EP Fisheries Biologist 1 (Inland) Cold Water

Looking to play a role in protecting Connecticut's environment?

If so, we encourage you to check out this opportunity!

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Bureau of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division, is pleased to invite highly motivated and enthusiastic people to apply for the opportunity to join our team as an EP Fisheries Biologist 1 within our Coldwater Fisheries Program, based in Marlborough.

POSITION DETAILS

This is a full-time, 35 hours per week position. Schedule is typically first shift, but hours may vary according to out of office needs. The position may require out of state and overnight travel.

This position will be responsible for assisting with and implementing many duties related to the monitoring and assessment of resident fish communities, stocking of trout and salmon to support recreational fishing, evaluating and maintaining angler access for fishing, and the conservation and preservation of wild trout populations.

The candidate will largely work with and under the guidance of the coldwater Fish Biologist 2 on a variety of data related tasks contained within the 5-year Statewide Salmonid Action Plan. Some of the key traits of this candidate will be enthusiasm, passion, organization, ability to multi-task, and good communication and public relation skills. The ideal candidate will have strong data management skills as well as experience conducting statistical and temporal analysis using current versions of statistical and Geographic Information System software.

Before you apply, make note of the following:

• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

Important information for after you apply:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

Questions about this position should be directed to Jake Ferrari via email at jake.ferrari@ct.gov.

In the Departments of Energy and Environmental Protection and Agriculture this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in fisheries management, research and conservation.

Tasks include but are not limited to:

• Assisting with the development and implementation of the annual statewide trout stocking schedule;
• Authoring the annual fish distribution report;
• Leading the reporting of stocking to the public via social media and on the DEEP webpage;
• Working with State Fish Hatcheries for the culture and distribution of trout and salmon;
• Collecting fish community data from streams where physical habitat and water quality has been improved or degraded;
• Assisting in assessing fish populations of long-term reference sites;
• Collecting water temperature data using deployable water temperature probes;
• Conducting dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles in coldwater lakes;
• Assisting with assessing short and long term environmental trends by sampling a variety of reference streams on a regular basis and re-sampling former sample locations;
• Assisting in assessing important riverine trout fisheries on a systematic basis;
• Conducting and leading angler surveys;
• Working with the DEEP Land Management Unit to acquire new and maintain existing fishing access via purchase of property, secure agreements for public access on municipally owned lands and waters and/or easements;
• Contributing to the recruitment, retention, and reactivation of anglers by recommending relevant management options to better serve customer desires and behaviors;
• Managing fish community data;
• Making data available to the Division’s Habitat Conservation and Enhancement program, other divisions within DEEP, town land use commissions, angler groups, watershed associations, and the engaged public via interactive maps.

Knowledge of principles and methods of fisheries management; knowledge of environmental and human factors involved in the production, management and cropping of stocks of fishes; some knowledge of standard methods of water analysis used in fishery work; some knowledge of microcomputers; interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; ability to conduct fishery surveys and to apply statistical procedures necessary for sound conclusions; ability to identify fishes, aquatic insects and aquatic plants; ability to utilize computer software.

Six (6) years of experience in inland fisheries management.

Fisheries management is defined as work requiring a knowledge of scientific fields such as biology, ichthyology, fisheries science, fish population dynamics, aquatic ecology, limnology, fish taxonomy, fishery statistics, aquatic entomology, aquatic phycology and oceanography.

1. College training in fisheries management as defined 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.
2. A Master's degree in fisheries management as defined may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience with management of coldwater fishes;
• Experience using gill nets/trammel nets, trap nets/fyke nets, and back pack and tote barge style electrofishing to sample freshwater fish;
• Experience identifying freshwater fish;
• Experience evaluating the impacts of changing landscapes (e.g., climate change) on coldwater fish species;
• Experience with analysis of spatial fish population data using Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) software such as ArcGIS, Survey 123, and Collector;
• Experience using statistical software to analyze temporal fish community data;
• Experience with planning, implementing, and assessing angler surveys;
• Experience simultaneously working on projects;
• Experience using the Microsoft Office 365 Suite of software.

1. Incumbents in this class must be willing and able to accept assignment or transfer to any area of the State.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to live on a vessel for extended period of time.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

1. Incumbents in this class must have adequate physical strength, stamina, physical agility, and visual and auditory acuity, and must maintain such physical fitness as to be able to perform the duties.
2. Incumbents in this class must be able to swim.
3. Appropriate examinations will be required.

Incumbents in this class may be exposed to some danger of injury or physical harm from on-site environments and a moderate degree of discomfort from exposure to year round weather conditions.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.