Virginia Fisheries and Aquatic Wildlife Center

12/08/2025

The VA Department of Wildlife Resources is hiring for its Southwest VA Freshwater Mussel Recovery Specialist. Primary responsibilities for this position include leading mussel propagation at the Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) in Marion, VA, and coordinating mussel conservation and recovery activities throughout Southwest VA with DWR’s statewide malacologist and DWR partners. The position supervises at least 2 full-time mussel recovery biologists. The closing date for applications is December 26, and interviews will likely be in the latter half of January. The position is classified as a Scientist II, Pay Band 5, with a salary range of $57,733 to $148,455. If you have any questions about the position, please contact Brian Watson through this post or at the DWR Region 2 office, (434) 525-7522.

[https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/jobs/southwest-virginia-freshwater-mussel-recovery-spec-marion-virginia-virginia-united-states](https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/jobs/southwest-virginia-freshwater-mussel-recovery-spec-marion-virginia-virginia-united-states)

Title: Southwest Virginia Freshwater Mussel Recovery Spec State Role Title: Scientist II Hiring Range: Salary starting at $60,000 (salary to commensurate with experience) Pay Band: 5 Agency: Dept of Wildlife Resources Location: Region III Office Marion Agency Website: www.dwr.virginia.gov Recruitmen...

08/13/2025

Today, the DWR mussel crew was monitoring our release site in the James River at Maidens. The Brook Floater that were released last fall are looking spectacular 👀

06/27/2025

We're hiring!

Apply now Back to search results Job no: 533539 Work type: Staff Senior management: Natural Resources Department: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Location: Williamsburg, Virginia Categories: Other, Research / Scientific, Natural Resources, Program/Project Management

06/17/2025

VFAWC is working with the City of Alexandria to release taggable mussels into the Potomac River, adjacent to the city, as part of an environmental settlement. Thursday and Friday, we released almost 11,000 Alewife Floater and Eastern Elliptio at Windmill Hill Park and Jones Point Park. Since last fall, almost 17,000 mussels have been released at these two sites.

02/20/2025

Cool work by our colleagues in the Midwest.

Using innovative environmental DNA and conventional surveying techniques, scientists found traces of a mussel not seen in Illinois since the early 1900s.

09/06/2024

Mussel release in the Rappahannock River this afternoon. This is the last release as part of the VDOT Chatham Bridge replacement mitigation project. About 1,900 Alewife Floater (Utterbackiana implicata) and 230 Green Floater (Lasmigona subviridis) were released. In total, over 300 Green Floater and over 3,000 Alewife Floater were released. The Green Floater is a state-threatened species and proposed for federal-threatened status. Alewife Floater is a species of greatest conservation need (SGCN).

07/12/2024

Over the past few weeks, we have been working diligently to collect gravid Elliptio complanata for host fish and invitro propagation. Since Elliptio complanata is a short-term brooder, we have a relatively narrow window in which to collect gravid females with mature glochidia/larvae, which requires multiple trips to target rivers, and carefully prying open lots of mussels to be able to peek at the gills to see if the mussel is gravid. Once back at the hatchery, if the mussels are not holding mature glochidia, back out we go about a week later to try again. Matt and Marilyn are smiling since Brian typically has the thankless task of prying the Elliptio complanata open with reversible pliers, which is not easy. He’s off camera trying to get his hand to work again, after prying open about 100 mussels they collected in the Potomac River. Thanks to MD DNR for assisting with the collections.

07/08/2024

Great work by our colleagues in southwest VA

06/26/2024

If we had a nickel for every Blueback Herring we raised from egg… 🤑 take a look at our 2 month old fingerlings we are growing out in our ponds in collaboration with VCU.

06/06/2024

We're hiring! One of our biologists is moving on to other things next month, so we are looking to refill the position. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in a career in freshwater conservation, check out the job information.

Apply now Back to search results Job no: 529892 Work type: Staff Senior management: Natural Resources Department: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Location: Richmond, Virginia, Williamsburg, Virginia, Blacksburg, Virginia Categories: Research / Scientific, Natural Resources

06/03/2024

Harrison Lake Fish Hatchery in Charles City County is in a more than two-decade long effort to restore what may be the most endangered group of animals in the world: fresh water mussels