Fish & Wildlife Research Scientist 1 pay range
State of Washington · class code 516F
- Class code
- 516F
- Salary range
- 64
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Fish & Wildlife Research Scientist 1 is $78,504 to $105,612 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 516F.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 64 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $78,504 | $80,496 | $82,440 | $84,528 | $86,688 | $88,788 | $91,104 | $93,288 | $95,676 | $98,064 | $100,488 | $102,996 | $105,612 |
| Monthly | $6,542 | $6,708 | $6,870 | $7,044 | $7,224 | $7,399 | $7,592 | $7,774 | $7,973 | $8,172 | $8,374 | $8,583 | $8,801 |
| Hourly | $37.60 | $38.55 | $39.48 | $40.48 | $41.52 | $42.52 | $43.63 | $44.68 | $45.82 | $46.97 | $48.13 | $49.33 | $50.58 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
Serves as a principal research methods advisor to management and staff using advanced statistical sampling theory, experimental design and computer applications within an eco-system management approach OR Designs, conducts and manages research studies in one or more specialized fields of wildlife, habitat, or fisheries science to further natural resource management and policy implementation. Plans, designs, coordinates, evaluates, and reports results of such studies, and acts as a designated consultant in a specialized area of expertise.
Examples of the work
Determines research and analysis needs and prioritizes studies (projects) in response to specific problems/questions raised by management staff; Responsible for all aspects of research studies (projects), such as experimental design, budgeting, proposal writing, data accumulation, statistical summarization and analysis of data, technical report writing, and formulating management recommendations based on results; Formulates research programs and mathematical methods for use in estimating and forecasting fish and shellfish populations, movements, locations, impacts of artificial propagation; and results of natural and artificial controls; Researches legal and ethical considerations and scient ...
Minimum qualifications
A Doctoral degree with a major in mathematics or statistics with emphasis in animal population or management, natural resource science or management with an emphasis in mathematics or statistics relative to animal population biology or management. OR A Master's degree in wildlife, habitat, or fisheries science, biology, zoology, or in mathematics with emphasis on animal population biology, or closely allied field. OR Five years of professional experience as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist 4 or equivalent.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.