Wildlife Resources Specialist 3

State-of-West-Virgini; West Virginia; On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of West Virginia seeks a Wildlife Resource Specialist 3 to manage the McClintic Wildlife Management Area and assist wildlife research programs across a nine-county district in southwestern West Virginia. Work is performed with limited supervision, often outdoors, involving equipment operation and public interaction.

You will develop management plans, supervise seasonal staff, conduct surveys, and participate in hunts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in fish/wildlife management and biology, natural resources management, fish culture, agriculture, environmental sciences, conservation biology, or a related field.
• Four (4) years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in the field of wildlife management or 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 early successional habitat management; experience working with and handling game species; and experience with chain saws, farm tractor and implement operation and maintenance through temporary, seasonal, full-time or other background experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement wildlife management plans for the WMA. The employee is expected to conduct advanced level development work on these plans with limited supervision.
• Maintain a headquarters building, storage buildings, shooting range, and earthen dams as well as boundary markings and signs for the WMA. 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, trapping equipment, and other tools as needed. Must be able to operate boats, UTVs/ATVs, and standard 4-wheel drive vehicles.
• Oversee intensive land management operations including planning and leading prescribed burning, preparing and monitoring timber sales, using herbicides and mechanical treatments to manage vegetative communities, establishing and maintaining wildlife openings including planting and maintaining crops and native species, and overseeing Special Land Use Permissions. This will require that the employee possess a strong working knowledge of common game management, silvicultural, and agricultural practices.
• Recruit and supervise seasonal labor staff to conduct habitat improvements and maintain facilities. The employee may also be asked to train lower-level Wildlife Resource Specialists.
• Conduct wildlife surveys and assist with research and monitoring projects including vegetative surveys (e.g., mast surveys), wildlife surveys (e.g., distance sampling, hunter check station), and wildlife capture and handling that requires independently trapping and chemically immobilizing wildlife, taking biometric data and biological samples from wildlife, and tagging and radio collaring wildlife including deer, bear, turkeys, and migratory birds. Lead District-level dove banding efforts. Conduct 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).
• Independently investigate and address nuisance and diseased wildlife complaints.
• Lead preparation and operation of controlled waterfowl hunts and other controlled hunts as needed.
• Communicate effectively - both written and orally - about highly technical topics with other agency staff, federal regulators and partners, and public resource users.

Skills

Wildlife management

Education

Bachelor's degree in wildlife management/related field

Job description

Classified/Classified-Exempt Position

Wildlife Resources/McClintic Wildlife Management Area

Under the direction of the District Wildlife Biologist and the Assistant District Wildlife Biologist, the Wildlife Resource Specialist 3 will be responsible for wildlife and habitat management activities on the McClintic Wildlife Management Area. In addition, this position will assist with the implementation of wildlife research and management programs across the 9-county district in southwestern West Virginia. The employee is expected to conduct this work under limited supervision. This work will require that the position:

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement wildlife management plans for the WMA. The employee is expected to conduct advanced level development work on these plans with limited supervision.

• Maintain a headquarters building, storage buildings, shooting range, and earthen dams as well as boundary markings and signs for the WMA. 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, trapping equipment, and other tools as needed. Must be able to operate boats, UTVs/ATVs, and standard 4-wheel drive vehicles.

• Oversee intensive land management operations including planning and leading prescribed burning, preparing and monitoring timber sales, using herbicides and mechanical treatments to manage vegetative communities, establishing and maintaining wildlife openings including planting and maintaining crops and native species, and overseeing Special Land Use Permissions. This will require that the employee possess a strong working knowledge of common game management, silvicultural, and agricultural practices.

• Recruit and supervise seasonal labor staff to conduct habitat improvements and maintain facilities. The employee may also be asked to train lower-level Wildlife Resource Specialists.

• Conduct wildlife surveys and assist with research and monitoring projects including vegetative surveys (e.g., mast surveys), wildlife surveys (e.g., distance sampling, hunter check station), and wildlife capture and handling that requires independently trapping and chemically immobilizing wildlife, taking biometric data and biological samples from wildlife, and tagging and radio collaring wildlife including deer, bear, turkeys, and migratory birds. Lead District-level dove banding efforts. Conduct 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).

• Independently investigate and address nuisance and diseased wildlife complaints.

• Lead preparation and operation of controlled waterfowl hunts and other controlled hunts as needed.

• Communicate effectively - both written and orally - about highly technical topics with other agency staff, federal regulators and partners, and public resource users.

Note that this work is often performed outside, in varying weather conditions, over difficult terrain and/or state waters. Employee must possess a valid driver's license. Work is completed independently; therefore, the employee must be self-motivated and resourceful. The employee will perform other duties as assigned. Employee may be required to reside in an on-site residence. Regular attendance is required.

If, at time of hire, the candidate possesses SNRPO certification, the candidate will be placed in a Classified position. If the candidate does not possess SNRPO certification, the candidate will be placed in a Classified-exempt position.

Training:

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

Experience:

Four (4) years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in the field of wildlife management or 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 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 or other background experience.