Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Assistant Region Wildlife Biologist, Fish and Wildlife Biologist 2
Recruitment #2023-12-8547
Full-time, Non-Permanent, Represented position.
Anticipated Non-permanent employment is January 2024-June 2025
Location: South Puget Sound Region- Enumclaw, WA
Location flexibility may be available and considered
Flexible Work Hours and Partial Telework flexibility may be available and considered
Salary: $4,497.00 – $6,046.00 Monthly 

Positions with permanent duty stations in King County receive an additional 5% added to their monthly base salary. The salary listed in this announcement reflects the additional 5%.

Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our South Puget Sound Region. Are you someone who loves the outdoors, and is passionate about working for the Department of Natural Resources as a Biologist? The DNR’s, South Puget Sound Region is looking for a Fish and Wildlife Biologist to work with our new Commercial Thinning team to enhance riparian and northern spotted owl habitat. If you love working in the outdoors, appreciate a remote natural environment, have good wildlife management skills, have a working knowledge of timber harvesting methods, support sustainable forest management, and enjoy being a part of a high-functioning team, then this job might be for you.

As part of the state lands timber sales program, this position contributes towards the critical role of sustainable management of Trust forestland.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the South Puget Sound Regions biological assessments to identify NSO and riparian areas most receptive to habitat enhancement through commercial thinning and structure creation.
  • Coordinate with Unit Managers to identify commercial thinning opportunities in Spotted Owl Management Units (SOMUs).
  • Document thinning sales with an NSO or riparian habitat enhancement memo.
  • Utilize Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and video to demonstrate the progress of Thinning Proviso objectives.
  • Prepare written Thinning Proviso reports and data summaries documenting assessments and recommendations bi-annually.
• Provide consulting services to district and region staff related to the effects of forest land management activities on wildlife and wildlife habitats such as the creation of high-quality NSO habitat and the survey of next best Movement Roosting and Foraging (MoRF) habitat.
  • Designing treatments to accelerate suitable NSO habitat conditions in young stands and move previously thinned stands into functional MoRF habitat.
  • Work with region biologists and division scientists to design a survey to identify levels of habitat components in Next Best MoRF habitat.
  • Recruit and train DNR staff to execute the survey of existing stand conditions.
  • Facilitate the addition of missing habitat components such as downwood, snags, and nest boxes utilizing private contractors.  
  • Evaluate unique habitat features such as balds, talus, cliffs, and caves utilizing DNR’s HCP policies and procedures.
• Assist the commercial thinning lead, successfully recruit, organize, and facilitate the day-to-day work of project layout and management.
  • Help recruit, organize, and facilitate the day-to-day work of presales teams.
  • Assist in the preparation of timber sales documents such as mapping, SEPA, Forest Practice Applications, and Water Type Modifications to name a few.
  • Meet regularly with the commercial thinning lead to facilitate Thinning Proviso objectives.
  • Helping with timber sale layout, sale compliance, and other field work as needed.
• Thinning treatments must be operationally feasible with the objective of accelerating attaining a specific HCP-defined riparian and/or NSO habitat condition. Each treatment will be modeled in the Forest Vegetation Simulation (FVS) program using collected stand data to demonstrate optimal thinning levels to obtain habitat objectives.
• Represent the South Puget Sound Region as the Thinning Proviso biologist in public/stakeholder collaboration

Required Qualifications: 

• A Bachelor’s degree in wildlife management, natural resource science, or environmental science AND one year of professional experience in wildlife management or wildlife research, or habitat management or habitat research
  OR a combination of equivalent education and experience.
• Knowledge of theory, principles, and practices of wildlife management and wildlife habitat needs and associations.
• Knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations associated with wildlife and their habitats.
• Knowledge of scientific methodologies and research project design.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
• Perform assigned duties in a manner consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and public records retention and requests are followed.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Experience in Excel, PowerPoint, and ArcGIS Pro.