Fish and Wildlife Technician​/PCN

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries is recruiting for a Fish and Wildlife Technician 2 located in Sitka!

What you will be doing:

The Department of Fish and Game, Commercial Fisheries Division, is seeking to hire several 3.5-4 month seasonal Fish and Wildlife Technician 2’s to serve as port samplers from May 31st to September 15th in Sitka. These positions may continue to be active through September 20th, depending on the dynamics of the fisheries. Port sampling technicians will be responsible for collecting both biological and fishery performance data from commercially harvested salmon and Dungeness crab landings.

The selected candidates will develop a working knowledge of the port sampling program in the Sitka management area as well as an understanding of pertinent fisheries. Port sampling technicians will work at least 7.5 hours per day, 5 days a week (with potential opportunities for overtime) in the seafood processing plants and docks in Sitka and may have the opportunity to collect samples onboard tender vessels on the fishing grounds.

Port sampling technicians will be required to interact with commercial fishermen, processing plant workers, and other ADF&G staff in a professional and respectful manner. Data collection will include fishery performance data obtained through interviewing permit holders, as well as collecting biological samples (such as scales and tissue) and evaluating salmon for coded-wire tags (CWT) using a CWT wand. Practicing safe handling and learning to identify all five species of Pacific salmon in their ocean bright condition are integral skills for this position.

The technicians’ work will be directed by the Sitka Port Sampling Supervisor, Port Sampling Crew Leader, or the Regional Port Sampling Supervisor. Attention to detail and a willingness to learn are essential expertise for these exciting and dynamic positions.

Our organization, mission, and culture:

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued and treated respectfully.

The mission of the Division of Commercial Fisheries is to manage subsistence, commercial, and personal use fisheries in the interest of the economy and general wellbeing of the citizens of the state, consistent with the sustained yield principle, and subject to allocations through public regulatory processes. The Division’s core service is to ensure the conservation of natural stocks of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants based on scientifically sound assessments.

This port sampling position assists in the collection of biological data from commercial salmon and shellfish landings. Data collections may include coded wire tags, fishery performance, pink salmon sex ratios, age-length data, otoliths, genetic samples, morphometric, and other biological data as directed. This information is used directly to manage State of Alaska fisheries. Some of our work is conducted as part of the Pacific Salmon Treaty and is considered the foundation on which the salmon management of Southeast Alaska is built.

Benefits of joining our team:

The State of Alaska is an excellent employer that offers benefits, including medical and accruement of leave. These positions are considered entry level and many of the biologists and managers that are currently with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game started as port sampling technicians themselves.

The working conditions you can expect:

Work is performed at the commercial fish processing plants in Sitka, on docks in often cold and wet conditions. There is also the option for periodically working on fish tender vessels on the fishing grounds ranging in time from a few days to a week-long in duration. Multiple sampling programs are involved, and several different sampling forms must be filled out correctly.

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