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Fisheries Technician 1- Nampa Aging Lab
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Tysons, VA, USA
Posted on Jan 17, 2026
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting candidates to the fill the role of Fisheries Technician 1 position located at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Nampa Fisheries Research facility located in Nampa, Idaho. The position is full-time with an expected project length of 12 months or more.
Position/Project Specifics:
The incumbent will perform work in the anadromous scale aging laboratory at the Nampa Fisheries Research facility in Nampa, ID. This is a lab-based position but there will be occasional opportunities for field work. Field work is not a significant component of job duties, and is not required.
Primary Duties:
This position will collaborate with other technicians in the lab to prepare (clean, mount, and image) and analyze (age) adult and juvenile Chinook and steelhead scale samples. Freshwater and saltwater ages are assigned to adult samples. Technician will also help with data organization and management, prepare and edit datasheets, follow sub-sampling schemes, and perform database uploads as needed. Additional tasks include organization and storage of scale samples, conducting routine data checks, preparing field kits for trap tenders, and creating labels. The technician will cooperate with the laboratory supervisor and other laboratory technicians on a daily basis, and must be a good team player. Many of the tasks performed in the lab are repetitive, so candidate must be self motivated.
Essential Functions:
- Collect and organize biological and habitat samples and collections (such as scales, otoliths, ageing structures, other tissues, water quality, etc.).
- Summarize and input biological or habitat data on field forms, electronic data loggers, and/or desktop computers. May assist with preliminary data summaries and analyses, technical report writing, or database management.
- Perform precision ageing of various fish species in a laboratory setting. Record age and growth data in the appropriate format.
Knowledge Required by the Position:
At the lower end of the range, employees use knowledge of basic arithmetic, reading, writing, and data collection to perform routine or repetitive tasks.
At the upper end of the position range, employees use knowledge of the basic principles and protocols of fish biology to make readings, measurements, and observations; execute tests; collect samples, etc. If complex equipment systems are operated, the employee has the knowledge to perform calibrations or adjustments to achieve desired results.
Additional Mandatory Skills:
- able to swim
- valid driver's license
- fish ageing (scale, otolith, other)
- fish species ID skills
- compile and collect neat and accurate data
- specific software skills (spreadsheet, word processing, database, GIS, statistical)
- oral communication skills
- written communication skills
- repair & maintain equipment
Physical Demands:
Demands can range sedentary to moderate --where there is walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, and strenuous sweeping-- to rigorous. In the latter case, the incumbent must be able to handle buckets of water or gear weighing up to 50 pounds. Long daily periods of hiking, carrying equipment, swimming, and/or standing may be required. Some work requires the ability to maintain footing in fast-moving water.
Work Environment:
The majority of the work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. Offices are communal for all laboratory technicians, therefore computers and working areas are shared. Field work involves exposure to all types of weather, slippery rocks, trails, irregular terrain, insects, rough or fast-moving water, or cold water temperatures (field work is encouraged but not a requirement of this position).