Salary: $5,136.00 – $6,908.00 Monthly
Location: Thurston County – Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 2023-07313
Department: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Opening Date: 06/02/2023
Closing Date: 6/20/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

Do you have a passion to support the species who need it the most?  Do you have knowledge of bird species in need? Lead and guide technical working groups, communicate with stakeholders, synthesize information, develop and adapt recovery and conservation plans, pursue and manage grant funding, and coordinate and implement projects for recovery, conservation, and management of rare species. Use your specialist expertise in applied conservation biology, management, policy interpretation, stakeholder perspective, and recovery of rare and listed Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) with a strong emphasis on migratory and shorebird ecology and management with particular emphasis on western snowy plover, American white pelican, and piscivorous species management.

In this dynamic role, you will facilitate on the ground conservation, recovery, and management actions for migratory bird Species of Greatest Conservation Need with particular emphasis on Snowy Plovers, other shore birds, American White Pelican, and other piscivorous birds species.

With your experience, you will coordinate state-wide data collection, implement conservation and recovery actions, synthesize information to inform management and policy decisions, and write foundational documents.

You are excited to advance conservation and recovery of rare species in Washington.

Duties
Our Conservation Biologist,

• Serve as the Diversity Division point of contact for western snowy plover, American white pelican, and other species as assigned.
• Provide coordination within the Department and with external partners, including state, federal, non-government, and other entities.
• Support development of Species of Greatest Conservation Need survey and monitoring protocols.
• Coordinate or assist in coordinating, guide, and engage in working groups.
• Reintroduction feasibility documents and plans.
• Data and information synthesis and guiding documents.
• Maintain familiarity with data, products, and information for the position’s SGCN species, habitats, and systems, as well as those for more common piscivorous birds (e.g., Caspian terns, double-crested cormorants).
• Support data and information stewardship in institutional systems.
• Champion and disseminate best available science as an active and collaborative information conduit.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Work is primarily performed in an office environment, partial telework options available, with periodic outdoor/field work during species- and habitat-specific field seasons.
  • Navigating on foot to/from/within remote environments, over rough terrain, for long days (8 to 12 hours a day) and several days in a row, in highly variable weather conditions, conducting surveys and other related tasks.
  • Move, carry, or unload up to 50 pounds. Work may involve capturing and handling wildlife including bats and working around bat aggregations which will require appropriate PPE.
• Schedule:
  • Biologist is expected to schedule their time within a typical 40-hour work week; typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. 
  • When field and/or grant seasons require extended hours, incumbent is expected to communicate with supervisor and team to address needs.
  • Adjust schedule and work additional hours as needed to meet business demands and deadlines, in partnership with supervisor for support, prioritization and reasonable adjustments.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Periodic – Statewide or regional travel and occasional attendance at evening meetings required.
  • Extended travel or overnight travel may occur.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Standard office equipment; field equipment, PPE, survey and telemetry equipment, vehicles, computers, tablets, GPS.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Frequent effective information delivery for and negotiation with the public, project partners, local government officials, and special interest groups (e.g., conservation, agriculture, land use, forestry).

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

And

• Five (5) years of professional (paid) experience in wildlife or habitat management or research related to species expertise.
  1. Please note: A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute for one (1) year of the required experience a; Ph.D. in the applicable science will substitute for two (2) years of the required experience).

Or

License:

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Follow all position-relevant and agency safety and administrative requirements.
• An interest in fish and wildlife resource management and working with others in a collaborative and regulatory environment to influence sound resource management.
• Efficiently works with minimal supervision and is self-motivated; communicates often; willing to train and mentor other if needed. Seek and act on opportunities to improve and streamline work processes.

Knowledge of:

• Ecology and biology, species distributions, and habitat associations of rare vertebrate species of Washington.
• Population biology, wildlife habitat and ecological systems associations, conservation biology.
• Wildlife survey, monitoring, and research techniques.
• Wildlife disease monitoring and surveillance.
• Grant, contract, and project management.
• Data management, statistical analysis, spatial data analysis, information synthesis and delivery.
• Resource management agencies missions, approaches, and means of cooperating/collaborating.
• Conservation planning, endangered species recovery and management, game species management.

Ability to:

• Effectively communicate with agency representatives, colleagues, and the public to gain assistance and cooperation with Department conservation planning and species recovery programs.
• Conduct effective oral presentations at scientific conferences, agency meetings and public meetings.
• Write, edit, and publish professional documents and reports.
• Cooperate and participate with conservation planning teams.
• Lead and coordinate efforts of scientific expert teams in research and planning projects.
• Develop successful research designs and conservation and management approaches.
• Produce basic GIS products.
• Manage grants, contracts, budgets, and projects.

To Apply
In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume. 
• Three professional references. 

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4067101/conservation-biologist-fish-wildlife-biologist-4-permanent-07313-23