Fisheries Technician 1- Feather River Monitoring

Position/Project Specifics:

The California Department of Water Resources is seeking five Fisheries Technician positions to work under the direction of Feather River Section staff based in Oroville, CA. Under the supervision of a Supervisory Fishery Biologist, DWR Senior Environmental Scientist and other Environmental Scientists, incumbents will assist with daily field activities and data collection on various surveys conducted by the Feather River Program including escapement survey, rotary screw trapping, weir servicing, fish passage video download and review, redd survey, water quality monitoring, overnight travel and assisting with spawning operations and coded wire tagging trailer operations at the Feather River Fish Hatchery. Successful candidates will participate in a cohesive crew, will be able to identify various fish species and accurately collect biological and environmental data. The incumbents will demonstrate safety consciousness and adhere to all established safety and data collection protocols. The candidates must be willing to work in inclement weather, as well as weekends, nights and overtime. Flexibility to help on other Section projects on an as needed basis is also a must.
Anticipated Start Date: 09/22/25
HOUSING IS NOT PROVIDED.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operate and maintain various motorized water craft and 4WD trucks
• Make standardized observations including, but not limited to, species identification, sex, length, and reproductive condition
• Maintain and clean field equipment and boats
• Assist with daily QA/QC of datasheets and entered data
• Adhere to and enforce all safety and data collection protocols
• Assist with other project tasks as assigned

Essential Functions: 

• Participate in survey crews that conduct regional fishery presence/absence research, recreational/commercial fishing surveys, anadromous fish escapement surveys (carcass, redd, trap/weir, snorkel, etc.), or tag detection and mark recovery surveys. Make standardized observations such as species identification, length, weight, behavior, growth, survival, reproductive condition, and/or signs of parasites, diseases or pathogens, fin clips or tags.
• Collect and organize biological and habitat samples and collections (such as scales, otoliths, ageing structures, other tissues, water quality, etc.).
• Summarize and input biological or habitat data on field forms, electronic data loggers, and/or desktop computers. May assist with preliminary data summaries and analyses, technical report writing, or database management.

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: 

• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
• Ability to swim 50 yards and tread water for 10 minutes
• Ability to follow oral and written directions
• Knowledge of computer applications and software (Excel, Access, Word, Outlook)
• Must be able to read, write and speak English
• Ability to identify juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead trout
• Must be comfortable working from, operation, and trailering motorized watercraft
• Must have a valid driver's license with a clean driving record
• Must have a flexible schedule, including the ability to work nights and weekends

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: