Fisheries Disease Ecologist

Minimum Qualifications

The knowledge skills and abilities of this position are normally attained through a combination of education and experience equivalent to a masters degree in Fish and Wildlife Management Wildlife Biology Disease Ecology Range Management Zoology or Biology including completion of a field research project presented in a successfully defended thesis. Other combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Equivalent experience is defined as five (5) years of progressively responsible experience as a wildlife biologist or senior wildlife technician that includes the examples of:

Literature review and development of a problem statement and/or hypothesis for a particular issue.

Development of a detailed study plan or sampling protocol for a field-oriented project based on the above-noted hypothesis.

Data collection and the effective management of data with an appropriate application.

Interpretation and analysis of data including a quantitative assessment of that information.

Completion of a final report in a peer-reviewed publication or a publication comparable to a refereed journal.

If appropriate to the project formulation of any recommended changes in management prescriptions and/or actions.

Oral presentation on results of investigation to agency staff or public audience.

If you feel you meet the equivalent experience please provide a supplemental document in your application that indicates your experience level relative to each point listed above.

THE OUTSIDE IS IN US ALL.

Announcement:

Please remember to attach the required documents listed in this announcement.

Resume

Cover Letter

Applications missing the requested documents will be considered incomplete and may not progress further in the process. Documents not requested will not be considered in the recruitment process. The State Application is not a substitute for a Resume. This position closes at 11:59 PM Mountain Time on February 16^th 2026. You must apply through the State of Montana Career site.

Special Information:

Identity of applicants who become finalists may be releases to the public if the Department deems it necessary. Employees who exceed 1040 hours in a calendar year are also provided health dental and life insurance. Other benefits include retirement paid vacation sick and holidays. This position may be covered by a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association).

A successful applicant will be subject to a background investigation.

Women and minorities are under-represented in this job category and are encouraged to apply.

This position will preferably be based in Great Falls (with other FWP Fish Health Program FHP staff) Bozeman (with FWP Wildlife Health Lab and USFWS Fish Health Lab and Fish Technology Center staff) or Helena (Fisheries Division Headquarters and Aquatic Contaminants staff). The duties for this position are statewide and fieldwork will require travel and extended stays in the vicinity of projects away from the base office.

The Fisheries Disease Ecologist is a key member of the Fish Health Program (FHP) team and successful collaboration and teamwork with fish health and aquatic contaminant positions is required. The general role of this position is to facilitate proactive consideration of fish health and disease in fish management recommendations and actions rather than responding to specific incidents or events. On the FHP team the Fisheries Disease Ecologist is the FWP lead for developing statewide surveillance programs in wild fish for priority fish diseases and health official fish species to directly inform fish disease and fish management programs and policies for wild fish. They will lead research into patterns effects and management of fish diseases stemming from infectious pathogens contaminants or other causes in wild fish. They will play a similar role in hatchery fish programs though more in a support capacity as a member of the FHP team. They are a recognized Department expert on these topics and will participate in intra- and inter-state workgroups to represent the Department and develop management and evaluation plans. Using information collected on disease status and through disease surveillance they will make management recommendations to reduce risks of disease to fisheries and the public. They will also work with other members of the FHP and Fisheries Division teams to develop policies that address disease risk disease transmission and disease prevention. They will help design and conduct risk assessments for emerging fish diseases to inform FWP plans and approaches. The incumbent in this position will work directly with fisheries biologists and managers to define these efforts in more detail seek funding though grant applications and collaboration conduct projects and ensure results are integrated into fisheries management programs. Success in this position involves a combination of leadership interpersonal study design field work analysis presentation and writing skills.

Job Duties:

General Duties:

Serve as the program lead for wild fish disease monitoring and surveillance plans programs and data. Oversee implementation of statewide program for wild fish disease monitoring necessary to inform management recommendations policy development management plans and develop new methods. Coordinate data collection analysis and reporting.

Conceptualize design coordinate and implement multiple research projects in multiple regions of the state focused on statewide priority wild fish disease issues and serve as an expert and representative for Montana FWP in the arena of wild fish disease science in which research projects are focused.

Serve as a Department expert on fish diseases in Montana and at the national level as necessary and serve as an important contact point for FWP.

Develop risk assessments for certain fish diseases.

Some current priorities for the Fisheries Disease Ecologist include research and development of nonlethal proactive monitoring methods for fish pathogens at the population and individual (e.g. for translocations) levels; development of statistically rigorous recurring monitoring for known fish pathogens at a population or watershed level; integrating with and providing fish health and disease expertise to ongoing research into causes of trout population declines in some western Montana watersheds; developing proactive response plans ahead of new significant fish kills in coordination with Fisheries Pollution Biologist; conducting risk assessments for the introduction of novel pathogens; and investigating the interaction of fish health and disease issues with lower flows and higher temperatures in Montana watersheds.