On-Call Wildlife Technician

ICF • Cheyenne, WY

5d

About The Position

The Wildlife Technician position supports the Environment & Planning Division of ICF. We provide environmental planning, policy, permitting, and other services to clients. We are passionate about doing what’s right for our clients, our people, the communities where we live and work, and the environment. We are planners, scientists, program managers, communicators, economists, technologists, and strategists. We are collaborative, curious, and committed to excellence—these are qualities we value that make us who we are and inspire us to grow. If you perform well in a fast-paced, engaging and collaborative environment, and would like to work with a diverse team of industry professionals, we encourage you to learn more about ICF (www.icf.com) and consider applying to join our team. One of ICF’s many offices around the world is Gillette - located in the heart of Wyoming’s energy producing Powder River Basin. The Gillette office is a small, biology-driven office composed of primarily wildlife biologists. The majority of their work is centered around the mining, oil and gas, and renewable energy industries in the Rocky Mountain Region. Gillette is an industrial town of approximately 35,000 people, and within driving distance of the famous Black Hills region, Devil’s Tower, and Big Horn Mountains. Nearest cities include Rapid City, SD, Billings, MT, and Casper, WY. As a Wildlife Technician, you will be responsible for completing ground and aerial wildlife surveys, habitat assessments, and data entry. Aerial surveys are conducted with a small fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter. Field work is often performed on foot in rugged, often hilly, rocky terrain and the ability to hike long distances is required. The fieldwork will require long and often irregular hours (potentially nights, early mornings, and some weekends) in potentially adverse weather conditions. Fieldwork will be conducted in remote areas with the potential for overnight/extended travel. Technicians must be able to confidently identify western avian and mammalian species. Surveys may include but are not limited to searches for sage-grouse, prairie dogs, waterfowl, passerines, and raptors. Technicians must have excellent navigational skills with GPS, tablets, and be able to operate four-wheel-drive trucks. Technicians will be required to work independently in the field, so dedication, resourcefulness, and accountability are essential skills for the position. While fieldwork will be conducted independently, all work will be carried out as part of a larger team effort, and excellent communication skills and an ability to cooperate in a team are equally important qualities. Given the seasonal or project-specific nature of our environmental work, ICF often hires environmental professionals as “On-Call” employees. On-call employees are scheduled for work hours as they become available and suitable weather conditions permit (work is usually scheduled a few weeks ahead of time), and each on-call employee is free to accept or refuse the hours assigned to them in a given week. On-call employees may work concurrent projects outside of their ICF assignment (as long as their outside work does not create a conflict of interest with the work they do for ICF). Expected fieldwork responsibilities to include 40-50+ hours per week from early-April through early-July with the possibility of extension depending on potential projects. Work would be based out of the Gillette office but could require travel throughout the Rocky Mountain states.

Requirements

• B.S. degree in wildlife biology or closely related field.
• Must be proficient in navigation using iPads, maps, and GPS.
• Must have a valid driver's license and be able to operate four-wheel drive trucks.

Nice To Haves

• Must be able to work independently in the field for extended periods of time, often with limited mobile phone reception.
• Solid avian and mammalian identification skills.
• Ability to hike long distances (up to 12 miles per day), withstand cold/hot and windy conditions for long periods, and be able to lift heavy items (more than 50 lbs.) if needed for field safety.
• Strong knowledge of Rocky Mountain Region fauna.
• Short-grass prairie/shrub-steppe vegetation identification skills.
• Previous experience conducting aerial surveys from fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter.
• Ability to withstand aerial flying conditions at low altitudes and sitting in confined spaces.
• Previous consulting experience or biological resources management.
• Experience in or knowledge of conventional and renewable energy development industries.
• MSHA certified
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and be flexible regarding the work schedule in a fast-paced environment
• Sound business ethics, including the protection of proprietary and confidential information
• Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to analyze situations, identify existing or potential problems and recommend solutions
• Excellent organization skills and the ability to follow established field and data management protocols
• Proficiency in MS Office Applications (Word, Outlook, Excel) and Esri FieldMaps programs

Responsibilities

• Ground and aerial biological surveys.
• Greater sage-grouse lek surveys.
• Record keeping, longhand field notes, and data entry.
• Raptor nest searches and prairie dog colony delineation surveys.
• Work in a manner that promotes safety for yourself and others around you.
• Work collaboratively with project managers regarding availability and project completion.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees