Fish Culturist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $18.83 - $27.69 Hourly
Location : Bedford County, PA
Job Type: Civil Service Seasonal Full-Time
Job Number: CS-2026-52920-61019
Department: Fish & Boat Commission
Division: FB Reynoldsdale St Fsh Htchry
Opening Date: 07/01/2026
Closing Date: 7/14/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Job Code: 61019
Position Number: 00271033
Union: AFSCME
Bargaining Unit: J1
Pay Group: ST03
Bureau / Division Code: 00223413
Bureau / Division: Fish & Boat Reynoldsdale State Fish Hatchery
Worksite Address: 162 Fish Hatchery Road
City: New Paris, Pennsylvania
Zip Code: 15554
Contact Name: Scott Hobbie
Contact Email: shobbie@pa.gov
THE POSITION
Do you enjoy hands-on work and supporting natural resources? If so, consider joining the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as a Fish Culturist 1. At the Reynoldsdale State Fish Hatchery, you will help support the propagation and care of fish that benefit anglers statewide. This role offers valuable training in fish culture practices that protect and strengthen Pennsylvania fisheries. Take advantage of this opportunity to build experience in fish care and resource management!
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
As a Fish Culturist 1, you will be responsible for supporting hatchery operations by assisting with the propagation, care, and stocking of fish. This role provides training in fish culture practices that help maintain strong and healthy fish populations. This include learning how to collect and select brood stock while handling the fish in a manner that minimizes stress, injury, and mortality. In this role, you will perform the following duties:

• Fish Culture Training: Learn fish behavior, habitat needs, species identification, and complete technical computations and records
• Spawning Support: Assist in brood stock collection, egg handling, and record keeping while following approved methods
• Egg Care Tasks: Assemble equipment, monitor water quality, apply treatments, and track hatch results
• Fish Care Activities: Clean units, monitor fish health, dispense feed, maintain tanks and raceways, and identify signs of stress or disease
• Stocking Assistance: Operate fish stocking vehicles, load and transport fish, maintain related equipment, and keep accurate records
• Maintenance Duties: Support repairs and upkeep of buildings, equipment, grounds, and power tools used in hatchery work

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Seasonal Full-time employment, 40 hours per week
• Work hours are 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch. Occasional weekends, holidays, standby, and overtime hours may be required.
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Graduation from high school or equivalent certification of formal training.

Special Requirements:

• This position requires possession of a valid Pennsylvania Driver's License.
• Employee entering this classification must obtain a Commercial Driver's License that permits the operation of vehicles of 26,000 lbs. or more prior to completing their probationary period.

Other Requirements:

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.
The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.
EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.

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Health & Wellness
We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*
Compensation & Financial Planning
We invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.
Work/Life Balance
We know there's more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, eight weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.*
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We believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.
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*Eligibility rules apply.
01
Necessary Special Requirement - Do you possess a valid driver's license that is not under suspension?

• Yes
• No

02
If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, please provide the issuing state, license number, and expiration date. If you answered "No", please type "N/A" in the text box below.
03
You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You must complete the application and answer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.
All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.
Read each question carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training. The "Level of Performance" you choose must be clearly supported within the description of the experience and training information entered in your application or your score may be lowered. In order to receive credit for experience, you must have worked in a job for at least six months in which the experience claimed was a major function.
If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.
If you have general questions regarding the application and hiring process, please refer to our

• Yes

04
SECTION A - EQUIPMENTPlease select the checkbox(es) to indicate each type(s) of equipment you have 6 or more months of full-time experience operating/using.

• A. Water filtration and treatment devices such as pumps, sprayers, agitators, or aerators
• B. Power equipment such as drills, power saws, chainsaws, mowers, tractors, or trucks
• C. Hand tools such as wrenches, channel locks, or ratchet sets
• D. I do NOT have 6 or more months of full-time experience operating any of the above equipment.

05
In the textbox below, please list the equipment you operated/used and the name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience. If you are claiming no experience, please enter N/A.
06
SECTION A - EQUIPMENT (CONT'D)Please select the checkbox(es) to indicate each type(s) of equipment you have 6 or more months of full-time experience maintaining (maintaining refers to basic maintenance duties such as tire changes, filter changes, or lubrication).

• A. Water filtration and treatment devices such as pumps, sprayers, agitators, or aerators.
• B. Power equipment such as drills, power saws, chainsaws, mowers, tractors, or trucks.
• C. Hand tools such as wrenches, channel locks, or ratchet sets
• D. I do NOT have 6 or more months of full-time experience maintaining any of the equipment above.

07
In the textbox below, please list the equipment you maintained, the maintenance duties you performed, and the name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience. If you are claiming no experience, please enter N/A.
08
SECTION B - WORK BEHAVIORSWORK BEHAVIOR 1 - MONITORING OF CONDITIONS
Monitors the physical and environmental conditions of fish and mussels in a controlled environment. Identifies and reports signs of disease, parasites, appetite loss, and environmental stress. Monitors water quality and flow. Recommends adjustments to correct any issues affecting fish health, reproduction, or growth.
Levels of Performance
Select the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

• A. I have experience monitoring the physical and environmental conditions of aquatic life such as fish, mussels, reptiles, or amphibians to promote their health and growth.
• B. I have experience monitoring the physical and environmental conditions of non-aquatic mammals or birds to promote their health and growth. I have NOT monitored the physica