Fishery Biologist 2/3 (Chignik Salmon and Herring Area Management Biologist - PCN 111032)

Full Job Description

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.
Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries is recruiting

for a Fishery Biologist 2/3 (Chignik Salmon and Herring Area Management Biologist) located in Kodiak, Alaska!

What you will be doing:

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is seeking a skilled Fisheries Biologist 2/3 to lead the management of commercial and subsistence salmon fisheries in the Chignik Management Area (CMA).

This key leadership role involves designing, budgeting, planning, and implementing fisheries management activities, including issuing emergency orders in accordance with Board of Fisheries-approved regulatory management plans to effectively regulate valuable commercial salmon fisheries.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing all aspects of the Chignik River weir project, including budgeting for and coordinating the annual construction, installation, maintenance, operation, and removal of the weir structure; hands-on involvement in building and installing the weir; and directing daily enumeration of salmon passage at this remote site.
• Managing comprehensive logistical support for the Chignik River weir and field office operations, including procurement and transportation of materials, equipment, and supplies; coordination of personnel deployment and rotations; maintenance of remote facilities; and ensuring safe, efficient functionality in a challenging, isolated environment with limited access and amenities.
• Collecting and analyzing data critical to informed management decisions, including salmon escapement estimates through aerial surveys in single-engine fixed-wing aircraft, vessel-based surveys from state-owned and contracted research vessels, and daily counts from the Chignik River weir.
• Monitoring fleet effort, distribution, harvest rates, and total harvests through extensive communication with field biologists, technicians, fishermen, and processors via in-person contacts, phone, radio, fax, and email.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for complex or high-profile commercial fishery issues in the CMA, representing the department to agencies and the public.
• Determining and implementing necessary management actions (e.g., defining harvest areas, fishing periods, or limits) in coordination with Federal Subsistence Managers, regional fisheries managers, research biologists, and sport fish managers.
• Preparing comprehensive written reports and materials on area fisheries and projects, including harvest strategies, management plans, project operational plans, season summaries, annual management reports, escapement goal reports, and proposals for the Alaska Board of Fisheries.
• Delivering presentations on fisheries data, management strategies, and project outcomes to diverse audiences, including the Alaska Board of Fisheries, Federal Subsistence Board, local Native corporations and Tribal councils, Fish and Game Advisory Committee, and other stakeholder groups.
• Managing budgets for CMA commercial salmon fishery projects, including apportioning and expending allocated funds across multiple initiatives.

This position is based part time in the remote community of Chignik, Alaska, with seasonal operations often centered at the Chignik river weir site, requiring extended periods living and working in isolated, rustic conditions with limited amenities, challenging weather, and reliance on small aircraft or boat access.

It offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to play a central role in sustaining Alaska’s world-class fisheries resources while supporting vibrant, remote coastal communities.

Our organization, mission, and culture:

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and well-being are paramount, and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.

This position is a professional-level Fisheries Biologist position with direct influence over Alaska’s valuable salmon and herring resources.

As a key member of the Chigink salmon management team, you will conduct real-time assessments of local salmon stocks during the fishing season, providing critical data to ensure commercial fishing activities are managed sustainably and support long-term resource health.

Benefits of joining our team:

This position leads a dedicated team of biologists and technical staff in managing the high-profile commercial salmon and herring fisheries of the Chignik Management Area.

The role requires an incumbent skilled in navigating uncertainty and developing innovative solutions to complex management challenges.

Overseeing some of Alaska’s most productive and iconic salmon and herring stocks provides exceptional opportunities for professional growth and accomplishment, while delivering significant social and economic benefits to coastal communities.

The working conditions you can expect:

This permanent, full-time Fisheries Biologist 2/3 position (Area Management Biologist) is partially based in the remote community of Chignik, Alaska. The role involves extensive fieldwork and seasonal living in highly isolated, rugged environments along the Chignik River system, including:

• Extended periods (3 to 4 months) living and working at the remote Chignik River weir camp and field office, in a field facility with comfortably modest accommodations, limited road access, and reliance on small aircraft or boat transportation for resupply and personnel rotations.
• Hands-on involvement in the annual construction, installation, maintenance, operation, and removal of the Chignik River weir, conducted in challenging riverine conditions with variable weather, bears, and remote terrain.
• Multiple aerial survey flights each season in small, single-engine fixed-wing aircraft to enumerate salmon escapements and assess run strength across the management area.

This immersive, hands-on position demands physical resilience, self-sufficiency, adaptability to unpredictable Alaskan weather, and a deep passion for fieldwork in one of the state’s most pristine and challenging wilderness fisheries settings.

Who we are looking for:

We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:

To view the general description and example of duties for a Fishery Biologist 2/3 (Chignik Salmon and Herring Area Management Biologist

please go to the following link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs

Special Note:
A valid driver's license is required.

Must be able to legally carry and effectively use firearms.

First Aid/CPR. For those not already certified, training will be provided by the department at no cost to the employee.

Requirements

Fishery Biologist 2

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, fisheries science, or natural resource management;

AND

One year of professional experience as a biologist or fish culturist. The required professional biologist experience is met by service as a Fishery Biologist 1, Fish Culturist 1, Wildlife Biologist 1, or Habitat Biologist 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent with another employer.

Substitutions:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college that includes or is supplemented by the following credit hours will substitute for the degree in a specific field:

• at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, aquaculture, aquatic ecology, fisheries resources, or natural resource management (excluding courses that focus on agricultural husbandry techniques, human population dynamics, or the design and manipulation of landscapes), of which 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) are upper division courses; and

• at least 12 semester hours (16 quarter hours) in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, geology, hydrology, or GIS.

A master's degree from an accredited college in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, fisheries science, or natural resource management, will substitute for the required year of professional level biologist experience.

An individual who will complete the educational requirements and obtain the required master's degree within six months may apply and be considered for a vacancy.

Such applicants may be given a conditional job offer but may not be appointed until receipt of the required degree has been documented.

Special Note:

"Upper division courses" means courses that are specialized, in-depth and advanced.

Such courses emphasize problem-solving, analytical thinking skills, and theoretical applications, with depth and rigor in a discipline's theories and methods; specialization in a particular field or profession; refinement of general education; and/or development of specific intellectual and professional skills.

Upper division courses are commonly identified in college catalogs as 300 level and higher.

Some positions may require training in specialized areas such as hydroacoustics, microscopic analysis, underwater research, or fish habitat restoration or enhancement.

Fishery Biologist 3
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, fisheries science, or natural resource management;

AND

One year of full performance professional experience as a biologist or fish culturist.

The required professional biologist work experience is met by service as a Fishery Biologist 2, Fish Culturist 2, Wildlife Biologist 2, Habitat Biologist 2, or Fisheries Geneticist 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent with another employer.

Substitution:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college that includes or is supplemented by the following credit hours will substitute for the degree in a specific field:

• at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in biology, a branch of biology, limnology, biometrics, oceanography, forestry, aquaculture, aquatic ecology, fisheries resources, or natural resource management (excluding courses that focus on agricultural husbandry techniques, human population dynamics, or the design and manipulation of landscapes), of which 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) are upper division courses; and

• at least 12 semester hours (16 quarter hours) in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, geology, hydrology, or GIS.

Special Note:

"Upper division courses" means courses that are specialized, in-depth and advanced.

Such courses emphasize problem-solving, analytical thinking skills, and theoretical applications, with depth and rigor in a discipline's theories and methods; specialization in a particular field or profession; refinement of general education; and/or development of specific intellectual and professional skills.

Upper division courses are commonly identified in college catalogs as 300 level and higher.

Some positions may require training in specialized areas such as hydroacoustics, microscopic analysis, underwater research, or fish habitat restoration or enhancement.

Qualifications

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please provide at time of application submission:

If selected, please provide the following at the time of the interview:

COVER LETTER

A cover letter is required for this position and will be used as a writing sample.

The cover letter should highlight your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience as they pertain to the position-specific competencies listed in the job description.

Please attach the cover letter to your application before submitting it online or, if unable to attach to your application, fax or email it to the contact provided in the job posting.

Your cover letter will be used to help determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.

FIREARMS

This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition. In accordance with the federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (PL 104-208), if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you may not hold this position.

A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is an offense that is (1) a misdemeanor under Federal or state law; and (2) has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim.

If you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, do NOT apply for this position.

Flexible Staffing

This position is flexibly staffed. The level of the job offer will be based on the selected candidate’s eligibility. If hired at the lower level, you will be promoted to the higher-level job class after completing the training plan and meeting the minimum qualifications.

EDUCATION

To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competences, you must fill in the Education section of the application.

If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed.

Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required.

(Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts).

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATIONEducation completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable.

If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

education programs; or an accredited U.S.

state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence.

WORK EXPERIENCE

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time.

Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met.

If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety.

Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

MULTIPLE VACANCIES

This recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy.

The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O.

Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

NOTICE

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the ‘govermentjobs.com’ domains.

For information on allowing emails from the ‘governmentjobs.com’ domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword.

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCEQuestions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area.

Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For applicant password assistance please visit:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword

Additional Information

For specific information in reference to the position please contact the hiring manager:

James Jackson

Finfish Salmon and Herring Management Supervisor

907-486-1813

james.jackson@alaska.gov