Job Description

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Announcement #

2026-178

Issue Date:

08-21-26

Closing Date:

08-27-26

Fisheries Research Scientist IV

Fisheries Resource Management

Department of Natural Resources

Hourly Wage: $37.92-$42.68/Regular/Full-Time

Location: Yakima/Cle Elum

The Fisheries Research Scientist will be the field crew lead for the Cle Elum sockeye reintroduction program, and the Bull Trout reintroduction and conservation program. Required to perform a variety of technical and skilled tasks related to fisheries management. These duties will include data collection, data management, data analysis, technical writing, oral presentation of research results, and representing the Yakama Nation and the Bull Trout and Sockeye program in technical working groups with all stakeholders. Field duties will include spawning ground and carcass surveys, GIS mapping of spawner distributions, fish capture, tagging (PIT, floy, acoustic) and release, gill netting, Oneida trap netting, screw trap operation, recording of detailed field data, monitoring and evaluation of fish migration and emigration, fish culturing, fish rescue, boat operation, and management of operations at fish trapping facilities.

Examples of Work Performed:

Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging juvenile and adult salmonids. Acoustic tagging of juvenile and adult salmonids. Tag tracking and monitoring.

Monitoring of early life history: preparing and mapping research sites, spawning fish at stream side, building artificial redds, deploying egg boxes, download of temperature data, enumeration of developing fish, deployment, retrieval and data download from technical monitoring gear

Spawning ground surveys for genetic sampling, carcass recovery, and carcass condition.

Operation of the off-ladder adult fish facility at Priest Rapids Dam and the Roza Adult Fish Monitoring Facility.

The safe collection and transport of both juvenile and adult salmonids.

Collection of various types of field data related to monitoring and evaluation in fisheries management.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Strong knowledge of the principles of fisheries science.

Expert knowledge in fish biology and life histories for all resident species in the Yakima River Basin.

Strong working knowledge of water management in a highly regulated river basin that supports multiple migratory salmonid species.

Strong working knowledge of hatchery operations, and aquaculture.

Skilled in basic facilities and equipment maintenance, and in the operation of equipment and tools used in fisheries work: skiffs, research vessels, quads, skidoos, etc.

Excellent public outreach skills and tactful interactions to promote program awareness.

Ability and willingness to effectively communicate and express ideas (verbally and in writing), both internal to the agency and in cooperations between co-management agencies.

Ability and desire to provide leadership.

Ability to work outdoors under all types of conditions, in inclement weather, and perform physical labor for extended periods of time

Minimum Requirements:

Four (4) years of higher education leading to a degree in the sciences.

Five (5) years of successful employment history as a Fisheries Biologist III or higher.

Must be proficient in the use of technical software used in data management, statistical analyses, and dissemination of data.

Required to pass a pre-employment drug test.

Required to pass a pre-employment background check.

Must possess a valid Washington State Driver's License with the ability to obtain a Tribal Driver Permit with Defensive Driving Course certificate (to be updated every 2 years).

Preferred Requirements:

Five (5) or more years as a professional Bull Trout manager.

Five (5) or more years as a professional Sockeye Salmon manager.

Five (5) or more years as a professional Coho Salmon manager.

Enrolled Yakama Preference, but all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.