FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
WILDLIFE CONFLICT SPECIALIST
FISH AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST 3 

Wildlife Program – Region 5, Southwest Washington
Ridgefield, Washington – Clark County 

Salary listed does not include flight pay – flight pay is base pay plus 15% while performing low level flight operation duties.  

As a senior level biologist, bring your expertise and resolve human-wildlife conflict issues by providing sustainable solutions. 

Visualize yourself collaborating with private landowners to address and prevent damage to property, livestock, and commercial crops caused by ungulates and carnivores. 

In this dynamic role you will also lead efforts in Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements, depredation investigations, and assist in fostering recreational access opportunities.  

Picture yourself,

Working in Clark, Skamania, and Cowlitz counties, and responding to investigations of crop depredation, primarily caused by ungulates. 

This is an opportunity,

To make an impact in preventing future carnivore depredations by planning, negotiating, and implementing Livestock Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements.

With your effective and respectful communication skills,

Plan, facilitate, and represent the program/agency in public meetings, hearings, presentations, and workshops involving wildlife conflict management.

We are seeking a candidate, 

Who models WDFW values: Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

Duties:

Some of what our Wildlife Conflict Specialist will enjoy doing: 

Prevent and control ungulate (elk and deer), turkey, and waterfowl depredation on crops and property damage and coordinate with federal agencies for other wildlife species: 

• Conduct complex inspections and investigations to determine the nature and extent of damage to commercial crops.
• Identify damage mitigation alternatives, and prioritize efforts aimed at resolving wildlife damage.
• Perform follow-up inspections to ensure corrective action is implemented to address wildlife depredation. 
• Negotiate contracts and/or agreements and identifies settlement options with landowners and/or producers.
• Support damage hunt coordination, work with a variety of hunter types, landowners, and other agency staff to direct hunting pressure to help control damage.
• Provide technical recommendations regarding the development, coordination, and implementation of wildlife conflict management.

Prevent, reduce, and control wildlife damage and livestock depredations by carnivores (cougar, bear, wolf, bobcat, coyote) and addresses human safety concerns related to carnivores:

• Provide timely response and field investigations (such as necropsies) of livestock mortality or injury purportedly caused by carnivores.
• Collect data, develop alternatives, and prioritize efforts aimed at resolving wildlife damage.
• Negotiates contracts, agreements and identify settlement options with landowners and producers.
• Complete Depredation Investigation Reports, Deterrent Plans, Producers Checklists, and Chronologies in a timely manner.
• Develop, investigate, implement, and evaluate novel deterrent measures to reduce wildlife damage.

Respond to reports of injured or dangerous wildlife and independently make decisions as to disposition:

• Assist the Enforcement Program regarding dangerous wildlife (cougar, bear, wolf) as needed.
• Physical capture of injured wildlife and utilization of immobilization equipment to administer drugs to injured wildlife.
• Per department established protocols provide field euthanasia, when called for, on injured wildlife. 
• Coordinate or deliver injured wildlife to the appropriate rehabilitation facility.

Work with WDFW staff and private landowners to prevent and control bear damage on commercial timberlands.

• Conduct timely inspections and investigations to determine and/or verify the nature and extent of damage on commercial forest land caused by bears.
• Identify damage mitigation alternatives, and prioritize efforts aimed at resolving wildlife damage.

• Perform follow-up inspections to ensure corrective action is implemented to address wildlife depredation.

Provide outreach and communication to other agencies, tribes, and public on wildlife damage control issues:

• Plan, facilitate, and represent the program/agency in public meetings, hearings, presentations, and workshops involving wildlife conflict management.
• Provide education and outreach information designed to reduce negative wildlife interactions. 

Hire, mentor, and direct staff to assist the Wildlife Conflict Specialist work:

• Orient staff to job duties and functions of the agency, provides clear expectations and on roles and responsibilities, assure that appropriate safety and other training is provided.
• Observe and evaluate performance and work with staff to improve productivity and effectiveness
• Maintain and contribute to a respectful, rewarding, and friendly work environment.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Position will work in an office and field environment. Outdoor work settings will include private land that may be in active crop production.
  • Field work can vary depending upon the season and requires working outdoors during inclement weather, traveling to and from field sites, and walking over rough terrain (deep snow, slippery rocks, steep banks, and sticky mud) while carrying a light load (up to 50 pounds) of equipment, firearms, and a backpack with tools. 
  • Walk, bend, and stoop often on uneven terrain while at times carrying or frequently transporting equipment and gear (up to 50 pounds) including fencing materials and traps.  
  • Will work with dangerous wildlife, pyrotechnics, firearms, and scheduled/classified drugs. 
  • Handle biological material with potential for hazardous exposure and the use of needles and cutting instruments. 
  • Field surveys are conducted by airplane, helicopter, vehicle, and on foot.
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
• Schedule:
  • Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. Work outside of these hours may be assigned as needed to complete work tasks. 
  • Often includes long and irregular hours, evenings and weekends as determined by business needs and emergent issues. 
• Travel Requirements:
  • Frequent single-day trips to work sites throughout assigned area. Infrequent overnight travel to other areas of Washington, for up to one (1) week at a time may occur to attend conferences, trainings, and to assist with fieldwork. 
  • Occasional travel for out of local area meetings and/or conferences may be necessary as determined by business needs and emergent issues dictate.
• Tools and Equipment:
  • Office equipment, computer/technology, mobile communication devices, field glasses, pyrotechnics, firearms, paintball guns, other hazing devices, electric fencing, GPS, cameras, 4x4 trucks (small/large), trailers, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), snowmobiles, chemical immobilization drugs and delivery devices, and a combination of gas/electric hand tools and power tools. 
• Customer Interactions:
  • Frequent contact with the public, private landowners, hunters, Tribes, employees from within and out of agency to include Federal, State and Local municipalities. Occasionally encounter individuals who may be frustrated. 

Qualifications:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor's degree in fisheries, wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science.

AND 

• Three (3) years of professional experience in one (1) or more of the following: Fish management or fish research. Wildlife management or wildlife research. Habitat management or habitat research. (Twelve semesters or eighteen-quarter hours of specific course work is required for certain positions).

OR 

• Two (2) years as a Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2.

Please Note: 

• Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.
• A Master’s degree in the applicable science will substitute one (1) year of the required experience.
• A Ph.D. in the applicable science may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

Certifications/Licenses: 

• Valid Driver's License.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Ability to pass background checks, drug screening, and training to receive authorization to use a firearm and to be approved through the Criminal Justice Information Services.
• This position has been designated as one for which possession and use of a department-issued firearm is required and essential to performing job duties. Must successfully meet all requirements of agency firearm policy (Policy 7011) and maintain eligibility to possess and use agency-issued firearm(s) at all times while in this position.
• Aircraft safety training must be taken before the first flight.

In addition to the above, the following trainings must be obtained within six (6) months of hire date: 

• First Aid training.
• Firearms training and certification.
• Livestock depredation training.
• Wildlife handling.
• Chemical immobilization training.
• Wildlife Capture.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

One (1) or more years of experience in the following: 

• Working with carnivores.
• Working with ungulate and carnivore conflict issues.
• Trapping and immobilizing wildlife.

Knowledge of: 

• Principles of wildlife damage management.
• Wildlife population relationship and ecology.
• Principles of wildlife harvest management.
• Wildlife management tools and field techniques.
• Wildlife-habitat relationships and habitat management requirements.
• General agriculture, silviculture, and range management principles.
• Plant and animal species identification including the basic anatomy and physiology.
• Field investigations and necropsies on domestic livestock animals.
• Environmental rules and regulations and local and state laws governing land use.
• Personal computer hardware and software (Microsoft Suite products, Geographic Information Systems, and Adobe).
• WDFW habitat and access programs.
• WDFW hunting and fishing regulations.
• Contract administration.
• Grant writing.
• Technical report writing methods. 

Ability to: 

• Perform complex field investigations and necropsies to identify the cause of a depredation on domestic animals and livestock as associated with wild carnivores.
• Effectively and safely operate ATVs, 4-wheel drive vehicles, and standard highway vehicles and additional equipment and tools including radios and other mobile communication devices, laptop computers, digital cameras, spotting scopes/binoculars, global positioning systems, radio telemetry, motion activated cameras, tools associated with fencing, traps, guns, snares, pyrotechnics, and radio telemetry.
• Visually differentiate when identifying and distinguishing biological and physical features. 
• Recognize differentiating plant and animal characteristics to identify species.
• Safely and humanely dispatch animals. 
• Safely use power and hand tools.
• Conduct field surveys to collect data.

Supplemental Information:

Please note: Failure to follow the instructions below may lead to disqualification.

Experience and education selected, listed, and detailed in the Supplemental Questions must be verifiable in the application.

In order to successfully apply for this position, you MUST complete your profile at www.careers.wa.gov and attach the following to your profile before completing the online application:

• A cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications of this position (Generic cover letter will not be accepted).
• A current resume. 
• Three professional references. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link:  https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

JOIN THE WDFW TEAM:

Learn about our agency and the perks of working for WDFW!

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has some of the most talented people in the natural resource field.  We celebrate and value diversity, appreciating that a workforce composed of those from different backgrounds and experiences creates an inclusive environment, strengthens positive relationships with the local community, and brings new perspectives and approaches to fulfilling the agency’s mission. We value demonstrated skill in living WDFW values of Accountability, Service, Professionalism, Integrity, Respect, and Empathy (ASPIRE).

WDFW employees may be eligible for the following: Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave types. 

Eleven (11) Paid Holidays per year and one (1) personal holiday if the employee is scheduled to be, or has been, continuously employed by the State of Washington for at least four (4) months. 

Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA),  and an Employee Assistance Program.

UNION - WAFWP:

This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

VETERAN PREFERENCE NOTICE:

To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Email a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter to Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and Vet (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – Veteran)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE NOTICE: 

To take advantage of military spouse preference, please do the following:

• Notify us of your military spouse status by email at Elizabeth.Bullard@dfw.wa.gov.  
• Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and MS (for example: #10155 Biologist 1 – MS)
• Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Note: Please blackout any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. 

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications.   Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully.  All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer.  We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity.   Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.  

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone at 360-902-2278 or email JaymeChase@dfw.wa.gov  or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.

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