FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
HABITAT CONNECTIVITY BIOLOGIST
 FISH & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 4

Habitat Program – Ecosystem Services Division

Olympia, Washington – Thurston County

Please note: This recruitment is posted until filled, with a first review of applications to take place on October 18, 2023.  Application review will be ongoing, and therefore, we encourage you to submit your application materials as soon as possible.  The hiring manager reserves the right to close the posting at any time once a selection has been made.

Be our expert-level Priority Habitat and Species (PHS) Habitat Connectivity biologist!  In this role, your work will make lasting contributions to the department’s goals to conserve and protect a resilient network of native fish and wildlife habitat in Washington state.

The PHS Habitat Connectivity Biologist is the technical lead on connectivity mapping and planning. Use your expertise in wildlife habitat connectivity science to identify priority areas for connectivity conservation and help develop practical applications for connectivity conservation through land use planning in both urban and rural settings.

Harbor seal – Photo Credit: Eric Kilby
 

This is an opportunity to develop spatial data and technical assistance to inform connectivity conservation that will be used by natural resource practitioners, land use planners, and WDFW staff.

In this dynamic role, you will develop methodologies and approaches for prioritizing locations for wildlife habitat connectivity protection, restoration, and enhancement.

You are excited to engage and collaborate with scientists and modelers developing, reviewing, or revising wildlife habitat connectivity models or technical prioritization efforts relevant to priority connectivity habitats in Washington.

Dall’s porpoise – Photo Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Here is some of what you will be doing:

Incorporate spatial data identifying priority habitat connectivity locations in Washington state into the PHS framework: 

• Translate new or existing or habitat connectivity data into a format appropriate to PHS applications.
• Develop technical documentation of methods used to create the spatial data.
• Develop user guides for application of habitat connectivity data.
• Develop management recommendations for protecting wildlife habitat connectivity priorities in the land use and transportation planning context.

Identify spatial data mapping priority habitat connectivity locations in Washington state: 

• Identify appropriate existing spatial data to locate areas important to landscape connectivity and barriers to wildlife movement.
• Evaluate and make recommendations about existing spatial data relative to the Best Available Science standard defined in Washington state code (WAC 365-195-915).

Provide technical assistance on the development and application of wildlife habitat connectivity data in the context of land use planning and land management:

• Provide technical assistance on the applications of PHS habitat connectivity data to internal WDFW and external users in the context of local land use planning, transportation planning, growth management, shoreline management.

Represent the agency in a technical capacity on efforts to create new wildlife habitat connectivity data products and strategies:

• Participate in research activities including data collection, evaluation, and analysis to identify priority locations for connectivity protection, restoration, and enhancement.
• Participate in working groups developing wildlife habitat connectivity data products, priorities, and implementation strategies.

Maintain spatial data identifying priority habitat connectivity locations in Washington state:

• Review on-going, current connectivity science and modeling to ensure that PHS data meet the Best Available Science standard defined in Washington state code (WAC 365-195-915).
• Review and revise spatial connectivity priorities as needed to continue to meet the Best Available Science standard defined in Washington state code (WAC 365-195-915).

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Typical office setting, with partial remote work options available.
  • Office hazards include working under fluorescent light, repetitively entering data into computer, looking at computer monitor for long periods of time.
• Schedule:
  • Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm or equivalent.
  • Minimum of 20% of time is in-person.
  • Flexible schedule options available after completion of probation/trial service period.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Expected travel for meetings and field trips to review connectivity project proposals and implementation 5-10% of time.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Standard desktop or laptop computer workstation and specialized software such as ArGIS.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Regular: Division and Section level management; other WDFW programs; Regional Habitat Program staff; city and county planning staff/directors; consultants; other state agency staff, and natural resource and conservation non-governmental organization partners.
  • Occasional: Local elected officials; tribal natural resources staff.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor’s degree or higher in biology, conservation biology, landscape ecology, fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science or management, environmental science, or related field.

• Five (5) years of professional or volunteer experience in fish, wildlife, or habitat management or research.

• Four (4) years as a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 3 may substitute for the professional experience.
• 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.

• Demonstrated experience working in wildlife habitat connectivity conservation.
• Relevant experience includes field research, spatial modeling or analysis, remote sensing, and/or natural resources management work experience within a university, local government, environmental or conservation organization, consulting firm, or state or federal natural resources agency.
• Expert knowledge of landscape ecology, conservation biology, conservation planning, or similar discipline.
• Expert knowledge of wildlife habitat connectivity science and modeling approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to use GIS and execute basic spatial analytical tasks in a GIS framework including knowledge of ArcGIS desktop and ArcGIS Online software.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and explain spatial data characteristics and applications.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct spatial analysis and manage large databases.
• Ability to synthesize complex spatial information and develop analyses in written and visual form.
• Ability to perform complex geoprocessing and manipulate large datasets using scripts.
• Knowledge of Python and SQL scripting.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to policy makers, planners, or other non-scientists.
• Knowledge of principles, methods, and objectives of urban and natural resources planning.

Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.

Experience and education selected, listed, and detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable in the application.

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. 

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

JOIN THE WDFW TEAM:

Learn about our agency and the perks of working for WDFW!

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field.  We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency’s mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

WDFW employees may be eligible for the following:

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth.

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.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:

To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter to Cheri.Weld@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE: 

To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at Cheri.Weld@dfw.wa.gov.  
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – MS)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Note: Please blackout any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.

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.  

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 JaymeChase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

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.

cw

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