OPS F & W BS III - 77900165

Florida; Panama City (FL); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

State health insurance

Deferred Compensation

Employee Assistance Program

Workers’ Compensation

Job summary

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is seeking a Predation Management Biologist in Panama City, Northwest Florida. The role focuses on predator management to protect shorebirds and seabirds, collaborating with shorebird program staff at multiple sites.

The job is a full-time OPS position, requiring field work, GPS mapping, and routine reporting. Applicants should have a relevant science background, strong field skills, and the ability to work in remote locations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma and 6 years of professional experience in a related biological field or lab program.
• Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field can substitute for four of the six years of required experience.
• Valid Florida driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

• Work with shorebird biologists to identify sources of nest loss and predator associations.
• Conduct predation management at multiple sites within Northwest Florida.
• Record GPS data and create maps using ArcGIS or Google Earth.
• Coordinate with land managers and partners about predation management activities.
• Prepare summary reports and assist with quarterly assessments.

Skills

Predation management

GPS navigation

Trapping techniques

Hunting experience

Shorebird ID

Data recording & reporting

ArcGIS/Google Earth

Boat/UTV operation

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor of Science in a relevant field

Tools

GPS devices

Live traps

Firearms training

Job description

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: OPS F & W BS III - 77900165

Pay Plan: Temp

Salary: $21.63 an hour

Posting Closing Date: 10/30/2026

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Employment is contingent upon a successful completion of a background check

Position Title: Fisheries & Wildlife Biological Scientist III

Working Title: Predation Management Biologist

OPS Hourly Rate: $21.63, 40 hours per week

Supervisor: Nick Vitale

Supervisor contact information: [e-mail]

Broadband Code: 19-1023-03

Location: Panama CIty

Region: Northwest

County: Gulf, Bay, Walton

Working Hours: 7:00am – 4:00pm (CST) Monday-Friday, evenings and weekends as required

List of Subordinates Supervised: None

Residency Requirement: None

Our Organization

The FWC envisions a Florida where fish and wildlife are abundant and thriving in healthy and connected natural landscapes with vital working lands and waterways; where natural resources are valued and safely enjoyed by all; and wherein natural systems support vibrant human communities and a strong economy.

Our Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

Every organization has an identity that is forged not only by what it does, but by how it conducts itself. The values embedded in our mission and expressed in the vision of the FWC are to make quality decisions by being dynamic, science-informed, efficient, ethical, collaborative and committed to the vitality of the state and its environment.

The Division of Habitat & Species Conservation is comprised of six Sections and two offices. The Predation Management Biologist works within the Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section of the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation.

Minimum Qualifications:

A high school diploma and 6 years professional experience in a closely related biological field or laboratory program is required. A Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field can substitute for four of the 6 years of required experience.

Additional Requirements:

Must possess and maintain a valid minimum Class E State of Florida driver’s license.

Occasional overnight field work and travel are required for this position.

Must demonstrate proficiency in handheld GPS navigation, and the use of live traps and assigned firearms upon completion of required training. This position will require frequent and close contact with mammals that are known to be sources of rabies. Personal protective equipment, including rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis series, boosters, and titer checks are provided upon hire.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Experience with mammalian and/or avian predation management.
• Experience with various techniques used to trap mammalian and avian species. Training will be provided on specific management techniques.
• Hunting experience (recreational or professional).
• Experience with shorebird ID and nest searching/monitoring.
• Experience communicating with stakeholders and ability to coordinate resources between agencies and among sites. Strong customer service skills are an asset.
• Experience recording data and writing reports.
• Experience with a handheld GPS unit. and mapping software such as GIS or Google Earth.
• Experience trailering, loading, and operating boats and UTVs, and experience kayaking in open water conditions.
• Flexible work schedule that may include long days of fieldwork and working up to 10 consecutive days in the field.
• Ability to work effectively with little direct supervision, in remote locations, and under hot and humid weather conditions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (specifically PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook).
• Excellent critical thinking skills for addressing complex challenges in the field.
• Current pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis series preferred

Duties and Responsibilities:

The position is based in Northwest Florida. This is a 40 hour/week position. Limited overtime is available. The Predation Management Biologist will work closely with shorebird program staff to conduct predation management activities at multiple sites within Northwest Florida (Gulf, Bay, Walton Counties) to benefit shorebirds and seabirds. The biologist will work collaboratively with a regional team and often independently in the field to achieve conservation and management goals.

The Predation Management Biologist will be responsible for communicating with private landowners, local land managers, partnering agencies and the public about predation management in beach dune habitat. This position will attend public meetings and educational events and participate in shorebird working groups as a spokesperson for predation management.

Summary Of Duties

• Work with shorebird biologists to identify sources of shorebird and seabird nest loss; use tracking techniques to identify individual predator(s) associated with nest failure.
• Employ proactive management strategies to reduce predator disturbance at priority shorebird sites.
• Conduct tracking surveys for common nest and chick predators using sand transects, scent stations, bait stations, and game cameras.
• Use tracking surveys to identify and evaluate the presence and spatial use patterns of potential predators in the beach/dune habitat and surrounding natural areas.
• Conduct lethal removal of avian and mammalian predators.
• Use a variety of non-lethal predator aversion techniques and investigate opportunities to develop and test novel techniques as time allows.
• Record GPS points and create maps of all work areas using ArcGIS or Google Earth.
• Coordinate with land managers, law enforcement, and other partners about predation management activities.
• Prepare summary reports of management strategies and outcomes and assist team with quarterly report writing and assessments.

This is a full-time OPS (Other Personnel Services) position. OPS employees are paid for the number of hours they work, but do not receive paid leave, or paid holidays. OPS staff have the potential for insurance benefits and participation in the Deferred Compensation investment retirement program.

WHAT BENEFITS ARE APPLICABLE TO OPS EMPLOYEES?

• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan - mandatory
• Workers’ Compensation - mandatory
• Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) - mandatory
• Participation in state group health insurance (must meet eligibility requirements. Consult with People First or the Human Resource Office for details.)
• Deferred Compensation - voluntary
• Employee Assistance Program – voluntary

WHAT BENEFITS ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO OPS EMPLOYEES?

• Any form of paid leave
• Paid holidays
• Participation in the Florida Retirement System
• Reinstatement rights or retention rights

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.