Fish Hatchery Technician

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.

The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their online application.

Join the Team!

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employs over 850 employees that are dedicated to protecting Iowas natural resources and providing citizens recreational opportunities to enjoy them. The Iowa DNRs mission is to conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations. If our mission aligns with your personal goals and you want to work alongside committed and passionate coworkers then you should consider the Iowa DNR as your next employer.

We currently have an open Fish Hatchery Technician (Natural Resources Technician 2 position that is an integral part of our Fish Culture Team. The primary job duties of the successful candidate are fish culture fish distribution buildings grounds and equipment maintenance; and data collection and entry. The successful candidate will gain experience with intensive and extensive aquaculture systems working with species such as Walleyes Channel Catfish Largemouth Bass Paddlefish Muskellunge and others.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Rathbun Fish Hatchery propagates cultures and distributes Walleye Channel Catfish Muskellunge Largemouth Bass Paddlefish and other species as assigned to meet the stocking requests from Iowa DNR fisheries managers. The successful candidate for this Fish Hatchery Technician position will work with the hatchery team to ensure that the requested species size and numbers of fish are produced and stocked throughout the state to ultimately provide recreational opportunities for Iowa anglers. The primary job duties include fish culture fish distribution and buildings grounds and equipment maintenance.

Fish culture duties start with collecting wild adult Walleye broodfish in the spring and then transporting them to the hatchery where they are sorted by sex and spawning readiness. The Fish Hatchery Technician keeps accurate records of numbers and sex captured by site. After collecting eggs/semen from adult fish they are returned to their capture location. In the hatchery eggs are fertilized and measured into hatching jars. Throughout the incubation period the Fish Hatchery Technician ensures that proper incubation conditions are maintained records egg volume and other data to be used in calculating hatch rates applies chemical treatments monitors fry hatch and cleans catch tank screens. After hatching fry are removed to prevent overcrowding and then stocked into lakes throughout Iowa or into hatchery ponds for Phase 1 production.

Walleye Largemouth Bass and Paddlefish are reared from fry to twoinch fingerling size during Phase 1 production. This phase starts with enumeration of fry so a known number are stocked into plasticlined outdoor ponds. Ponds are fertilized to produce zooplankton to provide a food source for stocked fry. The Fish Hatchery Technician periodically samples water quality enumerates zooplankton and records lengths and weights from fish samples and uses these data to schedule pond harvest. These fish are then stocked into rivers and lakes throughout Iowa or remain on site for further growout. During Phase 2 of Walleye production they are trained to eat a pelleted diet in a dark room in the hatchery. During this phase the Fish Hatchery Technician cleans tanks daily to ensure sanitary conditions diagnoses and treats diseases samples fish to estimate size and calculate growth rates and grades Walleye fingerlings to create uniform lots of fish to minimize cannibalism.

Walleye from Phase 2 production and Channel Catfish are grown to an advanced fingerling size on pelleted feed in indoor or outdoor production units. During this phase the Fish Hatchery Technician cleans production units daily to ensure sanitary conditions diagnoses and treats diseases and samples fish to estimate size and calculate growth rates. Channel Catfish are fed once daily by hand to apparent satiation.

During all phases the Fish Hatchery Technician trains and leads a team of up to three seasonal aides in normal daily culture duties including cleaning fish culture units; observing and monitoring fish behavior; recording mortalities performing necropsies and determining causative agents if fish health is compromised; determining treatments calculating proper dosages and applying treatments that satisfy any applicable INAD exemption requirements; monitoring and conducting water quality analyses; monitoring fish growth and ensuring correct feed amounts are delivered by calibrating feeders; and cleaning and disinfecting fish culture units at the conclusion of production cycle.

When fish reach target size the Fish Hatchery Technician assists with creating an efficient stocking plan harvesting fish and fish distribution. During fish harvest size is estimated to determine the correct weight/number of fish to be stocked at each location and fish are inspected to ensure that no extraneous species are being inadvertently stocked with the target species. The Fish Hatchery Technician loads fish onto distribution units at safe densities and then administers chemical treatments to transport tanks to reduce stress or for the control of Zebra Mussel veligers. During transport the Fish Hatchery Technician monitors environmental factors to prevent fish mortality and minimize stress.

In addition to fish culture and distribution duties the Fish Hatchery Technician is responsible for assisting with building grounds and equipment maintenance to provide clean attractive and safe working environment for employees and members of the public. Building maintenance includes but is not limited to participating in a rotation for cleaning public areas of the Hatchery. Grounds maintenance includes but is not limited to mowing tree trimming and removal of brush. Equipment is to be kept in good operating condition at all times including but not limited to replacement repair and design and construction of new equipment as needed in cooperation with other team members. The Fish Hatchery Technician also assists with building gill nets dip nets and seines and is required to understand the operation of all water and electrical systems used at the Hatchery.

This position also has administrative training and meeting duties typical of a State of Iowa employee in a fish hatchery. All employees at Rathbun Fish Hatchery are expected to promote good public relations at all times by responding to inquiries in a courteous respectful and professional manner. The Fish Hatchery Technician will conduct hatchery tours and answer questions from members of the public as needed. Finally this position will provide assistance to other Fisheries Bureau teams other Iowa DNR Bureaus the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and County Conservation Boards as needed and as time allows.

Essential Functions

Fish propagation culture and distribution.

Daily fish culture duties.

Data collection data entry and record keeping.

Maintenance of buildings grounds and equipment.

Critical Job Competencies

Fisheries Biology Animal Husbandry Team Player Integrity Accountability High Productivity Customer Focus Mathematical Reasoning Creative Thinking & Reasoning Problem Solving Interpersonal Skills Technical Competence (fisheries and maintenance) Communication Skills (oral and written) Customer Service Computer Skills Information Management SelfManagement Flexibility Attention to Detail High Productivity Common Sense Positive Attitude.

What You Get From Us:

• A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
• Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

(Premiums can start as low as $64/month for single and $210/month for family coverage).

• Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
• Nine paid holidays/year.
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
• Optional deferred compensation 457/401A) plan with employer match.
• Professional training opportunities.
• Family friendly and professional work environment.
• Employee Discount Programs (vision cellular fitness recreation season passes travel counseling)

• The States total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30 of your total compensation. For a list of additional benefits please visit theDAS website for more information.
• Flexible work schedules (as approved by the supervisor).

Comments

Must possess/obtain valid drivers license. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a Pesticide Applicator license with category 5 certification within 6 months of employment.

Normal hours are 7:30 am 4:00 pm Monday through Friday with participation in a yearround weekend work rotation. Standby duty mandatory therefore employee must live (or arrange for temporary housing when on standby) within 15 miles of the Rathbun Fish Hatchery. May be required to work 2nd shift during broodstock collection and spawning operations. Some travel with overnight lodging required.

College or university students that are pending graduation in May 2025 with a bachelors degree in a natural science are eligible to apply for this position.

The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months and then annually (if applicable). The States total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30 of your total the DAS website for more benefit information.

Ensure you are kept uptodate of this position by checking your email regularly for emails from. This is a system generated email from the DAS application system and it may be sent directly to your Junk/Spam folder.

DNR Application Tips

For more information about DNR Employment Opportunities and position specific notices please visit theDNR Employment website.

The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Iowa DNR Mission

To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.

900 Fisheries Biology
6 months experience 12 semester hours or a combination of both.

The equivalent of three years of full time experience involving facilities maintenance in plumbing electrical and/or heating and cooling or technical work in a biological horticultural conservation or natural resources program;

Certain designated positions require the employee to be certified by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as a Pesticide Applicator within a period of time as determined by the appointing authority at the time of hire.