Wildlife Resources Specialist 1/2

State of West Virginia; Clear Fork (WV); On-site; USD 38,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

State of West Virginia is seeking Wildlife Resources Specialist 1/2 to develop and implement wildlife management plans for WMAs, reside at duty locations, and conduct surveys, reporting, and public outreach. The role involves field duties, equipment operation, and occasional travel across multiple WMAs in southeastern West Virginia.

The position requires a bachelor's degree in wildlife-related fields and experience in wildlife management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in fish/wildlife management, biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field.
• For Level 2: Bachelor’s degree in fish/wildlife management and biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, biological sciences, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field.
• Two (2) years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in wildlife management or a related field.
• Preference will be given to applicants with a B.S. degree in wildlife management, wildlife biology, or natural resources management; experience with prescribed fire, food plot management, and habitat management; and experience with chain saws and machinery.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement wildlife management plans for the WMAs with limited supervision.
• Maintain residence and may live at various WV WMAs, maintain and inventory equipment, and operate equipment including tractors, UTVs, trucks, trailers, chainsaws, firearms, and other tools.
• Communicate effectively with agency staff, regulators, partners, and public resource users.
• Complete various reports and management plans.
• Conduct public relations regarding the area of assignment.
• Attend agency and professional meetings, in-service training, and overnight travel as required.
• Assist with land management operations including timber sales and prescribed burning, vegetation management, and wildlife openings.
• Assist with wildlife surveys and research including radio telemetry, mast surveys, distance sampling, and disease sampling (CWD, EHD, HPAI).
• Investigate nuisance wildlife complaints and support elk management activities in the district.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in fish/wildlife management, biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field

Bachelor’s degree in fish/wildlife management and biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, biological sciences, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field

Job description

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement wildlife management plans for the WMAs. The employee is expected to conduct advanced level development work on these plans with limited supervision.
• Maintain a residence and may be required to live in the residence, headquarters building, storage buildings, shooting range, and earthen dams as well as boundary markings and signs for the WMAs. Maintain and inventory equipment including tractors, brush hugs, UTVs, trucks, and trailers. They must be able to safely and competently operate this equipment as well as chainsaws, firearms, and other tools as needed.
• Communicate effectively – both written and orally – with other agency staff, federal regulators and partners, and public resource users.
• Complete various reports and management plans.
• Conduct public relations regarding the area of assignment.
• Attend agency and professional meetings, in-service training other activities that may require overnight travel.

Nature of Work

Wildlife Resources/R.D. Bailey Lake Wildlife Management Area

This is a position under the direction of the District Wildlife Biologist and the Assistant District Wildlife Biologist. This position is responsible for wildlife and habitat management activities on the R.D. Bailey Lake and Horse Creek Lake Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). In addition, this position will assist with the implementation of wildlife research and management programs across the 8-county district in southeastern West Virginia. The employee is expected to conduct this work under limited supervision. This work will require that the position:

• Develop and implement wildlife management plans for the WMAs. The employee is expected to conduct advanced level development work on these plans with limited supervision.
• Maintain a residence and may be required to live in the residence, headquarters building, storage buildings, shooting range, and earthen dams as well as boundary markings and signs for the WMAs. Maintain and inventory equipment including tractors, brush hugs, UTVs, trucks, and trailers. They must be able to safely and competently operate this equipment as well as chainsaws, firearms, and other tools as needed.
• Communicate effectively – both written and orally – with other agency staff, federal regulators and partners, and public resource users.
• Complete various reports and management plans.
• Conduct public relations regarding the area of assignment.
• Attend agency and professional meetings, in-service training other activities that may require overnight travel.

As a Wildlife Resources Specialist 1, This Position Will

• Assist with land management operations including the design, implementation of timber sales and prescribed burning, using herbicides and mechanical treatments to manage vegetative communities, establishing and maintaining wildlife openings including planting and maintaining crops and native species within a limited geographic location.
• Assist with wildlife surveys and research and monitoring projects include, but not limited to, the use of radio telemetry, capture equipment, and immobilizing drugs; vegetative surveys (e.g., mast surveys), wildlife surveys (e.g., distance sampling, hunter check station). Assist with wildlife disease and other biological sampling as needed, including sampling for chronic wasting disease (CWD), epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) within a limited geographic location.
• Investigate and address nuisance wildlife complaints within a limited geographic location.
• Assist in elk management activities and monitoring efforts within the elk management area in Wyoming County.

As a Wildlife Resources Specialist 2, this position, in addition to Wildlife Resources Specialist 1 essential duties, will:

• Assist with land management operations including the design and implementation of timber sales and prescribed burning, using herbicides and mechanical treatments to manage vegetative communities, establishing and maintaining wildlife openings including planting and maintaining crops and native species across the nine counties of District 5.
• Assist with wildlife surveys and research and monitoring projects including vegetative surveys (e.g., mast surveys), wildlife surveys (e.g., distance sampling, hunter check station). Assist with wildlife disease and other biological sampling as needed, including sampling for chronic wasting disease (CWD), epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) across the nine counties of District 5.
• Investigate and address nuisance wildlife complaints across the nine counties of District 5.
• Assist with the design and implementation of controlled waterfowl hunts and other controlled hunts as needed.
• Oversee seasonal and temporary employees.

Note that this work is often performed outside, in varying weather conditions, over difficult terrain and/or state waters. The employee must possess a valid driver’s license, be familiar with firearms and trapping equipment, and be able to drive boats, UTVs/ATVs, and 4-wheel drive vehicles. Work is completed independently; therefore, the employee must be self-motivated and resourceful. The employee must have a valid driver’s license. The employee will perform other duties as assigned. Regular attendance is required.

Placement in categorization of Wildlife Resources Specialist will be dependent upon relevant experience at time of hire.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications for the 1 level are:

Training: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in fish/wildlife management, biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field.

Minimum Qualifications For The 2 Level Are

Training: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in fish/wildlife management and biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, biological sciences, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field.

Experience: Two (2) years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in the field of wildlife management or a related field.

Other Information

Preference will be given to applicants with a B.S. degree in wildlife management, wildlife, biology, or natural resources management; experience with prescribed fire, food plot management, and early successional habitat management; experience working with and handling game species (I.E., conducting necropsies, field research); and experience with chain saws, farm tractor and implement operation and maintenance through temporary, seasonal, full-time work or other background experience.

PG: 13 $37,536 - $65,020

Market Rate: $57,907

State employment offers a variety of benefits.