Range Ecologist - Fish and Wildlife Biologist 4 - Permanent - 2026-08558

Washington State Health Care Authority

Washington

Hybrid

USD 75,000 - 110,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking a Range Ecologist to design ecological monitoring and manage rangeland habitat projects. The role involves collaboration with wildlife area managers, district teams, and external partners to advance conservation goals across diverse landscapes.

The position requires a biology/ecology degree and five years of relevant experience, with potential master’s or PhD substitutions. A hybrid schedule is offered and travel is anticipated.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, natural resource or environmental sciences.
Five years of wildlife, habitat or ecological research and related field experience.
Master’s or Ph.D. may substitute for up to years of experience.

Responsibilities

Design and implement ecological monitoring, vegetation and habitat surveys.
Assist wildlife area managers with grazing permits and leases planning.
Provide technical assistance on rangeland management and habitat protection.
Supervise range ecology staff and manage the program budget.
Coordinate with partners and agencies on data collection and analysis.

Skills

Excellent communication

GIS familiarity

Fieldwork

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, natural resource or environmental sciences

Tools

Smartsheets

ArcGIS

Job description

Title- Range Ecologist

Classification- Fish and Wildlife Biologist 4

Job Status- Full-Time - Permanent

WDFW Program- Wildlife Program Duty Station- *Walla Walla, Washington – Walla Walla County

Hybrid/Telework- This position offers a hybrid work schedule, with at least one day per week onsite at the designated duty station and up to four days of telework. The selected candidate must be available to work onsite for in-person meetings and to meet business needs.

*Walla Walla is the current duty station, however depending on the successful candidate, Spokane, Yakima or Ephrata or Ellensburg Washington may be considered.

Photo Caption: George Creek Unit – Photo Credit: WDFW

WDFW manages more than 1.2 million acres of public lands statewide, including rangelands and other non-forested habitats.

In this role, you’ll help steward these lands through habitat monitoring, vegetation management, technical assistance on rangeland management, and the coordination of grazing permits and agricultural leases.

You’ll work independently, taking the initiative to addressing rangeland management challenges and collaborate with Wildlife Area managers, regional staff, and external partners to advance sustainable land management practices that enhance wildlife habitat and support conservation goals across diverse landscapes.

What to Expect:

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Range Ecologist will,

Design and implement ecological monitoring, resource assessments, vegetation and habitat surveys, and research investigations in support of rangeland management:

Design and implement modeling and monitoring efforts for rangelands and apply statistical analyses to interpret data.
Investigate research to guide stewardship of WDFW-managed lands.
Interpret and apply research and scientific literature to on-the-ground rangeland management.
Develop or refine and implement ecological integrity monitoring on rangelands.
Complete resource assessments, vegetation and habitat surveys.

Assist wildlife area managers to complete grazing permit plans and summaries, agricultural lease plans and summaries, and grazing evaluation framework documents:

Complete grazing evaluation framework to recommend potential implementation and limits of permitted grazing on WDFW-managed lands.
Evaluate grazing efficacy to meet ecological needs of the wildlife area.
Provide guidance on development of grazing permits, agricultural leases, and associated documents including management plans and checklists that support habitat protection of rangelands through best management practices.
Support wildlife area managers and district teams on review and approval of agricultural leases and grazing permits and provide instruction on assessing and reporting grazing utilization.

Provide technical assistance to internal and external partners on rangeland management, incorporating inclusive strategies into wildlife area plans, supporting species of greatest conservation need, implementing rangeland restoration strategies, evaluating grazing and agricultural opportunities and impacts, and conducting habitat monitoring.

Actively participate in planning and project team meetings, which may be multi-disciplinary and/or multi-agency.

Research science and best practices for planning for and managing rangelands for wildlife (including the State Wildlife Action Plan, Species of Greatest Conservation Need) and ecological integrity.

Provide general education and outreach on range ecology:

Represent WDFW on rangeland management at public meetings and with other agencies, organizations, coordinated resource management groups, and public stakeholders.
Provide regular grazing updates to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Communicate range management considerations to other managers and decision-makers.

Supervise range ecology staff:

Delegate and assign tasks in support of the Range Ecology program in the Lands Stewardship Section.
Manage the Range Ecology budget.
Ensure compliance with safety and training requirements.

Working Conditions:

Work setting, including hazards:

Position is a mix of working on-site in an office setting with other staff and fieldwork. May offer a hybrid work arrangement.
Fieldwork may include inclement weather and difficult terrain and working in areas with possible wildlife encounters.
Walk, stoop, and perform tasks while wearing up to 40 pounds of field equipment.
Drive and operate equipment such as 4-wheel drive vehicles on unpaved roads and tracks, ATV/UTV’s or other equipment as necessary.
Attend, support, and represent the agency in a variety of public settings, including interactions with the public, occasionally in controversial settings

Schedule:

This position is full-time, working 40 hours per week. Schedule may vary based on business needs, time of year, and/or weather conditions, such as a non-scheduled work week and evening or weekend work as needed.

This position offers a hybrid work schedule, with at least one day per week onsite at the designated duty station and up to four days of telework. The selected candidate must be available to work onsite for in-person meetings and to meet business needs.

Travel Requirements:

Travel anticipated ~20% of the time. Travel for monitoring and other field components is required. Travel is typically done through Eastern, WA, however may vary to other Regions as needed.

Tools and Equipment:

Office equipment – Staff use computer and related software, project management software (Smartsheets), ArcPro and other mapping program and monitoring and data management systems (R).
Field equipment – On/off off-road motorized vehicles operation and monitoring equipment, survey tapes, photography equipment for photo monitoring and other survey equipment are required for on-going monitoring of sites.

Customer Interactions:

Interact with department staff, including Wildlife Area Managers, District teams, wildlife area crews and contractors, Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and other local, state, and federal agencies.
Interact with the public – including meeting attendees, wildlife area neighbors, wildlife area users, permittees and lessees, and interest groups such as the Washington Cattlemen’s Association.

Qualifications:

Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.

Required Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, natural resource or environmental sciences.

And

Five (5) years of experience in the following areas, which may be gained concurrently or in combination:

Wildlife, habitat or ecological research
Natural areas or rangeland management
Designing and implementing monitoring programs for ecological integrity

Please Note:

A Master’s degree in the applicable science may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.
A Ph.D. in the applicable science may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience.

Certifications/Licenses:

Valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications:

One (1) year of experience supervising field crews and collecting field data.
Two (2) years of experience in data management, statistical analysis, and reporting of natural resources monitoring data.

Competencies:

Excellent communication skills and the ability to build strong collaborative partnerships with a variety of audiences
Knowledge of soils, plant taxonomy, range conservation best practices, and restoration techniques in semi-arid ecosystems
Knowledge of invasive weed control methods and techniques for establishing native vegetation.
Familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS), Field Maps, Avenza or equivalentmappingsoftware, as well as rangeland decision-support tools and data products, such as the Rangeland Analysis Platform.
Ability to operate field monitoring equipment including ATVs/UTVs.

In addition to pay and other special employee programs, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for.

Important Note:

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Union – WAFWP

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.

Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice:

Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following:

Notify us of your veteran or military spouse status by email at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
Veterans only – Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
Please redact any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2024-1234 – Biologist 1 – Veteran)
Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Request an accommodation:

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

Technical Difficulties:

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.