Fisheries Technician 1- Upper Sacramento Salmonid Monitoring (21-1047)

Location: Red Bluff, CA (96080)

Anticipated Start Date: March 1, 2021

Position Type: Seasonal (6+ months, but less than 12 months), Hourly/Non-Exempt

Benefits Eligible: Yes | www.psmfc.org/benefits

Salary Target: $16.50/hour

Job Number: 21-1047

How to Apply: Online by clicking on the green "Apply Externally" button.

Closing Date: January 24, 2021 at Midnight PT

The Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) (B13) habitat restoration project consists of a multi agency effort to enhance juvenile salmonid rearing habitat and adult spawning habitat in the upper Sacramento river basin. The project seeks to engineer, maintain, and monitor off-channel habitat enhancement sites as well as some in-river sites. Three strategies for restoration have been implemented to increase juvenile and adult habitat to date. Adult spawning restoration sites primarily consist of gravel placement to promote spawning by Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Steelhead/Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Juvenile rearing restoration sites are primarily side channel construction or rehabilitation, designed to provide increased juvenile rearing habitat during fluctuating flow releases from Keswick Dam. 

The tasks/duties of the position support the project by providing baseline data informing management decisions. The candidate will collect juvenile fish habitat use and abundance data using snorkel, and habitat attributes, flow, and GIS mapping using Trimble. Data tasks will consist of recording field data, QA/QC of the data, and performing basic statistical analyses of data is likely. Experience and/or proficiency with scientific data management tools such as the GIS framework, R programming language, MS suite of programs, or Pathfinder software is desirable but not required. Daily activities include driving and towing small jet-powered watercraft. Spending 6-8 hours in the field is normal, hiking and wading in small streams is a daily activity. Snorkeling and wading in swift water during adverse weather conditions is a routine activity for this position. This is primarily a field-based position and the successful candidate may be routinely exposed to adverse weather conditions throughout all months of the year. Upkeep of field equipment and occasional construction/removal of fisheries monitoring devices is anticipated. Candidates will also assist with other ongoing adult fisheries monitoring activities such as video monitoring, carcass counts, biological sampling, tagging, and redd monitoring.

The schedule will be 10 hours a day, four days a week. Weekend work is not anticipated but weather events occasionally dictate a change of schedule in response to environmental conditions. Approximately 80/20 field/office work ratio is a general estimate. Driving trucks and towing boats is a requirement. Minimum HS degree, BS or BA preferred. Environmental, biological, or science-based degree preferred but not mandatory. Ideal experience would be at least 1 year in fisheries, wildlife, or the natural sciences.

Essential Functions:  

Knowledge Required by the Position:

At the lower end of the range, employees use knowledge of basic arithmetic, reading, writing, and data collection to perform routine or repetitive tasks. 

At the upper end of the position range, employees use knowledge of the basic principles and protocols of fish biology to make readings, measurements, and observations; execute tests; collect samples, etc.  If complex equipment systems are operated, the employee has the knowledge to perform calibrations or adjustments to achieve desired results. 

Additional Mandatory Skills:                         

Physical Demands:

Demands can range from moderate --where there is walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, and strenuous sweeping-- to rigorous. In the latter case, the incumbent must be able to handle buckets of water or gear weighing up to 50 pounds. Long daily periods of hiking, carrying equipment, swimming, and/or standing may be required. Camping out for extended periods may be required. Some work requires the ability to maintain footing in fast-moving water. 

Work Environment:

A portion of the work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. The majority is performed in fish processing labs, fish holding areas, and/or in the field. Incumbents may work on narrow, elevated walkways and platforms that are over or adjacent to water. Field work involves exposure to all types of weather, slippery rocks, trails, irregular terrain, insects, poison oak, rough or fast-moving water, or cold water temperatures. Work at high elevations or aboard boats may be required.

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

A range of experience and education may be presented. At the lower end of the range, candidates must present six months of General Experience* OR one year of education above the high school level that included at least six semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.

At the upper end of the range, candidates must present one year of Specialized Experience** OR a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with a major or at least 24 semester hours of coursework in any combination of scientific or technical courses. An equivalent combination of experience and education is also qualifying.

*General Experience is (1) any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with biological sciences or the processes of the biological sciences.

**Specialized Experience is experience that equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled.