Adult Salmonid Trapping and Evaluation Biologist - Fish & Wildlife Biologist 3 - Perm - 2026-06957

Title- Adult Salmonid Trapping and Evaluation Biologist

Classification- Fish & Wildlife Biologist 3

Job Status- Full-Time / Permanent WDFW Program- Fish Program – Fish Science Division Duty Station- Dayton, Washington – Columbia County

Hybrid/Telework- While this position may offer a telework option, the successful candidate must be available to report to the duty station during field work seasons.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Chinook salmon – Photo Credit: WDFW

As the Adult Salmonid Trapping and Evaluation Biologist, you’ll play an important role in monitoring and evaluating Snake River summer steelhead, with a primary focus on work at Lyons Ferry Hatchery and in the field throughout Southeast Washington.

This is an opportunity to conduct biological monitoring, evaluation, and research and help develop and implement trapping, sampling, and spawning protocols. You’ll coordinate the collection, analysis, and sharing of summer steelhead data with co-managers and partners throughout the Snake River basin.

This position is an important part of WDFW’s efforts to support healthy and sustainable summer steelhead populations in the Snake River basin. You’ll work collaboratively with public, tribal, and state partners to manage hatchery and naturally spawning steelhead as a single population while helping minimize potential impacts of hatchery production on population productivity.

Your work will help support sustainable steelhead fishing opportunities, contribute to a healthy and diverse steelhead population, and advance WDFW’s mission and responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act.

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Adult Salmonid Trapping and Evaluation Biologist will,

Serve as a lead adult salmonid trapping biologist for Lower Snake River Compensation Plan’s (LSRCP) Monitoring and Evaluation of Lyons Ferry Hatchery Complex:

• Maintain and proof trapping databases for summer steelhead, spring Chinook, and bull trout handled and processed at Lyons Ferry Hatchery, Tucannon Fish Hatchery Weir, Cottonwood Acclimation Pond, and Dayton Adult Trap.
• Prepare the LSRCP Summer Steelhead annual report and assist with the adult trapping components of the LSRCP Spring and Fall Chinook annual reports.
• Direct and lead crew members in collecting biological samples and measurements, including fin clips, otoliths, scale samples, coded-wire tag extractions, and other samples collected during steelhead spawning at Lyons Ferry Hatchery.
• Assist, as needed, with developing LSRCP Statements of Work and Budgets and implement work plans as specified in the LSRCP contract.
• Develop and write research and project proposals and solicit external funding.

Serve as a WDFW technical representative to the LSRCP summer steelhead program and support other internal and external groups:

• Serve as a primary data contributor for Summer Steelhead spawned and sampled for brood stock at Lyons Ferry Hatchery.
• Collaborate with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) on basin-wide steelhead run reconstruction efforts for adult steelhead returns to Lower Granite Dam.
• Participate in weekly conference calls with co-managers and other agencies during the steelhead season to provide updates on PIT tag forecasts, trapping, and brood stock collection.

Provide supervision and mentoring of technical staff:

• Recruit, hire, supervise, and mentor up to one permanent and one to three temporary technical-level staff to support an effective and motivated team.
• Set goals and objectives, develop strategies for implementation, and establish performance measurements and standards to ensure individual and program objectives are met.
• Monitor and inspect work in progress to ensure continuity and timely completion of assignments.
• Develop Performance Development Plans for assigned employees; create or update position descriptions; monitor and document employee performance; provide ongoing feedback; and conduct timely, meaningful employee performance evaluations.
• Develop and implement staff training and development plans, including cross-training, job-related training, and other opportunities…