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Fish Hatchery Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Rock Creek Hatchery Shift : 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Duties include, but are not limited to: * Clipping adipose fins off hatchery fish * Cleaning up workspace for shift change * Tagging fish as needed * All ...

Fish Hatchery information

See Oregon salary details

$3K

$5.5K

$9.5K

How much do fish hatchery jobs pay per month?

As of Sep 12, 2026, the average monthly pay for fish hatchery in Oregon is $5,497.50, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $3,525.00 and $6,566.67 per month, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a fish hatchery?

Fish hatcheries are specialized facilities where fish are bred, hatched, and raised during their early life stages before being released into natural bodies of water or stocked for aquaculture. Their main goal is to support the conservation of fish populations, enhance recreational fishing opportunities, or provide fish for commercial purposes. Hatcheries play a crucial role in maintaining sustainable fish populations and helping to restore endangered or depleted species.

What are the qualifications to work in a fish hatchery?

The primary qualifications for fish hatchery jobs depend on the position. For example, if you want to manage a hatchery, expect employers to ask for a bachelor's degree in a relevant aquatic field and several years of experience with fish culture, including knowledge of sampling techniques and data collection. If you want to operate and maintain equipment, companies usually look for an associate degree from a technical college, one to two years of experience, and the ability to determine facility needs to meet production goals. Some companies are willing to accept additional experience in lieu of a college degree. Fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a fish hatchery job requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills as well as the ability to work in a variety of weather conditions.

What are some common challenges faced by fish hatchery technicians, and how can they be managed on the job?

Fish hatchery technicians often contend with challenges such as maintaining optimal water quality, preventing disease outbreaks among fish populations, and managing seasonal fluctuations in workload. Addressing these issues typically involves closely monitoring environmental parameters, following strict biosecurity protocols, and working collaboratively with other team members to ensure the health and productivity of the hatchery. Strong organizational skills and adaptability are essential, as daily tasks may change based on the needs of the fish stock and hatchery operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a fish hatchery technician, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Fish Hatchery Technician, you need knowledge of aquatic biology, fish husbandry, and environmental science, often supported by a degree or relevant work experience. Familiarity with water quality testing equipment, feeding systems, and hatchery management software is commonly required. Attention to detail, problem-solving, and strong teamwork make someone stand out in this position. These skills ensure the health of fish populations, efficient hatchery operations, and compliance with environmental regulations.

What is the difference between Fish Hatchery vs Fish Biologist?

AspectFish HatcheryFish Biologist
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; some roles may require technical certificationsBachelor's degree in biology, ecology, or related field; advanced roles may require a master's or PhD
Work EnvironmentFish farms, hatchery facilities, outdoor settingsResearch labs, field sites, aquatic environments
Employer & Industry UsageGovernment agencies, aquaculture companies, conservation programsResearch institutions, government agencies, environmental organizations

While both roles involve working with fish, a Fish Hatchery focuses on breeding, raising, and releasing fish in controlled environments, often for conservation or commercial purposes. A Fish Biologist conducts research, studies fish populations, and develops conservation strategies. The two roles share some credentials and work environments but differ in their primary focus and responsibilities.

What are the most commonly searched types of Fish Hatchery jobs in Oregon?

The most popular types of Fish Hatchery jobs in Oregon are:

What job categories do people searching Fish Hatchery jobs in Oregon look for?

The top searched job categories for Fish Hatchery jobs in Oregon are:

What cities in Oregon are hiring for Fish Hatchery jobs?

Cities in Oregon with the most Fish Hatchery job openings:

Infographic showing various Fish Hatchery job openings in Oregon as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 62% Full Time, and 38% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $65,970 per year, or $31.7 per hour.

FUL - Biological Science Technician

Warm Springs, OR • On-site

US Department of the Interior
Public Administration • 10K+ employees

$45K/yr

Full-time, Part-time

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


U.S. Department Of The Interior rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 14 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

You will serve as a FUL - Biological Science Technician within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery, in Warm Spring, OR.
This position serves as a Biological Science Technician, GS-0404-6/7, at the Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery in Warm Springs, Oregon, and is responsible for planning and conducting data collection on hatchery populations to support the evaluation of fish health and propagation methods.

Qualifications:

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/11/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. All candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 Grade Level

  • Specialized Experience Requirement: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: 1. Independently performing routine fish culture activities involving the feeding, care, handling, rearing, or distribution of multiple life stages of fish; 2. Monitoring fish health and water quality and maintaining fish culture, inventory, feeding, mortality, or water quality records; 3. performing established fish propagation activities, such as spawning, collecting or processing eggs, and/or operating and maintaining fish culture equipment and systems; 4. maintaining and improving hatchery infrastructure, equipment, and grounds; and 5. performing routine health assessments including: necropsies of morbid fish, collecting ovarian fluid samples, external examination of fish for parasites and collecting blood samples, This experience must be clearly documented in your resume; OR
  • Education: Successfully completed one year of progressively higher-level graduate level education (18 semester/27 quarter hours or the school's equivalent) leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree at an accredited college or university that included courses directly related to the occupation, such as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, and aquaculture. OR
  • Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of graduate level semester hours completed and divide by18 semester hours. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 Grade Level:
  • Specialized Experience Requirement: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: 1. Independently carrying out multiple phases of fish propagation and culture, such as spawning, egg collection and processing, incubation, rearing, sampling, inventory, or distribution; 2. monitoring fish health, water quality, or culture conditions and identifying problems or making routine adjustments in accordance with established procedures; 3. performing fish health procedures and/or troubleshooting and maintaining fish culture systems and equipment; and 4. performing routine health assessments including: necropsies of morbid fish, collecting ovarian fluid samples, external examination of fish for parasites and collecting blood samples,This experience must be clearly documented in your resume; OR
  • Education: Successfully completed one year of progressively higher-level graduate level education (18 semester/27 quarter hours or the school's equivalent) leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree at an accredited college or university that included courses directly related to the occupation, such as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, and aquaculture. OR
  • Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of graduate level semester hours completed and divide by18 semester hours. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.
Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.Education:

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Employment Type: OTHER

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