FISH & WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 3 (Full time, Permanent)

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is recruiting to fill one full time, permanent, Fish & Wildlife Biologist 3 position located in the Wildlife Program, Science Division. The duty station for this position is the Natural Resources Building, Olympia, Thurston County. This position serves as the wildlife data biologist and specialist responsible for biological interpretation, and analysis of game species data. Protocol survey and harvest data, including composition counts, age-structure and standardized pre- and post-harvest season population surveys, trapper and wildlife control officer reports of catch, and statewide projections of numbers of hunters and animals harvested, among other datasets, provide the foundation for harvest and population management goals for game species in Washington state. This position has the primary responsibility to solicit, synthesize, manage, interpret, and analyze biological resource information for game species, as well as conduct quality assurance and quality control. This position also provides data consultation, analysis, and reporting products that support game management plans and annual game status and trend reports. Development and maintenance of quality and accurate data products are key to maintaining population health and management success as well as guiding policy decisions and helping to ensure public confidence in harvest management strategies. This position reports to an IT Systems/App Spec 6 and interacts with other agency personnel, other government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the general public.

 

Duties

•Responsible for the stewardship/management of statewide game harvest and population survey data.  The position is responsible for independently synthesizing, managing, interpreting and analyzing spatial and tabular data.

•Provides game data consultation, analysis, reports and map products.

•Serves as the department technical expert on game population survey and harvest data products.

•Participates in needs assessments for corporate data and databases.

•Consults and tests the design of new databases, applications, and emerging technologies relevant to the assigned data management area (game species).

•Responsible for development, maintenance, and execution of high-risk corporate data routines.

•Assists with field work as needed to understand key survey protocols for game species in Washington State.

 

Qualifications

 

A Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, environmental science, or related field

 

AND

 

Three years of professional experience in fish management or fish research, wildlife management or wildlife research, or habitat management or habitat research. Twelve semesters or eighteen-quarter hours of specific course work is required for certain positions.

 

OR

 

A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute one year of the required experience. A Ph.D. in the applicable science may be substituted for two years of the required experience.

 

OR

 

Two years as a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2.

 

Equivalent education/experience.

 

A valid Washington State or other state driver’s license

 

Preferred/Desired Education, Training, Skills and Abilities/Competencies:

•Knowledge of principles and procedures of wildlife and habitat management (with emphasis on game species including but not limited to waterfowl, deer, elk, goat, sheep, moose, carnivores, and upland game)

•Comprehensive knowledge of methods for wildlife game population survey and harvest data collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation

•Familiarity with standard biological field methods, survey protocols, and analysis techniques for game data including mark-recapture, distance sampling, sightablity-correction modeling, and harvest surveys and estimation

•Understanding of Washington state game species range, distribution, harvest management strategies, and harvest rules, regulations, and seasons

•Comprehensive knowledge of relational database design and data management strategies including conducting needs assessments, normalization, and designing physical data models, queries and views, and reports and dashboards

•Expert level skills in Microsoft Office including database design and data wrangling in Access

•Experience building reports in Microsoft Access, Crystal Reports, or SQL Server reporting services

•Intermediate level ArcGIS for Desktop experience (minimum 2 years dedicated Geographic Information Systems work experience) including practical experience in geodatabase management, geoprocessing, and vector and raster based spatial analysis

•Basic to intermediate skills with Python, SAS, and/or  R

•Experience with Amazon Web Services, ArcGIS.com, Salesforce.com, Service Now, or other IaaS, SaaS, or APaaS solutions

•Expert skills in managing hardcopy and electronic records and maintaining effective systems for retrieval and distribution. Ability to effectively identify, collect, organize and document data and information in ways that make the information most useful for subsequent assessment, analysis, and investigation.

 

Ability to:

•Independently multi-task and effectively organize and prioritize multiple assignments, sometimes of a complex nature or involving competing priorities, to produce work products that are accurate, thorough, and on time;

•Effectively communicate complex subjects verbally and in writing using language that is appropriate to both the complexity of the topic and the knowledge and understanding of the audience;

•Maintain excellent interpersonal, relationship building and teamwork skills;

•Coordinate and lead work area and process activities;

•Balance quality of work with ability to meet deadlines by making efficient and effective use of available time;

•Accurately read, interpret, and retain information from written material, including technical reports, rules, regulations, manuals, instructions, charts, graphs, and tables;

•Prepare written reports;

•Learn new technologies and stay current with industry standard best practices for data management and game survey techniques and protocols;

•Operate field recording equipment such as Global Position Systems (GPS), Very High Frequency (VHF) and GPS telemetry equipment, and data recorders including Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), rugged handheld computers, mobile phones, tablets, and ruggedized personal computers;

•Work alone in remote locations and conduct surveys on foot, by vehicle, boat and helicopter.

 

https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs/1034112/fish-and-wildlife-biologist-3-12086w

 

Andrew Duff, CWB, PMP

Wildlife Data Systems Manager

Biological Data Systems, Wildlife Science Division

Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

600 Capital Way North

Olympia, WA 98501-1091

Phone: (360) 902-2362

Fax: (360) 902-2162

Mobile: (541) 292-4506

Email: andrew.duff@dfw.wa.gov