Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training) - Lakewood Hatchery - Career Seasonal - 2026-06749

Posting number: 2026-06749

Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Job classification: FISH HATCHERY SPECIALIST 2

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Parks and Recreation, Natural Resources, Research, Sciences, Green-Collar/Environmental, Wildlife

Summary

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Classification- Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training)

Job Status- Full-Time - Career Seasonal

Season Length- 9 months - September 16 – June 15
WDFW Program- Fish Program  
Duty Station- Lakewood Hatchery - Lakewood, Washington – Pierce County

Housing- No Additional Housing Available

Standby- Currently Assigned 

In-Training- We are recruiting to fill this position at the Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 or 2 classification. Candidates hired as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 will be required to complete an in-training plan in order to advance to the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 classification.

Salary- Depending on which level you are hired at, your salary range will be as follows: 

Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 - $3,653.00 - $4,866.00 monthly

Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 - $4,004.00 - $5,376.00 monthly

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption: Chinook Salmon – Photo Credit: WDFW

This is an opportunity to expand your fisheries knowledge and valuable hands-on experience in hatchery operations.

Join the WDFW team and perform scientific, technical, and routine maintenance duties throughout the Lakewood Hatchery complex, including Chambers Creek Hatchery to support the rearing of Kokanee, Rainbow Trout and Chinook salmon. 

What to Expect-

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 will, 

Perform Fish Culture: 

• Calculate and feed fish according to pond populations and weight samples. Adjust feed size and amount fed as needed.
• Monitor fish behavior and health.
• Monitor egg and fish production and disinfect and enumerate eggs. 
• Identify, sort, and sample species for spawning and adult distribution.
• Clean ponds and raceways, troughs, and incubator systems to maintain fish health.
• Identify marked adults and collect tags/marks for biological sampling.
• Perform fish inventories, splits, grading, marking trailer inventories, weight samples and plants. 
• Pick eggs loss by hand or using equipment and incubate for facility programs or shipments.
• Conduct remote trapping and spawning operations, including transport of equipment and gametes.
• Load truck according to safe hauling densities, utilizes proper oxygen levels and monitors fish during transport.
• Scan fish for various tags using coded wire tag (CWT) wands, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag detectors, and other tag associated equipment.

Operation and Maintenance of Facility and Equipment: 

• Maintain proper water flow and rearing environments.
• Perform standby duties which require responding to alarms and taking appropriate action to preserve facility programs, test alarms and report failures to agency personnel. 
• Monitor and maintain facility support systems such as diesel generators, domestic and ozone water treatment plants, alarm panels and other support systems.

Record Keeping and Reporting: 

• Accurately fills out and submits agency forms such as fish transfer tickets, hatchery invoice forms and other relevant forms.
• Maintain purchasing card account, ledger of hatchery expenses, and completes order payment forms for vendor payments

Working Conditions: 

Work setting, including hazards: 

Schedule: 24/7 non-scheduled. Hours are typically 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M., working 40 hours per week. The work hours can vary greatly at different times of the year depending on the work schedule and weather conditions, including occasional evening or weekend work as needed. 

Housing: No addition