Job Description

Posting number: 2026-08514

Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Job classification: SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 2

Posting type: Open & Promotional

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

Summary

Title- Recreational Test Fisher

Classification- Scientific Technician 2

Job Status- Full-Time - Career Seasonal

Number of Vacancies- Two (2)

Season Length- 5 months – November 1 – March 31

WDFW Program- Fish Program

Duty Station- Forks, Washington – Clallam County

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Photo Caption: Wild Steelhead – Photo Credit: Chase Gunnell

This is an opportunity to contribute to the conservation of Washington’s salmon and steelhead populations through recreational test fishing.

Envision yourself on rivers and streams, including the Quillayute and Hoh basins, collecting critical biological data that help to understand changing fisheries, inform management decisions and support sustainable recreational fishing for generations to come.

What to Expect:

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Recreational Test Fisher will,

Conduct test fishing and surveys in District 16 streams for steelhead fisheries:

• Use a variety of fishing methods (bobber, lure, jig, fly) to emulate the recreational fishing fleet.
• Operate single-person pontoon boats and multi-person drift boats and rafts, including trailering, launching, docking, and navigating up to Class IV whitewater.
• Perform minor routine maintenance on the boats, trailers, and test fishing equipment.
• Collect biological data on steelhead catch to obtain stock composition (DNA), age structure (scales), length information and hatchery/natural-origin (mark-status) proportions.
• Ensure data is accurately recorded, summarized, and if necessary uploaded to database.
• Mark landed steelhead with floy tags to gather data on mark-recapture rates of wild steelhead.
• Work collaboratively with private guide boats to help ensure accurate emulation of guided fishery.

Conduct creel for recreational fisheries for steelhead:

• Perform surveys to assess angling effort, count angler vehicles and trailers at multiple, pre-determined river locations accessed by motor vehicle.
• Contact anglers to conduct creel interviews, traveling by foot to contact bank anglers at river access points and monitoring boat ramps for groups of returning boat anglers.
• Sample all steelhead, Coho, and Chinook salmon with electronic coded wire tag (CWT) detection devices.
• Classify, sort, and enumerate marked (adipose fin-clipped) tagged, marked untagged, unmarked tagged, and unmarked untagged fish.
• Retrieve snouts with CWTs from steelhead, Chinook, and Coho salmon to determine stock specific impacts for fisheries modeling.
• Sample recreational steelhead and salmon catch for biological data including DNA, age (scales), fork length, and sex ratios.

Working Conditions:

Work setting, including hazards:

• Work is primarily conducted in the field and may involve exposure to adverse weather and environmental conditions, loud noise, odors, repetitive hand and finger movements and long periods of sitting, squatting, and walking through vegetation and in uneven terrain in and near streams and rivers to conduct angler interviews.
• Climb in and out of boats, sample salmon from boats, carry, kneel and lift containers of fish (up to 40 lbs.) without assistance.
• Work and stand in confined spaces, encounter fish blood and slime, slippery surfaces, biting and stinging insects, use knives and transport agency staff and equipment in agency vehicles.
• Angling and contacting anglers require driving and hiking to fishing areas or traveling to creel survey locations via state, federal, and county roads. Travel may also include accessing streams on private logging roads throughout the district using a state vehicle.
• Hike up to five (5) miles or boat up to 10 miles along streams over slippery and uneven terrain to reach anglers. Boating may include navigating up to Class IV whitewater.
• This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.

Schedule: 24/7 non-scheduled, working 40 hours per week. Schedule may vary based on business needs, time of year, and/or weather conditions including the potential for evening work. Weekend work is required.

Travel Requirements: Considerable driving is required via state, federal, and county roads, as well as local travel on private (logging) roads. May have to shuttle State vehicles between Forks, Montesano, and Olympia. May be required to use personal-use vehicle with mileage reimbursement.

Tools and Equipment: Fishing rods and associated tackle, iPad, electronic sampling equipment, coded wire tag (CWT) detector, floy tag gun, knives, forceps, head lamp, measuring board, tally counter, totes/bins, paper forms, labels, scale cards, pencils/pens, clipboard, scissors, WDFW apparel, gloves, rain gear, rubber boots, waders, hip boots, personal floatation device (PFD) and copies of current recreational and commercial sampling manuals.

Customer Interactions: Interact with co-workers from WDFW and co-managing Tribes, recreational anglers and the public during data collection, providing basic information regarding fisheries resources, agency programs and activities and sport fishing regulatory information. May include possible contact with individuals who are experiencing anger or frustration. Liaison to regional supervisor and enforcement on fishery violations observed in the field.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

Option 1: Graduation from high school or GED, including (1) one year of high school science and two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.

Option 2: Graduation from high school or GED including one (1) year of high school science and two (2) years of laboratory or field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

Please Note:

• Professional and volunteer experience involving biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural resources, engineering, or closely allied fields may substitute, year for year, for experience.
• College course work involving major study in biology, zoology, fisheries, chemistry, natural sciences, or closely allied field will substitute, year for year, for experience, provided the course work includes at least six (6) semester or nine (9) quarter hours of natural science classes.

Certifications/Licenses:

Valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications:

In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess one or more of the following:

One (1) year or more of professional experience with:

• Recreational steelhead or salmon fishing in freshwater streams
• Operating non-motorized single-person pontoons boats, drift boats, or rafts in up to Class III whitewater
• Identifying adult salmonids to species in saltwater and freshwater environments
• Identifying all salmon species, steelhead, and bull trout.
• Salmon life history and sport fishing regulations in freshwater streams on the Washington coast.
• Sport fishing methods and gear.
• Record keeping and data management from biological samples such as coded-wire tag (CWT) recoveries, scale and DNA samples and inserting floy tags

Your application must include the following:

• A completed online application showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
• An up-to-date resume.
• A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
• At least three professional references with current contact information.

Supplemental information

In addition to pay and other special employee programs, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the “Benefits” tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.

Important Note:

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Union - WAFWP:

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.

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Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice:

Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following:

• Notify us of your veteran or military spouse status by email at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
• Veterans only – Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
• Please redact any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2024-1234 – Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Request an accommodation: Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

Technical Difficulties: If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.

Other questions: If you have other questions regarding this position, please reach out to Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov and reference job #2026-08514.

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