Environmental Protection Supervising Fisheries Biologist

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If so, we invite you to explore this opportunity!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), is looking to hire an Environmental Protection Supervising Fishing Biologist based out of Marlborough. 

POSITION DETAILS

The State of Connecticut is seeking an individual with expertise in the management of cold-water and warmwater freshwater fishes common to and managed in Connecticut. Species currently managed in the Warmwater Program include Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, and Channel Catfish. Management Plans for bass and other warmwater species are nearing completion and will be guiding the management, monitoring and research efforts of the program over the next several years.

Species managed in the Coldwater Program include hatchery reared Rainbow, Brown, and Brook Trout, along with the hybrid Tiger Trout (brown trout X brook trout). In addition, the Coldwater Program also has special programs managing Kokanee Salmon (i.e. land-locked Sockeye Salmon), Seeforellen Brown Trout, Farmington River Survivor strain Brown Trout, and Atlantic Salmon, all of which are reared in our hatchery system and stocked to directly support special river and lake based recreational fisheries. In addition, the Coldwater Program manages self-sustaining populations of wild Brook Trout and Brown Trout in various waters statewide. A Statewide Salmonid Action Plan and Wild Trout Conservation and Management Plan, both of which were recently completed, will guide the work of the Cold Water Program.

The person selected for this position will be supervising six professional staff (Fisheries Biologists) and numerous Seasonal Resource Assistants within both programs, and may also serve as the Fisheries Division’s technical lead in addressing some of the more complex fish management issues that may arise.

The person selected for this position will be assigned to the Eastern Area Office in Marlborough, and will be overseeing staff assigned to that location and also staff whose primary duty station is the Western Area Office (currently in Harwinton) or the Fisheries Field Office in Litchfield.

This position is 35 hours per week, typically first shift, but hours may vary according to out of office or out of state meeting needs, or due to weather related emergency conditions.

ABOUT US

DEEP is charged with conserving, improving and protecting the natural resources and the environment of the state of Connecticut as well as making cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy available for the people and businesses of the state. The agency is also committed to playing a positive role in rebuilding Connecticut’s economy and creating jobs – and to fostering a sustainable and prosperous economic future for the state.

In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.  

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 Department of Energy and Environmental Protection this class is accountable for supervising fish hatchery personnel, Fisheries Biologists and other staff engaged in fisheries management, research and conservation.

GENERAL DUTIES

Considerable knowledge of relevant agency policies and procedures; considerable knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; considerable knowledge of fishery biology and environmental factors affecting fish life and aquatic vegetation; considerable knowledge of principles and methods of fisheries management; considerable oral and written communication skills; interpersonal skills; considerable ability in conducting and evaluating studies of fish and other waterlife in lakes, ponds, streams and marine and anadromous fishes and invertebrates and their environment; ability to utilize computer software; supervisory ability.

Eight (8) years of technical experience in 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 leading crews engaged in fisheries-related field work.
• Experience with public speaking about management of freshwater fishes, including handling media inquiries.
• Experience presenting results of fisheries management research in a professional setting (e.g., at American Fisheries Society meetings).
• Experience with telemetry techniques used to measure fish migration and movement in inland waters.
• Experience with statistical software packages (e.g. R, Statistical Analysis Software (SAS)) and statistical techniques used to analyze fisheries data, including graphical depiction of fish migration and movement
• Experience working in the field with freshwater game and non-game fishes found in Connecticut.
• Experience building partnerships to accomplish fisheries management goals.
• Experience developing and implementing Fishery Management plans to achieve programmatic goals.
• Experience creating and promoting a workplace with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Experience supervising other employees.
• Experience securing and managing grants, including reporting on grant funded activities.

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

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 must be able to swim.
3. Appropriate examinations will be required.

Incumbents in this class may be subject to some danger of injury or personal harm from environmental conditions and to some 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.