CPW Hatchery Technician III—Fish Culturist Monte Visa, CO

Full Job Description

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

The two work units under the Monte Vista Hatchery umbrella, in conjunction with the 17 other State Fish Units exist to spawn, rear, and stock cold, cool, and warm water fish into the waters of Colorado according to the approved “Fish Stocking Schedule”, helping to fulfill Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s mission: to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.

The two facilities under the Monte Vista umbrella: hatch, rear, and stock 225,000+ catchable size trout, over 500,000 sub-catchable trout of various species, and 100,000 cutthroat trout.

Therefore, contributing a significant part of the $2.6 billion dollar sport fishing and recreation industry in Colorado.

Requirements

This position performs various functions related to sustaining a proper biological environment, to produce and distribute aquatic wildlife.

The position makes precise biological and environmental assessments and ascertains and sustains proper water quality.

This position also performs maintenance duties for unit grounds, buildings, and equipment.

Fish Culture
Produces 800,000 trout by anticipating and manipulating the rearing environment to include: nutrition and feeding, picking eggs, counting, weighing, sorting, spawning, hatching eggs, cleaning and disinfecting of rearing areas, and precise record keeping.

Fish Distribution
Annually ships and distributes 800,000 live trout statewide by sustaining an artificial environment in the transport tanks and analyzing and testing receiving waters for acceptability of fish; safely operates and drives stocking trucks, while complying with the state and federal motor carrier safety requirements and regulations.

Water Flows and Chemistries

Anticipates and manipulates water quality by obtaining water tests for oxygen, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and pH; monitor water samples for oil and grease, suspended solids, settable solids; regulate and control water flows for hatchery rearing containers and ponds; remove toxic gases and bacteria through aeration and ultraviolet sterilization and increase oxygen content; manipulate water flows and fish numbers to ensure compliance with Colorado Department of Health regulations and permits.

Fish Health and Pathology
Performs analysis and prevention by recognizing signs and symptoms of stressed and diseased fish; treatment and prevention by calculating and administering the proper amount of drug or chemical used for treatment; must be knowledgeable and proficient in the use of laboratory microscopes, identification of disease organisms, drug and chemical applicability and precise water flow, drug and/or chemical dose calculation and disinfecting techniques.

Equipment and Vehicle Operation
Ensures that aquaculture equipment and vehicles are kept in safe and proper working condition by repairing, lubricating, inspecting, cleaning, and servicing; designs, invents, fabricates, tests, and calibrates new or specialized equipment for aquaculture use to increase productivity and enhance efficiency.

Building and Grounds Maintenance
Services, modifies, inspects, and fabricates facilities, buildings and water delivery systems required to raise fish. Performs landscaping and irrigation duties, including but not limited to water grass, mowing, pruning, brush cutting, snow plowing, snow shoveling/blowing, road grading.

Temporary Employee Training
Oversees temporary employees and volunteers to ensure that assigned tasks are completed according to standard operating procedures, safety manual, and accepted professional standards; trains, directs and explains work assignments and procedures to new employees, temporary employees and volunteers.

Public Relations
Conducts interpretive tours; accommodates day visitors; provides professional and technical information regarding Division policies and regulations; provides educational services and presentations.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications
Three years of work experience in aquaculture, propagating and/or rearing fish, fish culture, collecting and recording of aquatic wildlife data, and/or professional aquatic research or an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position.

Substitutions

• Appropriate education in biology, fisheries research, fisheries management, or fisheries biology, ecology, wildlife management, zoology, marine biology, or ichthyology may substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis for the experience requirement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position
• Current or former Colorado Parks & Wildlife work or volunteer experience

Conditions of Employment

• State of Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state of Colorado driver's license if operating a State vehicle.
• Daily fish deliveries can result in overnight travel as needed in accordance with CDL regulations and Fish Unit requirements.
• Exempt from overtime; on-call status may be required.
• Required to work holidays and weekends as part of a rotating work schedule
• This position will require but is not limited to the handling of Formalin, bleach, disinfection solutions, equipment batteries, gasoline, diesel, spray paint, and motor oil.
• Hazing of predatory birds/animals will require the use of discharging cracker/pyrotechnics as a deterrent.
• Must pass required pre-employment physical, pre-employment drug testing and background check.

Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position.

(Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).

Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.

To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who: Have an assigned State fleet vehicle

• Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position

• Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle

APPEAL RIGHTS:

Additional Information

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.

• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.

• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.

• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.

• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

• This recruitment may be used to fill more than one vacancy at this level and reporting location.

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.