Description of Duties:

This is an opportunity to join our team within the Imperiled Species Management Section’s Manatee Management Program! This position is responsible for the collaborative implementation of the Manatee Warm-water Habitat Action Plan. This position will serve in a leadership capacity by facilitating the long-term prioritization of warm-water habitat networks, coordinating interagency habitat restoration and enhancement efforts, and overseeing the successful collaboration of statewide regional partnership teams. Responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Organizes, leads, and facilitates interagency and partner working groups and planning teams related to warm-water habitat restoration, enhancement, and creation;
• Oversees data collection, feasibility studies, and restoration activities, conducts data analyses, and regular monitoring of available data including, budget and contract management, interpretation of data and development of recommendations for habitat projects;
• Pursues grant funding, as directed, for identified restoration and enhancement projects and with internal and external organization partners;
• Coordinates discussions related to Warm-water Habitat Action Plan implementation with agency leadership, federal partners, and local governments;
• Serves as a subject matter expert for manatee warm-water and foraging habitat, leads commenting and/or provides support to other Section staff engaged in environmental permit review;
• Performs field and site visits related to manatee warm-water and foraging habitat as necessary;
• Prepares, publishes, and presents project management plans, regional progress reports, and relevant recommendations and initiatives through internal (reports and management plans) and external (oral presentations, peer-reviewed publications, professional, and public meeting, etc.) methods;
• Develops, revises, and updates power plant manatee protection plans in coordination with industrial and federal partners;
• Assists with the creation, maintenance and quality control of shapefiles, layers and geodatabases, develop maps and data summaries using ArcGIS, GoogleEarth, MS Access and MS Excel for management purposes;
• Assists with, or contributes to, state-wide management of water control structures, manatee protection zones, and manatee protection plans as needed;
• Contributes to program outreach efforts, including campaign development and manatee and sea turtle annual decal development and distribution as needed; and
• Assists with webpage development, equipment maintenance, and administrative duties as needed.
• Attends and represents the FWC at government meetings, public meetings, administrative hearings, and Commission meetings;
• Participates in the development and revision of county Manatee Protection Plans;
• Participates in the section’s stranding and salvage carcass recovery program;
• Participates other miscellaneous work assignments as needed;

 Qualifications:

• Qualified applicants will have a strong background in aquatic resource management, hydrology, and aquatic habitat enhancement methods.
• Qualified applicants will have a strong background in contract management and project development.
• Candidates with documented experience managing or leading professional working groups and/or teams is highly preferred.
• Qualified applicants will need to be highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and adept at problem-solving and time management to succeed in this position.