F&W BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST III - 77072929

State of Florida•Lakeland, FL

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a full-time Career Service position that is eligible for all career service state employee benefits including paid leave, health insurance, retirement benefits, tuition waivers for continuing education, and numerous agency trainings for professional development. This position works in the FWC’s Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section (WDC), serving as the Southwest Region’s Gopher Tortoise Conservation Biologist. The candidate selected for this position will work with a dynamic team of biologists to protect and conserve gopher tortoises throughout Florida and particularly in the 12-county Southwest Region. The selected candidate will work across FWC divisions, partners, and stakeholders to implement the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines. This position is responsible for reviewing, evaluating and processing gopher tortoise permit applications, including drafting permits and related notices to agency standards. This is not a field-based position, though duties also include occasional work in the field conducting site visits to areas under consideration for permitting to verify gopher tortoise surveys/population estimates, evaluate habitat suitability for tortoises and other listed species, and document occurrences of other listed species. Site visits are also conducted to permitted areas to ensure compliance with state rules and guidelines. Responsibilities may include reviewing draft conservation easement documents and habitat management plans to implement permit conservation requirements and goals. This position has the opportunity to participate in and lead team meetings, seminars, and workshops relating to wildlife resource management, as well as other professional development opportunities within and outside of the FWC. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to participate in outreach activities providing technical and educational information to conservation organizations, professional audiences, schools, and civic groups. The person in this position works collaboratively with a regional team of species conservation biologists to improve wildlife conservation in the region. This may include assisting with or leading priority imperiled species projects, developing or enhancing partnerships with other organizations, providing technical assistance to the public and other agencies, inputting and managing data, maintaining equipment, and providing other administrative support for regional activities as necessary. This position supervises one Assistant Gopher Tortoise Biologist and is responsible for administrating supervisory responsibilities, including work plan management, time sheet approvals, and hiring procedures. Some overnight travel for fieldwork, meetings, or events is required.

Requirements

A high school diploma and 6 years professional experience in a closely related biological field or laboratory program is required.
Eligible candidates must possess and maintain a valid Driver’s License.
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Nice To Haves

A graduate (M.S. or higher) degree is preferred.
Knowledge of gopher tortoise and other wildlife survey procedures, the identification of natural communities and listed wildlife species endemic to Florida is highly desirable.
Knowledge of the Florida listed species process, permitting, and/or wildlife conservation is preferred.
Knowledge in gopher tortoise and other wildlife survey protocols
Knowledge of Florida listed species permitting is preferred
Ability to identify natural communities and listed wildlife species endemic to Florida is highly desirable
Knowledge or experience on habitat management techniques that benefit terrestrial wildlife
Ability to spend long hours outdoors, walking across uneven terrain in various climate conditions
Ability to read and interpret aerial, habitat, soils, and land use maps
Skill in interacting and communicating effectively with internal and outside entities, including both written and verbal communication
Skill in presenting technical information to various audiences
Ability to work with minimal supervision and as part of a team
Skill in using computers and relevant software, use and maintenance of equipment required
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
Ability to problem-solve and handle conflict with professionalism
Ability to plan and prioritize work assignments, multi-task, establish and meet deadlines; possesses good time management skills
Ability to understand and apply applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures
Strong customer service skills required
Ability to occasionally travel out of town with overnight stays
Skill in use of Microsoft Office software, Adobe Acrobat, and ArcGIS

Responsibilities

Reviewing, evaluating and processing gopher tortoise permit applications, including drafting permits and related notices to agency standards.
Conducting site visits to areas under consideration for permitting to verify gopher tortoise surveys/population estimates, evaluate habitat suitability for tortoises and other listed species, and document occurrences of other listed species.
Conducting site visits to permitted areas to ensure compliance with state rules and guidelines.
Reviewing draft conservation easement documents and habitat management plans to implement permit conservation requirements and goals.
Participating in and leading team meetings, seminars, and workshops relating to wildlife resource management.
Participating in outreach activities providing technical and educational information to conservation organizations, professional audiences, schools, and civic groups.
Assisting with or leading priority imperiled species projects.
Developing or enhancing partnerships with other organizations.
Providing technical assistance to the public and other agencies.
Inputting and managing data.
Maintaining equipment.
Providing other administrative support for regional activities as necessary.
Supervising one Assistant Gopher Tortoise Biologist and administering supervisory responsibilities, including work plan management, time sheet approvals, and hiring procedures.