settings, and may involve many hours of vehicle travel. Field work is conducted outside in all weather conditions, in remote locations alone or in a team setting, including hiking over rough and slippery terrain for long hours (10+ hours per day). May encounter wildlife, work around noise and odors, and work with chemicals for biological sampling (ethanol) and vehicle operations (gasoline and oil).

Repetitive movements of hands, finger manipulations, and long periods sitting, squatting, kneeling, carrying, and heavy lifting (including 5-gallon jugs of water and fish carcasses, weighing up to 40 pounds unassisted). Encounter fish blood and slime, slippery surfaces, and the use of knives. May transport agency staff and equipment in agency vehicles. This position will involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Typically, 40 hours per week, 10 hours per day. Work will require working evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Extensive travel time within workdays.

Hand tools, knives, coded wire tag (CWT) wands, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag readers, cameras, satellite phone, Garmin InReach Mini 2.

Interact daily with members of the public and anglers during creel surveys.

Option 1:
Graduation from high school or GED, including one (1) year of high school science and two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.

Option 2:
Graduation from high school or GED including one (1) year of high school science and two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

• College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field may substitute, year-for-year, for experience, provided the course work includes at least six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter hours of natural science classes.
• Professional or volunteer experience involving biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural resources, engineering, or closely allied fields may substitute, year-for-year, for experience.

Valid Driver’s License.