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

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 additional housing available. Standby: Currently assigned.Standby involves overseeing the facility for the remaining 16 hours of the day when on duty. The standby schedule consists of working 10 consecutive days, including 7 days of standby duty, followed by 4 days off. Travel Requirements: Travel may be required to accomplish agency goals. Tools and Equipment: Power and hand tools, lawn care equipment, tractors, forklifts, welding equipment, egg picking machines, water sampling instruments, transport trucks, passenger vehicles, adult fish pumps, adult fish counters, coded wire tag (CWT) identification equipment, trash pumps, pressure washers, diesel generators, small gas engine and computers and software. Customer Interactions: Interact with the public, volunteers and small community groups regularly. Qualifications: This Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (In-Training) series provides mentoring and career development opportunities for candidates with limited hatchery and fish culture experience. Candidates will be hired as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 or 2, dependent on skills and experience. Upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month in-training plan, the selected candidate will automatically be promoted to a Fish Hatchery Specialist 2. Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 1: Option 1: Three (3) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery. Option 2: An Associate’s degree in fisheries technology, biology, or a closely allied field. Option 3: Three (3) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology, or a closely allied field. Option 4: Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school. Certifications/Licenses: Valid Driver’s License. Required Qualifications for the Fish Hatchery Specialist 2 (Goal Class): Option 1: Four (4) years of experience performing a variety of fish culture duties in a hatchery. Option 2: One (1) year of experience as a Fish Hatchery Specialist 1 and successful completion of agency supervised training program. Option 3: Associate’s degree in fisheries technology, biology or closely allied field and one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery. Option 4: Two (2) years of education towards a Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, biology or closely allied field and one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery. Option 5: Successful completion of a fish culture program from a vocational school and one (1) year of experience performing fish culture duties in a hatchery. 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: Two (2) or four (4) year degree in fisheries or closely related field. 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. 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. 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. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer <span style="color: i