OPS Fish & Wildlife Technician - 77907748
About The Position
Three technicians will be hired from mid-April to mid-August 2026 to assist with estimating abundance and density of black bears in northcentral Florida. No bears will be captured or handled. Duties include installing barbed-wire hair corrals and collecting bear hair samples following a strict sampling protocol, collecting bait and other supplies, entering and correcting data, and other duties as assigned. Technicians will build corrals in a 2-person team but check them alone. A typical work week is 10 hours/day over 4 days with 3 days off, but technicians may be required to work extra days as needed to stay on schedule. The job will be strenuous, requiring technicians to hike off-trail in harsh weather conditions (e.g., high temperatures and humidity) in areas with biting insects and venomous snakes. Field housing will be provided but food expenses will not be covered. Technicians will be driving agency vehicles during work hours but will need their own transportation for personal time.
Requirements
- A high school diploma and two years of post-high school experience in wildlife, fisheries, environmental, ecological or related agriculture or construction is required.
- Vocational training or an Associate’s degree in wildlife, fisheries, environmental, ecological or related agriculture or construction from an accredited school or college may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.
- Employment in this position is contingent upon a satisfactory Level 1 background check at no cost to the candidate.
- Must have own transportation for personal time.
- Possess strong organizational skills and high attention to detail.
- Ability to lift and carry 30 lbs.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Ability and desire to work in remote areas and under adverse field conditions, such as harsh weather conditions (hot temperatures and humidity), biting insects, and venomous snakes.
- Willingness to live in shared housing, possibly with mixed-genders, provided at no cost.
- Ability to drive a 4WD truck on unimproved, sandy or wet roads.
- Ability to drive an ATV.
- Ability to load an ATV onto a utility trailer or into a truck bed using a ramp
- Skills navigating off-trail by handheld GPS/phone apps (e.g. FieldMaps, On-X, etc.).
- Ability to accurately check data for errors.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others, including a remote supervisor.
Nice To Haves
- A Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife or other biological fields.
- Experience driving 4-wheel vehicles and atvs on unmaintained roads.
- Experience building and maintaining barbed wire hair corrals for bears or other large carnivores.
- Experience entering data by cell phone into a cloud-based application such as Survey123.
Responsibilities
- Installing barbed-wire hair corrals and collecting bear hair samples following a strict sampling protocol
- Collecting bait and other supplies
- Entering and correcting data
- Other duties as assigned
Benefits
- Eligible OPS positions and qualifying applicants may enjoy top-tier benefits offerings including comprehensive health coverage to meet the needs of you and your family while maintaining low deductibles and low monthly out-of-pocket contributions.
- Health Premiums $25.00- Single / $90.00- Family Biweekly
- Low Cost $25,000 Life Insurance
- OPS FICA Alternative Retirement Plan
- On the Job Trainings
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
Number of Employees
1,001-5,000 employees
