monterey peninsula water management district
Assistant Fisheries Biologist
Class
specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of
duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all
duties performed within the job.
definition
To participate in the restoration and conservation
of the
Distinguishing characteristics
This is the full journey level class within the
professional Fisheries Biologist series. Employees within this class are
distinguished from the Fisheries Technician by the full range of duties as
assigned including project lead responsibility of specific fisheries mitigation
and conservation efforts. Employees at this level receive only occasional
instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise, and are fully
aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.
supervision received and exercised
Receives direction from the Senior Fisheries Biologist.
May exercise functional and technical supervision over lower level fisheries staff.
ESSENTIAL AND MARGINAL FUNCTION STATEMENTS
The following duties are typical for positions in this classification. Any single position may not perform all of these duties and/or may perform similar related duties not listed here:
1. Participate
in efforts to restore and conserve the
2. Plan, direct, and participate in mitigation and conservation efforts and projects.
3. Operate and maintain fisheries equipment including electro-fishing and related life support equipment for rescued steelhead, water quality test kits and a variety of nets and traps for capturing steelhead.
4. Manage and participate in major and minor field projects including steelhead rescues, smolt and adult steelhead trapping, juvenile steelhead population surveys; spawning redds survey, and spawning gravel surveys.
5. Assist in the design and construction of the District’s steelhead rearing facility; lead and oversee the operation of the facility.
6. Assist in the design and implementation of smolt mortality experiments and other experiments designed to estimate survival of downstream emigrants through Los Padres Reservoir.
7. Assist with the construction and assembly of an adult steelhead counter on the San Clemente Dam fish ladder; maintain counter and collect and organize data from adult steelhead migration.
8. Organize and implement the ten-year maintenance program on the District’s spawning gravel restoration project.
9. Perform water quality data collection and analysis from lagoon, reservoir and river site to assess variations in habitat.
10. Assist Water Resources Engineer and Senior Fisheries Biologist in the design of fisheries aspects in river restoration work; conduct on-site surveys for steelhead, amphibians and reptiles; make recommendations for conditions for permits at proposed work sites along the river.
11. Identify, modify and improve critical riffles along the river to improve migration condition.
12. Design and construct various fisheries equipment using power and hand tools.
13. Maintain electro-shockers, boats, motors, cameras, batteries, survey level, stream flow meter and tagging gear.
14. Provide tours of District projects to scientists from other agencies, the media and the general public.
15. Ensure adherence to safe work practices and procedures.
16. Respond to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provide information within the area of assignment; resolve complaints in an efficient and timely manner.
17. Estimate time, materials and equipment required for jobs assigned; requisition materials as required.
18. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
Operations, services and activities of a steelhead conservation program.
Habitat requirements for adult and juvenile steelhead.
Water development impacts on steelhead populations.
Conduct surveys for steelhead and other aquatic life.
Fish rescue methods, techniques and procedures.
Habitat modification and improvement methods and techniques.
Computer database management techniques.
Spawning gravel restoration techniques.
Methods and techniques of field biologic, hydrologic climatologic data collection.
Mathematics and statistics.
Scientific research principles and report writing techniques.
Operational characteristics of fisheries equipment and tools.
Occupational hazards and standard safety practices.
Ability to:
Independently perform the most difficult biological and environmental work and studies.
Establish record keeping systems.
Interpret, explain and enforce department policies and procedures.
Operate a variety of fisheries equipment in a safe and effective manner.
Provide recommendations for management of steelhead populations.
Prepare plans, designs, cost estimates and specifications.
Compile and analyze technical and statistical information and data.
Work independently in the absence of supervision.
Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities.
Experience
and Training Guidelines —- Any combination of experience and training that would
likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical
way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience
Three years of increasingly responsible fisheries biology experience.
Training
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in fisheries biology, ecology or a related field.
License or Certificate:
Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid driver’s license.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid scientific collector’s permit.
working conditions
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Environmental Conditions:
Office and field environment; work in and around water; exposure to all types of weather and temperature conditions; exposure to poisonous plants, animals, and/or insects; work closely with others and work alone; irregular work hours; exposure to electricity, radiant energy, atmospheric conditions, slippery and uneven conditions, dust and potentially hazardous chemicals; working with machinery.
Physical Conditions:
Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for moderate to heavy lifting and carrying; standing and walking for prolonged periods of time; bending, climbing and reaching; operating motorized equipment and vehicles; sense of touch, finger dexterity and gripping with fingers and hands; repetitive motion.
Vision:
See in the normal visual range with or without correction; specific vision abilities required by this job include close and distance vision, color perception and depth perception.
Hearing:
Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
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