Assistant Ungulate Specialist - Fish and Wildlife Biologist 2 - Permanent - *11783-23

FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
ASSISTANT UNGULATE SPECIALIST
FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 2 

Wildlife Program 
Ellensburg, Washington – Kittitas County 

Are you interested in making a difference in the advancement of bighorn sheep management and contribute impactful research?

Focused primarily in central and north-central Washington, you will conduct outreach and perform fieldwork including big horn sheep monitoring, and surveying. 

Picture yourself, 

Attending community events to provide information on bighorn pneumonia and to distribute educational materials.

This is an opportunity,

To identify and coordinate mitigation methods to reduce pathogen transmission risk between domestic sheep or goats and bighorn sheep.

With your experience, 

Collect, inventory, and submit bighorn biological samples from capture, harvest, or necropsy.

We are seeking a candidate, 

Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties:

Community outreach, education, and disease mitigation: 

• Identify private domestic sheep and goat producers within or near bighorn sheep herd areas.
• Prioritize producers by risk potential and conduct field-visits to provide information and education materials on bighorn sheep pneumonia.
• Effectively and respectfully communicate with domestic sheep and goat producers to receive permission to conduct diagnostic screening for pneumonia-causing pathogens.
• Develop and deliver presentations on bighorn sheep pneumonia and management for professional and lay audiences.

Disease management field work and coordination: 

• Conduct before, during, and post treatment monitoring of experimental populations. This will include handling of domestic sheep and goats.
• Assist with capture and monitoring of bighorn sheep which may include chemical immobilization and helicopter net-gun implemented by 3rd party contractor.
• Conduct field necropsies to investigate mortalities, recover carcasses, and to collect biological samples.

Data management, data analysis, report generation:

• Uses ArcGIS, Program R, Microsoft Suite or other relevant software to manage, manipulate, and analyze bighorn sheep data to inform management activities and decisions.
• Analyze data regarding relationships among population size and density, home range size, dispersal, survival, disease infection and management actions.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Fieldwork is 60% of the position. This will include hiking while carrying up to 40 pounds across rugged terrain in various environmental conditions including temperature, precipitation, dangerous plants or wildlife.
  • Aerial surveys will be conducted in various aircraft including small fixed wing and helicopter platforms.
  • Will perform office duties 40% of the time.
• Schedule:
  • Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Workload demands will require work outside the assigned work hours and adjustment of work schedules.
• Travel Requirements:
  • Some overnight travel required.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • 4-wheel drive vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), radio telemetry, high-powered rifle firearm, dart rifle and electronics such as a personal locator beacons (PLB), and tablet.
• Customer Interactions:
  • Frequent, required interactions with the public and landowners on potentially contentious wildlife and domestic animal management issues.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor's degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science.

AND 

• One (1) year of professional experience in one (1) or more of the following:
  1. Fish management or fish research.
  2. Wildlife management or wildlife research.
  3. Habitat management or habitat research.

Please Note: 

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

Certifications/Licenses: 

• Valid Driver’s License.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Requires completion of “basic flight” training before working aboard small aircraft.
• Chemical Immobilization Training within six (6) months of employment.
• This position has been designated as one for which possession and use of a department-issued firearm is required and essential to performing the job duties. Must successfully meet all requirements of agency firearm policy (Policy 7011) and maintain eligibility to possess and use agency-issued firearm(s) at all times while in this position.
• Center-fire Rifle training within six (6) months of employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Master’s Degree in Wildlife Science or related subject.
• Familiarity with bighorn sheep pneumonia.
• Wildlife disease ecology training or experience
• Spanish language skills.

Experience: 

• Coordinating personnel on large-scale wildlife management or research projects.
• Conducting ungulate aerial surveys, capture and sampling, telemetry tracking, and necropsy.
• Managing and manipulating data and technical writing.
• Using GIS (Geographic Information System) software.
• Conducting statistical analysis with Program R or similar software.

Supplemental Information

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 Elizabeth.Bullard@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 Elizabeth.Bullard@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. For further information, please contact us at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.

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 at 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.

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