State of Connecticut Executive Branch

Fish Pathologist (35 Hour) (3924EE)

$41.93-$60.35 Hourly / $2,934.87-$4,224.10 BiWeekly /
$76,600.00-$110,249.00 Yearly

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Departments of Agriculture and Energy and Environmental Protection this class is accountable for performing as a specialist in the development, design, implementation, coordination and oversight of a state fish and/or shellfish health management program and overseeing the fish health activities of state fish culture facilities, commercial hatcheries and the state's natural and/or marine waters.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Program Specialist (Natural Resources) designated as supervisor of fish culture, a Supervising Biologist or other employee of higher grade.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

May lead lower level employees as assigned.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Performs specialized duties in development, design, implementation and maintenance of state fish and/or shellfish health management program; 
  • Serves as agency primary source of professional knowledge of fish and/or shellfish pathology; 
  • Develops guidelines for prevention and/or minimization of spread of fish and/or shellfish disease; 
  • Oversees all activities involved in fish and/or shellfish health including inspection of facilities and examination, diagnosis and treatment or disposal of diseased or parasitized fish and/or shellfish; 
  • Implements fish and/or shellfish disease immunization programs; 
  • Monitors environmental quality of water; 
  • Performs activities necessary to certify fish, shellfish and fish eggs are disease free; 
  • Prescribes corrective measures for water chemistry problems; 
  • Prescribes changes in hatchery operations to improve fish health and utilization of materials and supplies; 
  • Establishes disease status of state owned and commercial hatcheries; 
  • May oversee and/or conduct investigations of communicable fish and/or shellfish diseases and other fish and/or shellfish problems in natural and/or marine waters; 
  • May train hatchery staffs in use of guidelines for prevention, identification, treatment and control of fish and/or shellfish disease; 
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • principles and methods of salmonid culture or marine fisheries particularly in areas of prevention, identification, treatment and control of fish diseases; 
    • technical aspects of fish hatchery operations; 
  • Knowledge of
    • standard laboratory diagnostic methods including tissue culture procedures for virus detection and biochemical and serological techniques used for bacterial pathogen identification; 
    • identification and treatment of parasites of fish and/or shellfish; 
  • Skills
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • oral and written communication skills; 
  • Ability to
    • prepare and maintain records; 
    • utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of experience in marine or inland fish pathology and methods for the control of fish and/or shellfish diseases or management of culture facilities with direct experience in the areas of prevention, identification, treatment and control of fish and/or shellfish diseases.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training in the biological sciences may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree. Fifteen (15) semester hours must have been in pathology, microbiology, histology and/or biochemistry.
  • A Master's degree in the biological sciences or fish pathology may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
  • Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Incumbents in this class may be subject to some danger of injury or physical harm from environmental conditions and a moderate degree of discomfort from exposure to year round weather conditions.

COMPENSATION GUIDELINES

  • The classification of Fish Pathologist is assigned to Salary Group ES 25a.
  • Employees shall proceed through that salary group and then shall proceed to the maximum salary of Salary Group ES 26.
  • The Job Code is identified as Salary Plan EE in CORE-CT.

JOB CLASS DESIGNATION

Classified/Competitive

OCCUPATIONAL GROUP

(39)-Environmental Protection

BARGAINING UNIT

(15)-ENG, SCIEN, TECH P-4

EEO

(2)-Professional

SALARY INFORMATION

EE 25

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

CANCELLATION CLAUSE

This replaces the existing specification for the class of Fish Pathologist (35 Hour) in Salary Group EE 25 approved effective December 27, 2013. (Reviewed for content and revised to modernize format and add Acknowledgement section) Final No. 23-271

EFFECTIVE DATE

10/19/2023
CLASS: 3924EE; EST: 10/23/1987; REV: 8/5/2024;