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Fishery Biologist 2- Data Analyst
IT, Data Science · Full-time
Washington, USA
Posted on Oct 29, 2026
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is recruiting motivated and detail-oriented candidates to assist the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a Fishery Biologist 2 - Data Analyst at the Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC), Columbia River Research Laboratory. We are seeking a quantitatively skilled individual to provide data management, coding, and analytical support to WFRC's Quantitative Ecology Team across a diverse array of fisheries research and monitoring projects.
This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position with an anticipated start date of November 16th, 2026.
Major Duties & Responsibilities
· Data Preparation & Management: Clean, structure, quality-check, and manage large fisheries monitoring datasets including acoustic/radio/passive-integrated-transponder telemetry and environmental variables. Maintain metadata documentation and prepare for data for public release.
· Coding & Reproducible Workflows: Execute, maintain, and document code (e.g., R scripts and reproducible reporting tools) for routine and complex statistical and modeling analyses under the guidance of senior quantitative ecologists.
· Analytical Support: Assist senior scientists with running statistical analyses and simulation models, including prepping data inputs for mark-recapture models integrated population models (IPMs), fitting models using standard or customized computer code, formatting output, and assisting with running mechanistic simulation models.
· Documentation & Technical Writing: Assist in writing and compiling technical reports, maintaining thorough documentation of code/data pipelines, and contributing draft sections, tables, and figures for co-authored peer-reviewed publications.
· Communication & Collaboration: Create clear data visualizations, summary tables, and presentation slides to help communicate model outputs and analytical findings to team members, collaborators, and stakeholders.
Qualifications & Knowledge Required
· Education: Bachelor's degree with 2+ years of specialized experience, or a Master's degree in Fisheries Science, Quantitative Ecology, Biometrics, Statistics, Data Science, or a closely related natural resources field.
· Quantitative & Coding Skills: Strong proficiency in programming languages (such as R) for data wrangling, statistical analysis, and graphics generation. Experience working with complex ecological or telemetry datasets is highly desirable.
· Methodological Familiarity: Basic understanding or prior exposure to mark-recapture estimation, Bayesian/frequentist statistical concepts, or population modeling fundamentals.
· Technical Writing & Organization: Strong technical writing ability, excellent attention to detail, and a commitment to reproducible data analysis and code documentation.
· Communication: Good interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate effectively within a multi-disciplinary research team.
Essential Functions:
At the lower end of the range, Fishery Biologists have a solid working knowledge of established scientific methods and techniques to perform recurring assignments of moderate difficulty. Methods and techniques are well established, apply to most situations, and do not require significant deviations. Resource planning reports generated by employees at this level involve conventional biological concerns. Reports generated may be short-range management plans or portions of annual work plans. Lower range work examples include:
- Following existing protocols for fish health screenings, conduct tissue sample collection, bacterial testing and analyses, blood collection and analyses, parasite identification, and necropsies on experimental fish populations.
- Recommend modifications of existing research protocols.
- Design data collection forms and set up research databases for integration of data.
- Compile and analyze data for reports, prepare graphics, contribute to or write papers for peer-reviewed journals, and present research results at professional meetings.
- Plan, schedule, and conduct behavioral, physiological, morphological, and survival evaluations of hatchery and/or experimental fish populations.
- Oversee and assist with fish culture tasks for study purposes and recommend procedure variations. Write or contribute to papers and reports for publication, and compile reports on results of data collection and analysis.
- Prepare and deliver formal and informal presentations at seminars, meetings, etc.
- Work with state, federal and regional fishery management councils to provide data on fisheries catch and effort and population trends as well as biology of marine fish species.
- Conduct limited physical and biological watershed, stream, and fish habitat assessments. Responsible for conducting data investigation and research, drafting technical report, database management, GIS for all physical and biological data, and survey and inventory results.
At the upper end of the range, the Fishery Biologist has specialized knowledge and demonstrated competence in advanced techniques of a complex area of fish biology sufficient to serve as a troubleshooter or specialist. The employee is competent to modify or adapt standard techniques, processes and procedures, and to assess, select, apply precedents and devise strategies and plans to overcome significant problems related to species production, protection, habitat restoration, or program management and evaluation. Planning reports generated by employees at this level assess the impact of various multi-faceted management or public practices on a resource. Upper range work examples include:
- Use biological information to evaluate run profiles and habitat suitability in stocked streams within a major geographical area.
- Develop comprehensive management plans to insure preservation, protection, and enhancement of habitats.
- Plan, design and implement research studies on fish health and/or nutrition.
- Analyze and report biological and/or genetic information affecting future selection, rearing, and spawning activities.
- Prepare both quarterly progress and annual reports on run status and hatchery or fish facility operations.
- Monitor and evaluate hatching, rearing and planting of fish.
- Evaluate and monitor adult return rates.
- Develop new rearing strategies.
- Prepare fish habitat measurement plans or management plans for a watershed or large geographic area.
- Diagnose various fish diseases or nutritional disorders in experimental populations or brood stock. Develop modifications to existing health protocols as well as experimental protocols.
- Write publishable reports of research and project findings.
Knowledge Required by the Position:
- Knowledge of the scientific method.
- Knowledge of Windows-based computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, publishing software, presentation software, database software, topographic software, bibliographic software, and statistical analysis packages.
- Knowledge of technical writing protocols.
- Knowledge of advanced statistical analysis and mathematics.
Additional Mandatory Skills:
- valid driver's license
- specific software (spreadsheet, word processing, database management, GIS, statistical analysis, behavioral analysis, bibliographic)
- oral communication skills
- written communication skills
Physical Demands:
Demands generally range from sedentary to moderate --where there is walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching, lifting, bending, or extended periods of standing. Some Fishery Biologists in this range have rigorous physical demands where they must be able to handle buckets of water or gear weighing from 40 - 50 pounds, engage in long daily periods of hiking, camp out for extended periods, or maintain footing in fast-moving water.
Work Environment:
Some work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. Some work may be performed in a laboratory setting which exposes the biologist to odors, chemicals, fish blood, and molds. The employee must use safety precautions including MSDS, gloves, hood, and eye protection. Some employees may work on narrow, elevated walkways and platforms that are over or adjacent to water. Field work involves exposure to all types of weather, slippery rocks or docks, trails, irregular terrain, insects, poison oak, rough or fast-moving water, or cold water temperatures. Work at high elevations or aboard boats may be required.