FWC Mission Statement: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check

Class Title: OPS Fisheries and Wildlife Biological Scientist III

Working Title: Gopher Tortoise Monitoring Biologist

OPS Hourly Pay Rate: $23.44 per hour, 40 hours per week

OPS Hours Worked per Year: Not to exceed 1920 hours per Fiscal Year

Position Number: 77909073

Location: Russell Park, 1875 Orange Avenue East, Tallahassee, FL 32311 preferred; one of FWC’s regional offices may be considered based on applicant’s qualifications

Supervisor: McKayla Susen

Broadband Code: 19-1023-03

Region: Northwest

County: Leon

Working Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm, a flexible work schedule may be authorized

List of Subordinates Supervised: None; opportunities may arise to supervise interns, as applicable.

Residency Requirement: Florida

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science degree with a major in one of the biological sciences and one year of professional biological experience (preferred); Master of Science degree in one of the biological sciences or two years of professional experience in conservation programs may be given preference.

A resume or CV and cover letter describing your interest in this position and your relevant experience must be attached to the electronic State of Florida employment application.

Description of Position: The Division of Habitat and Species Conservation is comprised of six Sections and two offices. The Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section (WDC) is seeking a fish and wildlife professional for an exciting opportunity to contribute to the conservation of imperiled wildlife and their habitats.

This OPS position serves as the Gopher Tortoise Monitoring Biologist for FWC’s Program Planning and Monitoring group within the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. The individual in this position works as part of a team responsible for tracking the implementation and effectiveness of conservation plans, with an emphasis on the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and its alignment with other significant FWC planning documents and efforts. This position will coordinate with other sections and divisions of the FWC and external partners to improve monitoring of species, habitats, conservation threats and actions. The incumbent will also maintain datasets including conservation action tracking data, spatial data, and community science data.

Description of Duties:

• Coordinate implementation and effectiveness tracking of conservation actions within the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and other FWC conservation plans such as the Imperiled Species Management Plan and State Wildlife Action Plan.
• Develop, populate, and maintain gopher tortoise geodatabases and other datasets.
• Analyze and compile scientific and GIS data into technical reports, publications, and presentations.
• Maintain the community science-based programs such as the Florida Gopher Tortoise application and Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yards; perform QA/QC, analyze, and generate reports to inform conservation efforts.
• Assist with coordination of gopher tortoise and commensal research activities across the agency, provide biological opinions on agency research permit applications as requested, and coordinate with external partners and stakeholders.
• Leverage technologies to analyze, improve, and implement new tools to collect and manage species and habitat data.
• Speak publicly to further Florida’s conservation mission. This may include presenting at internal FWC meetings, external working groups, stakeholder meetings, and outreach events. 
• Assist with project management including grant writing, contract management, budget management and reporting.
• Assist with the student intern program.
• Although this is not a field position, opportunities may arise to assist with wildlife surveys and other field-based work; may include overnight travel (<10% of time). 

Other duties include staying informed of current and relevant science regarding gopher tortoises and burrow commensal species; participating in team meetings, seminars and workshops relating to wildlife resource management; partaking in career development training opportunities within and outside FWC; and other duties as assigned by their supervisor. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Well-organized, detail-oriented, able to oversee multiple projects simultaneously, and able to set priorities and complete tasks on schedule. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
• Strong data management skills including experience with ArcGIS and other data management tools. Familiarity with ArcGIS Pro, GPS units, smartphone applications, and statistical software programs, preferred.
• Able to apply technical and scientific knowledge to develop and implement projects; analyze, interpret, and explain complex technical issues regarding wildlife conservation activities.
• Strong organizational skills (time management, project management, data management), customer service, problem-solving skills, and proactively embrace new responsibilities and drive project development.
• Strong written and oral communication skills to work with internal and external customers.  
• Ability to work 40 hours a week with occasional overnight travel for conferences, meetings, trainings, and other relevant activities.
• Preference for familiarity with standardized surveys for gopher tortoises and other wildlife.  
• Preference for an understanding of gopher tortoise natural history and biology, as well as the flora and fauna of southeastern ecosystems. 

WHAT IS OPS EMPLOYMENT? 

OPS (Other Personnel Services) positions are paid for the number of hours they work. OPS employees are at-will employees and are subject to actions such as pay changes, changes to work assignments, and terminations at the pleasure of the agency head or designee.

WHAT BENEFITS ARE APPLICABLE TO OPS EMPLOYEES? 

• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan - mandatory
• Workers’ Compensation - mandatory
• Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) - mandatory
• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements. Consult with People First or the servicing Human Resource Office for details.)     
• Deferred Compensation - voluntary
• Employee Assistance Program – voluntary

WHAT BENEFITS ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO OPS EMPLOYEES?

• Paid leave
• Paid holidays
• Participation in the Florida Retirement System
• Reinstatement rights or retention rights

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

https://jobs.myflorida.com/job/TALLAHASSEE-OPS-F-&-W-BS-III-77909073-FL-32311/1288049100/