Fish and Wildlife Technician I - Extra-Help

The Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) is hiring multiple temporary, extra-help Fish and Wildlife Technicians.  Starting pay will be $25.51/hour.  Typical shifts are from Monday through Friday, with some weekend work required.  Most work occurs outdoors in April and May and continues through late fall.

Fish and Wildlife Technicians in the Environmental Resources Division primarily focus on fish and wildlife biology in streams, rivers, and estuaries.  These positions support and assist senior staff in the development, implementation, and management of fish and wildlife populations and habitat monitoring programs.  Typical responsibilities include:

• Monitoring fisheries using methods such as downstream migrant trapping, electrofishing, snorkeling, spawner surveys, and video monitoring
• Sandbar surveying and pinniped monitoring to assist estuary management
• Conducting physical habitat, geomorphic, and hydrologic monitoring using field survey tools, flow meters, and drones
• Water quality and algae monitoring
• Performing restoration tasks such as planting and site maintenance

Ideal candidates for these positions will have the ability to collaborate and develop working relationships with peers, supervisors, and members of the public; feel comfortable performing fieldwork in and around water across a variety of seasonal weather conditions; and possess:

• Education, training in experience related to biological and/or ecological projects, including working with biological organisms
• Working knowledge of natural resource methods
• Knowledge of equipment commonly used to monitor fish and wildlife biology, physical and biological restoration success, estuarine ecology, and water quality
• Possession of a California Boater Card (or equivalent), and/or experience using water transportation such as a kayak, canoe, or motorboat

About Sonoma Water
 
Sonoma Water is a special district formed by the California State Legislature in 1949 and is responsible for providing a safe and reliable water supply to its customers in Sonoma and Marin counties. Sonoma Water also maintains 75 miles of flood control channels and provides sanitation services. Employing approximately 250 employees, Sonoma Water consists of seven divisions including Engineering and Resource Planning, Environmental Resources, Community and Government Affairs, Water and Wastewater Operations, Maintenance, and Administrative Services. Sonoma Water supports the concept of environmental sustainability, focusing on renewable power sources, and strives to be a leader in its water conservation and fishery restoration programs.

Please note: Employees of Sonoma Water are employees of a special district and are not subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Ordinance of the County of Sonoma.
 
The formal title for this position is Water Agency Resources Programs Technician I.

EXTRA-HELP EMPLOYMENT

Extra-help employees relieve or augment permanent staff. Temporary, extra-help employees are not in the classified civil service and do not have property rights to permanently allocated positions. In addition, they do not receive most employee benefits such as long-term disability insurance coverage; accrual of vacation; participation in the County retirement program; or eligibility to take promotional examinations. Temporary, extra-help employees are limited in their employment to a maximum of one calendar year. These employees must be off of work for three months before they can be re-employed on an extra help basis. Extra-help employees who meet the eligibility requirements may qualify for a County contribution toward medical coverage.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill multiple temporary, extra-help positions. This employment list may also be used to fill future extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of this list.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience: Any combination of education, training, and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, this would include some course work in planning, engineering, water related science, environmental studies, environmental law, natural resource or watershed management, education, political science, communications, public relations, or a closely related field; and some experience working with water-related programs in one or more of the following areas: community relations, public outreach, media, water transmission systems, water treatment systems, water reclamation and recycling, wastewater sanitation, water use efficiency, biological monitoring or surveying, teaching methods consistent with state-wide educational standards, and/or legislative processes at the federal and state level.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Some knowledge of: principles, practices, and methods of water and natural resources management; methods of water use efficiency program implementation, and savings verification and monitoring; environmental principles and operation of water supply facilities and distribution systems; methods of water treatment and recycling, landscape and restoration design and installation practices; California Water Codes and related laws; basic statistics and their application in analysis; group dynamics as it relates to public organizations; communication theory and environmental education concepts; principles of graphic design and production; establishing and maintaining effective public relations; fundamentals of public speaking; techniques and methods of research; English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and composition; and office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Ability to: collect and analyze data; speak effectively and persuasively before diverse groups; establish effective working relationships with persons possessing a wide variety of divergent views; write and edit written materials; compile reports, letters, newsletters and other  outreach materials; help coordinate educational and informational seminars and workshops; prepare and disseminate information to media and others; operate office equipment including computers, copiers, and fax machines.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.