PRINCIPAL BIOLOGIST, FISHERIES
Fisheries
Career Family: PRINCIPAL BIOLOGIST
Principal Biologist, Fisheries sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.
The requirements come down to a bachelor's degree and 3 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY 2027 schedule runs $79,844 to $117,228, and state payroll currently lists about 15 people in the title, most of them at Environmental Protection.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Principal Biologist, Fisheries appears on the State payroll at one department, Department of Environmental Protection.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Environmental Protection | 15 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 15 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $109,652. The agencies employing the most are:
- Environmental Protection (15)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the general supervision of a Supervising Biologist, Fisheries or a supervisory official in the Department of Environmental Protection, supervises and coordinates on a state-wide basis surveys of streams and lakes, samplings of fish populations and fish foods, and disease treatment, and generally supervises fish cultural operations and other technical biological work within the fisheries management programs of the state; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
- Supervises the development and execution of work plans for the propagation, feeding, care, and distribution of fish and for the construction/maintenance of buildings, pools, reservoirs, troughs, and other structures used in rearing fish.
- Supervises the implementation of Federal and State funded fisheries research and management programs.
- Organizes assigned fisheries management work and develops effective work methods for the laboratory and the field.
- Supervises the artificial propagation and care of fish to the desired size for stocking.
- Determines the presence of parasites and disease of fish; directs the treatment of diseased fish.
- Develops and supervises the preparation of various diets designed to reduce fish feeding costs, increase growth, and improve the color and condition of fish.
- Supervises the routine analysis of water.
- Supervises the conduct of surveys of streams, lakes, and marine waters designed to inventory existing fisheries populations; develops plans for the management of such populations.
- Supervises and reviews the determination of angler utilization and success, and recommends manipulations of season, size, bag limits, and changes in environment designed to ensure better fishing.
- Supervises the use of federal aid to the fisheries funds and the personnel assigned to such projects.
- Supervises the use of various types of trucks, tractors, pumps, and other machinery and electrical equipment used in fish culture.
- Supervises the conduct of ecological studies of various aquatic and marine environments.
- Uses biometrics in obtaining samples and in applying scientific knowledge derived from sampling activities to the problems of the whole fisheries population.
- Supervises the requisitioning, safeguarding, issuing, reporting, and use of equipment, materials, and supplies.
- Supervises the preparation of articles, pamphlets, and other educational material for public distribution.
- Conducts research on fisheries resource users.
- Supervises the design, planning, execution, and evaluation of seminars, programs, and workshops for those interested in the field of fisheries management.
- Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
- Prepares and/or supervises the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative scientific, statistical, and other related reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Prepares detailed correspondence.
- Supervises the maintenance of essential records, reports, and files.
- Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in one of the Biological Sciences, Natural Resource Management, or Environmental Science with a major concentration in Fisheries Science and/or Wildlife Science.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience in fisheries biology, fisheries management, fisheries husbandry, fisheries research, and/or the development of fisheries management programs.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of fisheries biology and biometrics.
- Knowledge of the principles and methods of large-scale fisheries management including the propagation, feeding, care, distribution of fish, and the structures used in rearing fish.
- Knowledge of the practices and procedures used to measure fish populations, survey of lakes/streams, and other technical biological work.
- Knowledge of modern laboratory and field equipment, routines, procedures, and methods and their application to fisheries biological work.
- Knowledge of the statistical methods used in the evaluation of biological data.
- Knowledge of the signs of the presence of parasites and diseases of fish and of measures to be used in combating such parasites and diseases.
- Knowledge of the methods used to conduct ecological studies of various aquatic and marine environments.
- Knowledge of the Federal and State statutes and regulations dealing with the fisheries resource and its management.
- Knowledge of the federally funded Fisheries programs.
- Ability to read and understand Federal and State statutes and regulations dealing with the fisheries resource and its management.
- Ability to organize administrative/technical fisheries biological and related work and develop effective work methods for a state-wide program of fisheries management.
- Ability to prepare and carry out plans for the breeding, care, and distribution of fish throughout New Jersey.
- Ability to direct the artificial propagation and care of fish to the desired size for stocking.
- Ability to determine the presence of and identify parasites and diseases of fish, and to supervise the measures to be taken for their alleviation.
- Ability to devise/develop fish diets designed to reduce feeding costs, increase fish growth, and improve the color and condition of fish.
- Ability to supervise the analysis of waters, the conduct of surveys of streams, lakes, and marine waters, and the inventory of existing fish population.
- Ability to prepare recommendations for changes in seasons, size, bag limits, and changes in environment designed to ensure better fishing.
- Ability to plan and supervise the conduct of ecological studies of aquatic and marine fish populations.
- Ability to supervise the construction/maintenance of buildings, pools, reservoirs, troughs, and other structures and the use and maintenance of trucks, tractors, pumps, and other equipment used in fish culture.
- Ability to prepare articles, pamphlets, and other educational materials for public distribution.
- Ability to conduct research on fisheries resource users.
- Ability to supervise the design and conduct of seminars, programs, and workshops for those interested in the field of fisheries management.
- Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit.
- Ability to prepare and/or supervise the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative scientific, statistical, and other related reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Ability to prepare detailed correspondence.
- Ability to supervise the maintenance of essential records, reports, and files.
- Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
A Master's degree in Fisheries Management or a related field may be substituted for one (1) year of experience.