FISHERIES & WILDLIFE BIO SCIENTIST IV - 77000208

State of Florida•Punta Gorda, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Conservation Planning Services (OCPS) is seeking an energetic and motivated candidate to work within a team of wildlife biologists providing assistance to private and public landowners. This position offers the opportunity to influence management decisions on a landscape level by developing and fostering long-term partnerships with private landowners who own and manage over half of Florida’s natural resources. OCPS provides scientific support and technical assistance to a wide array of private and public sector landowners and local, state, and federal governmental entities on habitat-related issues. OCPS develops comprehensive habitat-based management plans, develops and implements incentive programs for private landowners such as payment for ecological services, provides recommendations for implementation of habitat management programs on private and publicly-owned land, and conducts habitat assessments on conservation easements such as gopher tortoise recipient sites. This position will directly influence the management of both game and non-game species such as white-tailed deer, quail, turkey, waterfowl, Florida panther, gopher tortoise, black bear, indigo snake, scrub jay, wading birds, and others. The OCPS Southwest Region Team’s primary function is development, administration and delivery of voluntary, incentive-based habitat improvement programs including, but not limited to, FARM Bill Conservation Programs, Forest Stewardship Program, Landowner Incentive Program, Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services Program, Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site Program, and Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. This position will have the opportunity to closely coordinate and act as a liaison to implement FARM Bill programs including but not limited to CTA, ACEP, EQIP, and CSP.

Requirements

A high school diploma and 7 years professional experience in a closely related biological field or laboratory program is required.
A Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field can substitute for four of the 7 years of required experience.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Wildlife or Fisheries Management, Zoology, Environmental Sciences or other closely related curriculum and three years of professional experience in a natural resource program.
Degrees in Wildlife Management / Ecology or other natural resource fields are preferred.
The ability to positively communicate with a wide variety of landowners who have different land-uses and objectives for their property
Passion for motivating landowners to actively manage their habitats in ways that benefit wildlife
The ability and desire to be open-minded while working within a team of biologists to develop long-term partnerships with private landowners
The ability to multi-task as well as work alone when needed
Geographical Information System experience
Excellent communicative skills both verbal and written
Knowledge of Florida plant/animal communities
The ability to trailer and operate off-road vehicles such as UTVs
Knowledge of habitat management techniques
The ability to travel overnight less than 25%
Work alone in the field 50% of the time
Public speaking ability

Responsibilities

Building and fostering long-term partnerships with landowners
Biological data collection and analysis
Developing maps using ArcGIS Pro & ArcGIS Online
Writing Conservation Stewardship Plans, reports and land management prescriptions
Monitoring and evaluating program-funded fish and wildlife habitat enhancement activities
Collecting wildlife observations in the field
Planning and conducting educational workshops and field days