Mississippi Habitat Specialist (Crew Lead) - Oxford

Habitat Specialist – Mississippi (Crew Leader)

Location: Oxford, MS

Application Deadline:  Open until filled

Anticipated Start Date: January 2025

Overview: The incumbent will lead a team of 3 crew members in the completion of habitat management work on cooperating private lands and targeted public lands within a designated 15 county priority geography in Northeast Mississippi (Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, and Yalobusha County). This position is supported by a partnership between the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) and Quail Forever, Inc. (QF). The position is a full-time employee of Quail Forever with leadership provided by the Quail Forever Mississippi State Coordinator and the MDWFP Private Lands Division Coordinator.  This unique project will focus on providing assistance and education to private landowners in the implementation of prescribed fire and other land management practices to benefit wildlife in Northeast Mississippi.

Duties: Lead a team and work with partners to conduct habitat management practices with a focus on prescribed fire, early-succession management and ecological restoration. The priority work area will be on private and public lands in Northeast Mississippi

Major responsibilities include:

• Lead the implementation of habitat management work on cooperating private lands as well as public lands that includes but is not limited to prescribed burning, firebreak establishment, native forb/grass establishment, shrubby cover establishment, and timber stand improvement (hack and squirt, chainsaw work, etc.)
• Oversee and participate in the construction, maintenance, and repair of equipment & implements used during work. 
• Develop prescribed burn plans and serve as Burn Boss during the implementation of prescribed fires on public and private lands.
• Maintain fire qualification and participate in additional trainings as assigned. 
• Procure supplies and equipment following Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever best management practices and procurement policies.
• Supervise and train a three person habitat crew.
• Accurately track and record team grant deliverables and assist with the completion of reports.
• Assist with outreach and education efforts. 
• Attend/Assist with prescribed fire and other habitat management technique trainings.
• Assist with northern bobwhite quail surveys and other scientific surveys, including but not limited to spring breeding bird surveys, fall covey counts, vegetation surveys, and management of automated recording units (ARU) on private and conservation lands. 
• Perform other habitat management related duties as assigned.
• Job may require odd hours and travel/time away from home.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Two years of experience serving on a prescribed fire burn crew
• Experience leading crews in the completion of prescribed burns
• Experience writing prescribed burn plans
• A basic understanding of environmental, agricultural and/or natural resource science.  Education may be substituted for experience as determined relevant by the partners.  Preference will be given to candidates that possess a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in wildlife management
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of upland habitat management and restoration, prescribed fire, and the identification and control of invasive plant species
• Knowledge of wildlife ecology, grassland management, and/or forest management including the ability to utilize various habitat management equipment and tools in the development of wildlife habitat
• Safe transportation/hauling of equipment. Ability to safely haul and back trailers
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues, landowners, and partner agencies
• Ability to work independently with little supervision
• Excellent verbal/written communication and organizational skills
• Valid driver’s license required and a clean driving record
• Ability to lift and carry 50+ pounds safely and repeatedly
• Ability to pass, at minimum, a Light Work Capacity Test (1 mile in 16 minutes, no pack) annually. Increased levels of fitness may be required in future years
• Successful applicant may be required to obtain a CDL or private pesticide applicators license

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Preference will be given to applicants who have completed some or all of the coursework listed below:

Course Title

Course Number

Introduction to ICS

IS-100.C

Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service

L180

Firefighter Training

S130

Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

S190

NIMS: An Introduction

IS-700.b

Wildland Fire Chainsaws

S212

Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss)

S131

Portable Pumps and Water Use

S211

Firing Operations

S219

Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response

IS-200.c

Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior

S290

Prescribed Fire Burn Boss

Rx300

First Aid/CPR

• Ability to complete all coursework listed above (training opportunities will be provided).
• Two year of experience conducting prescribed burns and/or forest stand improvement using chainsaws or hack and squirt methods.
• Two year of experience applying herbicides to control undesirable species.
• A strong desire to educate and train private landowners in the use of prescribed fire and other habitat management techniques.

Training and Experience Guideline: Any combination of training and/or experience that will enable the applicant to possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Applicants who possess a Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife Management or closely related natural resources field and/or have related field experience are preferred. Prescribed fire training and field experience is required. Continued training and professional development opportunities will be provided.

Salary and Benefits: 

• Starting salary of $50,000 
• Health, vision, dental and more insurance coverage plans available.
• 401(k) Retirement plan with an employer match of up to 5%.
• Technology Stipend provided.
• Paid Time Off accrued at 15 days (120 hours) per year for new employees (increasing after 3 years).
• Bereavement/Family/Sick Leave of 6 days (48 hours) per year.  
• 13 Paid holidays.
• An Employee Benefit Summary can be found on our Careers page. 
• Vehicles and equipment are provided to perform work related activities.

Application Requirements: ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Please combine a cover letter, detailed resume, and 3 references into one MS Word document or Adobe Acrobat PDF file. Click on the blue “Attach Resume” button to upload your application package to the “Resume” section of our Recruitment website at: www.quailforever.org/jobs

For additional questions: Please contact John Mark Curtis, Quail Forever Mississippi State Coordinator at jcurtis@quailforever.org.

Pheasants Forever, Inc is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as a qualified individual with disability, or any other category that may be protected by law.