MSU Listserv

Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Seasonal Fisheries Position
Kalamazoo River – Lake Sturgeon Rearing

Position Location:  Flexible; Plainwell DNR Fisheries, 621 North 10th Street, Plainwell, MI. 49080 or Gun Lake Tribe Environmental Department 3276 10th St. Wayland, MI 49348

Wage:  This is a temporary, non-career, position.  State worker hourly pay rates are $16.22 for first-time DNR employees; $17.66 with 250+ hours of DNR experience in 2025 and $18.55 with 250+ hours of DNR experience in 2025 and 400+ hours of DNR experience in 2024.

Duration: Up to 1,040 hours. The work period is April through September, with flexible start and end dates. Daily work hours are varied - early season will be mostly night shifts (6pm-3am), with a transition to day shift (8am-5pm) beginning early May.  Weekend and holiday work is required.  Standard work weeks will be 40 hours with limited overtime shifts, as needed.

Duties: Assist the Gun Lake Tribe environmental department staff with field sampling and hatchery operations of ongoing lake sturgeon restoration in the Kalamazoo River.   Successful candidate will gain hands-on experience with adult lake sturgeon sampling, egg and larval collection, and daily operation and maintenance of a streamside fish hatchery (located at New Richmond Bridge Park in Fennville, MI).  Candidate will learn field skills related to fish collections, including deployment and maintenance of gill nets, egg mats, and drift nets, as well as assisting with fish identification, handling, and tagging.  Hatchery duties will include fish husbandry across early life stages, water quality monitoring, routine cleaning and maintenance, feeding and tending to fish, and collecting and recording biological and operational data. Additionally, the position is public facing, with candidate assisting and eventually leading hatchery tours to park visitors, as needed.

Qualifications: Applicants must be punctual, dependable, and adaptable to changing schedules and priorities. Applicants should be self-motivated and comfortable working both independently and as part of a team. Applicants must be capable of maintaining organized and clearly documented hatchery records. This position requires the ability to perform strenuous fieldwork, including lifting up to 50 lbs., and working outdoors in all types of weather. Preference will be given to applicants with prior fisheries or hatchery experience, and those pursuing or in possession of a degree in fisheries biology, or a related field. Candidate must be at least 18 years old to apply and must possess a current Michigan driver’s license.
Employment with the DNR is subject to Civil Service rules and regulations of the State of Michigan.  Civil Service rules require all state workers to submit to and pass a pre-employment drug test. A criminal history check will also be required. The State of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Application:  Submit by email a cover letter, cell phone # if available, resume, DNR employment application form #PR-7123e http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/dnr_employment_application_pr7123_443361_7.pdf and contact information for three references to Mathew Smith at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.

Closing date: Applications will be accepted through Friday, February 20th, 2026 at 5:00 pm.  Successful applicants will be notified and given an interview date and time.
Contact:
Mathew Smith [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Fisheries Technician Supervisor
MDNR – Fisheries Division
Plainwell Customer Service Center
621 N. 10th Street
Plainwell, MI 49080
1-269-567-0951 (work cell)