Field Biologist

Ducks Unlimited is seeking a Field Biologist in western Minnesota. In partnership with the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), one DU position will be based in their Fergus Falls Wetland Management District (WMD) Office. Start date for this position is negotiable.

Duties and Responsibilities:

This position identifies, develops, and delivers prairie and wetland enhancement and restoration projects in west central Minnesota on federal USFWS lands including Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs), National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs), and habitat easements on private lands. This position will fill a critical gap in the delivery of prairie-wetland complex conservation across Minnesota’s prairie pothole region. Working as part of a cohesive team alongside biologists and engineers from DU and USFWS, this position will play a central role in advancing habitat restoration and enhancement efforts. This position reports to DU’s Regional Biologist in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

The field biologist will help plan and oversee wetland and grassland restorations, manage contractor activities, collect and analyze site data, and track deliverables for reporting. The biologist will also interact, communicate, and coordinate with USFWS partners and with the private landowners on easements. These are hands-on, field-based positions that require strong technical skills, ecological knowledge, and a collaborative mindset. Throughout the process, the biologist will work closely with all project partners to ensure that conservation outcomes are optimized across all stages of planning, implementation, and long-term management.

Specific Duties:

• Coordinate work between DU and USFWS to manage and deliver on the ground habitat projects in west central Minnesota. Projects will be an even split between work on WPAs and USFWS Habitat Easements.
• Work with DU Regional Biologists to plan/design and hire/supervise contractors to restore and enhance prairie pothole wetlands and grasslands on USFWS Habitat Easements and WPAs, including communicating restoration plans to private landowners when applicable.
• Identify degraded wetlands and native grasslands in need of restoration and enhancement using GIS, aerial imagery, office resources, and field investigations.
• Conduct field investigations to locate drained and degraded wetlands in need of restoration or enhancement improvement and use soil/sediment core sampler, tile probe, laser level, and other field tools to gather data to inform restoration/enhancement plans.
• Work with DU biologists and engineers to develop wetland restoration and enhancement plans, including sediment, tile, and tree removal, ditch plugs, and small berms.
• Oversee construction of prairie and wetland enhancement and restoration to ensure contractor compliance with restoration and enhancement designs plans, including permitting, project contracting, one-on-one contractor management, and payment processing.
• Track activities and report findings and accomplishments to DU Regional Biologists and Conservation Program Manager and Director for internal DU tracking and public grant reporting.

Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelor of Science in wildlife or a related field from an accredited university.
• 1-2 years of relevant work experience in habitat restoration or management, easement coordination, or landowner engagement preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of prairie ecosystems, prairie and wetland habitat restoration planning, and project delivery is desired.
• Effective coordination skills, communication skills, relationship building skills both internally with DU staff and externally with private landowners and conservation partners. Ability to communicate critically when required, including managing varying personalities and challenging contractors.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with ArcGIS Pro, basic restoration design, and project management desired.
• Experience with Trimble/in-field GPS systems preferred but not required.
• Willingness to work outdoors in variable conditions for extended durations and travel regularly throughout the coverage area.
• Ability to safely handle physical tasks such as lifting, digging, or carrying materials in the field.

Schedule: This is a full-time, salaried position. Working hours will be a balance of office and field work, with the approximate allocation dependent on scheduling, seasonal priorities, and other factors. The position is office-based with frequent travel required in west-central Minnesota. Outdoor field work, sometimes in inclement weather, may require physical exertion or lifting as needed.