Fisheries Technician III (Salmon Enhancement and Fisheries Monitoring)

Job Overview

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Research & Monitoring – Seasonal Spiridon Lake and Telrod Cove

Sockey Salmon Monitoring Fisheries Tech III (FTIII)

DATES: April 20 – August 20, 2026 (approximate)

WAGE: starting at $22.75/hr

DUTIES:

• Lead seasonal field personnel to execute daily monitoring activities from remote field camps collecting data on smolt migration and harvest of hatchery reared sockeye salmon. The project’s purpose is to evaluate freshwater and marine survival. Work is scheduled as a team or individually based on workload and fish migration patterns.
• Ensure on-site safety
• Plan daily work tasks and scheduling, rotating night/day shifts for changing migration patterns
• Live fish handling and data collection on smolt to conduct fish counts, collect scales, and gather weight/sex/length information at times using Tricaine/MS-222
• Otolith sample collection on adult fish during cost recovery and common property commercial fishing
• Smolt trap set-up/take down, cleaning debris from smolt traps, maintenance of camp equipment and trails
• Assist in auxiliary research and monitoring projects as needed
• Daily data reporting, resupply scheduling, and field updates provided to Research & Monitoring
• Must be able to motivate and assign tasks to personnel with varying levels of experience

QUALIFICATIONS:

***   Must have the ability to legally possess firearms and may be subject to a background check.

***   Must be comfortable flying in small planes/helicopters and traveling to and working in remote locations.

***   Field personnel will live and work in proximity to Kodiak brown bears; safety is of utmost priority to minimize human/bear interactions.

• Education in fisheries/aquaculture, biology, or other natural resource fields and demonstrated leadership experience in a work environment preferred.
• Should be highly motivated and safety-oriented with excellent organizational, critical thinking, and communication skills. Safety is of utmost priority and candidates must be able to respond effectively to emergency situations.
• Experience in extended backcountry/camping trips, wilderness skills, knot tying/splicing, and basic construction techniques are essential for this position.
• Existing first aid (Wilderness first aid preferred) and CPR certifications are helpful to have before the start date. Will undergo first aid training upon arrival.
• Candidates must also be physically able to lift 50 lbs.
• Strenuous hiking carrying frame packs (50lb load) several miles over rough terrain in brown bear country is required.
• Requires safe handling of firearms and other deterrents in protection against brown bear.
• Must have small boat handling /outboard motor operation experience; knowledge of commercial fishing and tendering will aid in successfully performing duties.
• Experience using remote communications including satellite phones and inReach is beneficial.
• The ability to self-entertain during non-working hours and maintain a positive attitude under challenging field conditions will be important.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this project is to evaluate freshwater and marine survival of Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association’s (KRAA) sockeye stocked in Spiridon Lake and their returns to Telrod Cove. The locations are accessible by floatplane from the City of Kodiak and personnel will remain on-site for the duration of the project. Communication will be by satellite phone and inReach to relay data updates, communicate about resupply trips, and for crew welfare checks. Normal phone or wifi reception is not available. The majority of time will be spent outdoors with extended exposure to cold, sun, rain, bugs, bears, and at times working in swift water. All camp supplies including groceries will be provided and flown in every 2-3 weeks to be carried by frame pack and cart to the job site.

The benefits of the area are incredible outdoor recreation opportunities in a remote wilderness setting. KRAA will provide safety training (bear, firearm, first aid) and review sampling procedures prior to deployment. KRAA will provide transportation to/from the field site, housing, food, and chest waders for the project duration. A shared bunkhouse in the town of Kodiak is provided for transition between start/end dates. All personal clothing/gear is provided by the candidate.

Spiridon Lake Smolt Monitoring

The season begins at Spiridon Lake in an innovative sockeye salmon enhancement program which has shown years of success and benefited the Kodiak fisheries and communities. Set-up, maintenance, and daily operation of the bypass system (two large inclined plane traps and attached pipeline) which allow the fish to safely bypass a series of waterfalls to Telrod Cove will fill the first couple of months. All fish will be enumerated and sampling will be conducted on the daily migration for scale (age), length, and weight measurements. Rotating day/night shifts and long hours are anticipated especially during peak migration days where high volumes of smolt will be migrating in the late night hours. Trap, trail, and camp maintenance usually occurs during daylight hours with smolt monitoring during late night/early morning hours. Personnel will share living quarters with at least one additional technician and often more during set-up/tear-down and when any support is needed. The cabin is remote with an outhouse a short walk away, has refrigeration/freezer running off of propane, and filtered water.

Telrod Cove Fishery Monitoring

Returning adult sockeye salmon are harvested in the common property fishery in Telrod Cove. Monitoring duties include operating a small skiff with an outboard motor in the ocean to estimate harvest and collect otolith, age, sex, weight, and length data from commercial and subsistence fishermen. Boat and stream surveys are also conducted to estimate fish return. Work hours are dependent on run strength and tide cycle. The candidate will share living quarters with one technician in a weatherport tent (offering little privacy) with a propane cook stove, small freezer and cooler during this phase of the project.

JOB CLOSING DATE: Open until filled

Qualified applicants should provide a resume with three professional references to the emails below:

Kyle Woolever • Research and Monitoring Manager • [email protected]

and

Westley Landry-Murphy • Field Biologist • [email protected]