PSMFC is looking for a motivated person to act as lead field biologist working on a pilot project to reintroduce winter-run Chinook Salmon (winter-run) to the McCloud River upstream of Shasta Reservoir. This job offers the opportunity to participate in a history-making project to return winter-run Chinook salmon to their ancestral home in the McCloud River. The position will allow you to work with diverse interest groups, and to apply your knowledge of salmonid life history, fisheries monitoring and aquaculture techniques. Additional skills that will be needed include general ecological principles, principles of fish habitat evaluation and restoration, and fisheries management.

Specific duties and responsibilities are as follows:

Reintroduction

Closely coordinate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), other federal fish agencies, and the Winnemem Wintu Tribe on the physical reintroduction of early life stages of winter-run to the McCloud River upstream of Shasta Reservoir. Responsibilities include construction and maintenance of remote site egg incubation systems (RSI's), water quality monitoring, and release of winter-run fry into the McCloud River. Incumbent will also maintain field notes and electronic databases, and produce technical reports related to operation of RSI's on the McCloud River.

Salmonid Reintroduction and Recolonization Monitoring

Closely coordinate with federal fish agencies, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, and CDFW by acting as the lead field biologist for the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in the monitoring of re-introduced winter-run in the McCloud River. Incumbent will operate and maintain rotary screw traps, fyke nets, and associated fish trapping gear. Incumbent may also be required to conduct additional juvenile salmonid monitoring, including snorkel surveys. Habitat typing and additional water quality monitoring may be required as well. Incumbent will be responsible for transportation and release of reintroduced winter-run fry, as well as coordination with State or Federal hatcheries to obtain and transport fish for trap efficiency trials or other surrogate fish investigations. Incumbent will be required to maintain field notes and electronic databases, and produce technical reports related to operation of fish trapping equipment, and fisheries surveys conducted on the McCloud River.

Field Crew Leadership

Incumbent will act as lead-person for up to seven Field Technicians. Incumbent will ensure that field staff are trained in project Standard Operating Procedures, safety protocols, and data collection and management. Incumbent will be responsible for maintaining the field crew work schedule. Incumbent will submit monthly reports such as vehicle mileage logs, gas receipts, maintain records for vehicle maintenance, along with monthly status reports to the Project Manager. Maintain professional qualifications through training, conference attendance, professional/scientific committee participation and reviewing current scientific literature, and other administrative duties.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position is primarily a field position. Applicants should have the ability to work outside, work in inclement weather, conduct physically demanding work, and work long hours as needed. Primary field work will occur in or near swift-water and will require the ability to negotiate rough and unstable terrain. Travel to field sites will require an ability to operate 4-wheel drive vehicles off-road. Overnight stay at field sites will be required. Weekend and holiday work will be required. Must have a valid Driver's License and be prepared to travel using a State owned vehicle.

Essential Functions: Included in this band are professional positions that perform recurring assignments ranging from moderate difficulty where conventional or straight-forward biological concerns are encountered to complex assignments where specialized knowledge and demonstrated competence in advanced techniques are required. (The functions listed below are characteristic of the type and level of work associated with this group and pay band. They are not all-inclusive. Individual positions may perform some or all, as well as other similar work.)

At the lower end of the range, Fishery Biologists have a solid working knowledge of established scientific methods and techniques to perform recurring assignments of moderate difficulty. Methods and techniques are well established, apply to most situations, and do not require significant deviations. Resource planning reports generated by employees at this level involve conventional biological concerns. Reports generated may be short-range management plans or portions of annual work plans. Lower range work examples include:

• Following existing protocols for fish health screenings; conduct tissue sample collection, bacterial testing and analyses, blood collection and analyses, parasite identification, and necropsies on experimental fish populations. Recommend modifications of existing research protocols. Design data collection forms and set up research databases for integration of data. Compile and analyze data for reports, prepare graphics, contribute to or write papers for peer-reviewed journals, and present research results at professional meetings.
• Develop age composition structures, stock assessments, escapement totals, harvest levels, run reconstruction frameworks, and/or run forecasts for designated fish species and stock. Evaluate and direct sampling efforts or reporting practices to best meet data requirements. Write memoranda and reports necessary for transfer of information to the appropriate individuals, agencies, and organizations.
• Plan, schedule, and conduct behavioral, physiological, morphological, and survival evaluations of hatchery and/or experimental fish populations. Oversee and assist with fish culture tasks for study purposes and recommend procedure variations. Write or contribute to papers and reports for publication, and compile reports on results of data collection and analysis. Prepare and deliver formal and informal presentations at seminars, meetings, etc.
• Plan, design, schedule, and conduct fish catch and effort surveys for marine fisheries. Utilize existing general creel survey protocols and determine modifications that address specific marine fisheries conditions or special fisheries. Work with state, federal and regional fishery management councils to provide data on fisheries catch and effort and population trends as well as biology of marine fish species. Work with stock assessment biologists in relation to fisheries-specific data utilized in their stock assessments. Assist with database presentations of the data collected. Prepare reports and presentations as requested. Provide expertise in improvements to the design of creel surveys
• Conduct limited physical and biological watershed, stream, and fish habitat assessments. Responsible for conducting data investigation and research, drafting technical report, database management, GIS for all physical and biological data, and survey and inventory results. Prepare, present, implement and update watershed assessment plans.
• Assist in writing contract proposals and progress reports. Assist in developing detailed contract specifications, task statements, quality of work criteria, and other specifications.
• Monitor budget expenses for projects, control purchasing, and manage equipment inventories.

At the upper end of the range, the Fishery Biologist has specialized knowledge and demonstrated competence in advanced techniques of a complex area of fish biology sufficient to serve as a troubleshooter or specialist. The employee is competent to modify or adapt standard techniques, processes and procedures, and to assess, select, apply precedents and devise strategies and plans to overcome significant problems related to species production, protection, habitat restoration, or program management and evaluation. Planning reports generated by employees at this level assess the impact of various multi-faceted management or public practices on a resource. Upper range work examples include:

• Use biological information to evaluate run profiles and habitat suitability in stocked streams within a major geographical area. Develop comprehensive management plans to insure preservation, protection, and enhancement of habitats.
• Plan, design and implement research studies on fish health and/or nutrition. Analyze and report biological and/or genetic information affecting future selection, rearing, and spawning activities.
• Prepare both quarterly progress and annual reports on run status and hatchery or fish facility operations.
• Monitor and evaluate hatching, rearing and planting of fish. Evaluate and monitor adult return rates. Develop new rearing strategies.
• Prepare fish habitat measurement plans or management plans for a watershed or large geographic area.
• Diagnose various fish diseases or nutritional disorders in experimental populations or brood stock. Develop modifications to existing health protocols as well as experimental protocols.
• Write publishable reports of research and project findings.

Knowledge Required by the Position:

• Knowledge of fishery biology (including knowledge of particular species of fish).
• Knowledge of fish husbandry.
• Knowledge of aquatic habitats.
• Knowledge of the scientific method.
• Knowledge of sampling protocols.
• Knowledge of Windows-based computer applications such as:
  • word processing
  • spreadsheets
  • e-mail
  • publishing software
  • presentation software
  • database software
  • topographic software
  • bibliographic software
  • statistical analysis packages.
• Knowledge of technical writing protocols.
• Knowledge of advanced statistical analysis and mathematics.

Compensation: $59,966 - $94,317 a year

Learn more about this opportunity and how to apply.