Wildlife Conflict Technician – Natural Resource Technician 3 (In-Training) – Permanent – *06461-24

FULL-TIME/PERMANENT
WILDLIFE CONFLICT TECHNICIAN
NATURAL RESOURCE TECHNICIAN 3 (IN-TRAINING)

Wildlife Program – Region 4
La Conner, Washington – Skagit County

Are you interested in learning more about human-wildlife conflict and resolutions?

Coordinate and implement wildlife conflict section goals and objectives within the assigned area of responsibility.

Provide technical support to address commercial crop, livestock, and other private property damage primarily caused by ungulates (e.g., elk, deer) and/or carnivores (e.g., bear, cougar, wolf).

We are recruiting to hire at the Natural Resource Technician 2 or 3 level, and we will train a new hire at level 2  up to the Natural Resource Technician 3 level.

Depending on which level you are hired at, your salary will be as follows:
Natural Resource Technician 2 – $2,940.00 – $3,883.00 Monthly
Natural Resource Technician 3 – $3,294.00 – $4,385.00 Monthly

In this dynamic role, you will assist the Wildlife Conflict Specialist in the administration of contracts related to conflict management (e.g., Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements, Livestock Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements, wildlife damage permits).

You thrive on building collaboration and teamwork, working with Enforcement and, at times, with tribal collaborations regarding wildlife conflict resolution.

We are seeking a candidate to assist with implementing both lethal and non-lethal approaches, including community education efforts, to provide for management and mitigation of elk, deer, bear, or other wildlife conflict scenarios.

Duties:

Here are some things you will do in this role:

Assist the Wildlife Conflict Specialist with managing carnivore conflicts and reducing and controlling ungulate damage to private property, commercial crops, livestock, farming infrastructure, and forest resources in Skagit, Whatcom, San Juan, and Island counties: 

• Assist with the preparation, tracking, data entry, and coordination of landowner damage prevention agreements and permits.
• Assist with collaborations involving other agency employees, partners, and/or volunteers investigating the trial and efficacy of novel, non-lethal wildlife damage mitigation measures used to address wildlife conflict.
• Assists with or performs livestock depredation investigations and reports back to the WCS for determination.
• Assist the Region 4 North Wildlife Conflict Specialist with private lands crop damage, including DPCA contracts, deer, elk, other wildlife hazing and general wildlife conflict management.
• Capture and euthanize sick or injured wildlife.
• Determine appropriate usage and implementation of non-lethal techniques to haze and/or exclude problem wildlife.
• Employ wildlife damage management practices to mitigate human/wildlife conflicts as assigned. Actions include, but are not limited to fencing, hazing, herding, trapping, installing signs, applying deterrents and repellents, deploying sound emitting devices or bio-deterrents, installing fladry, and monitoring trail cameras.

Administrative and other duties as assigned: 

• Assist regional Wildlife Program staff with wildlife surveys.
• Collect and compile wildlife harvest data and public use data (e.g., pelt seal).
• Assist with cross-program tasks, under direction of WCS.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:
  • Office work includes work with personal computers.
  • Field work includes travel to and from field sites and work in outdoor conditions often in extreme weather conditions. Field surveys are conducted by vehicle and on foot. Field work can vary depending upon season and requires working outdoors during inclement weather, walking over rough terrain while carrying a light load. Also includes work with dangerous wildlife, pyrotechnics, firearms. Handling of biological material with potential for hazardous exposure. Use of needles and cutting instruments associated with wildlife capture and/or necropsy. Outdoor work settings include private land that may be in active crop production.
  • Work in inclement weather over difficult terrain, including deep snow, slippery rocks, steep banks, and sticky mud. Walk, bend, stoop, often on uneven terrain while at times carrying up to 50 pounds. Load and transport equipment and gear. Perform routine and repetitive work. Dispatch animals via firearms.
  • Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.
• Schedule:
  • Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Work outside of these hours may be assigned as needed to complete work tasks.
  • Often includes long and irregular hours to include 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 1 week at a time, may occur to attend conferences, training, assist with fieldwork, etc.
  • 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, personal computer/technology, mobile communication devices, field glasses, pyrotechnics, firearms, paintball guns, other hazing devices, electric fencing, GPS, cameras, 4×4 trucks (small/large), trailers, ATVs, hand tools and power tools (electric & gas). Safely operate firearms after required training and certification.
• 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 may experience heated interactions with the public requiring an ability to remain calm, professional, and diplomatic.

Qualifications:

This Natural Resource Technician 3 (In-Training) series provides mentoring and career development opportunities for candidates with limited experience.
 
Candidates will be hired as a Natural Resource Technician 2 or Natural Resource Technician 3, dependent on skills and experience.
 
Required Qualifications for the Natural Resource Technician 2:

• Positions typically require three (3) years of experience as a Habitat Technician 1 or equivalent.
  • Definition of Habitat Technician 1: Under close supervision and as a member of an organized crew, performs unskilled forest, agriculture, and/or aquatic land management labor.

Or

• College level work in the field of fish management, wildlife management, habitat management, agriculture, forestry, or a natural resource science may substitute year-for-year for experience.

License:

• Valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• 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.  This includes:
  • Ability to pass background checks, drug screening, and training to receive authorization to use a firearm.
  • The incumbent must also be approved through the Criminal Justice Information Services to operate agency incident tracking software (e.g., Spillman FLEX).
• Firearms training and certification (provided by Department; obtain within first 6 months of hire date).
• Livestock depredation Training (provided by Department; obtain within the first year of hire).
• First aid training (provided by Department; obtain within first 6 months of hire date).
• Chainsaw operator training (provided by Department; obtain within 6 months of hire, or as soon as offered).
• Heat-related illness training (provided by Department; obtain within 6 months of hire).
• May be required to obtain a pesticide or herbicide license.
• May need to obtain a CDL with specific endorsements.  If selected to obtain a CDL, incumbent would be tested for use of a controlled substance and alcohol misuse as required by the 1991 Federal Omnibus Transportation Testing Act.

Required Qualifications for the Natural Resource Technician 3:

• Two (2) years of experience as a Natural Resource Technician 2, Forest Technician, Engineering Aide 1, Administrative Assistant 1, or higher class performing technical or paraprofessional duties relating to land use, transaction lease, or development.

Or

• Three (3) years of experience as a general repairer or equivalent.
  • Examples of ‘general repairer’ are fixing or repairing vehicles (cars, trucks, trailers, ATVs, etc.) or parts of buildings/properties (roofs, windows, fences, doors, floors, etc.).

Or

• A Bachelor’s degree with major study in wildlife, agriculture, or other natural resource studies.

Or

• An Associate degree in natural resources, and two (2) years of technical experience in wildlife, land management, or other natural resource field.

License:

• Valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• 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.  This includes:
  • Ability to pass background checks, drug screening, and training to receive authorization to use a firearm.
  • The incumbent must also be approved through the Criminal Justice Information Services to operate agency incident tracking software (e.g., Spillman FLEX).
• Firearms training and certification (provided by Department; obtain within first 6 months of hire date).
• Livestock depredation Training (provided by Department; obtain within the first year of hire).
• First aid training (provided by Department; obtain within first 6 months of hire date).
• Chainsaw operator training (provided by Department; obtain within 6 months of hire, or as soon as offered).
• Heat-related illness training (provided by Department; obtain within 6 months of hire).
• May be required to obtain a pesticide or herbicide license.
• May need to obtain a CDL with specific endorsements.  If selected to obtain a CDL, incumbent would be tested for use of a controlled substance and alcohol misuse as required by the 1991 Federal Omnibus Transportation Testing Act.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: 
 
Experience with/in:

• Agricultural producers and/or private landowners.
• Fish, wildlife, and/or habitat management activities.
• Background or knowledge in/of agriculture, trapping, hunting, wildlife management/research, land management/wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement or other similar qualifications.
• Effectively communicating with the public, tribes, and other government entities.
• Working outdoors in remote wildness locations.
• Job knowledge:
  • Principles, practices, and methods of environmental or resource management, methods and techniques of field sampling, testing, data gathering, basic research and field investigations.
  • Applicable state, federal and local environmental & wildlife regulations, and policies.
  • Technical report writing methods.

Additionally:

• Wildlife population relationship and ecology.
• General agriculture and range management principles including local animal husbandry, crop rotation, and fencing practices.
• Principles of wildlife harvest management.
• Wildlife management tools and field techniques.
• Personal computer hardware and software (MS Office products and Adobe).
• Principles of wildlife damage management.
• Familiarity with WDFW hunting and wildlife conflict management regulations.

Abilities:

• Use sound, independent judgment in making decisions on environmental problems associated with human-wildlife conflict and completion of assigned tasks; understand and interpret plans, maps, and equipment specifications; understand and communicate complex environmental and wildlife regulations and statutes; communicate effectively with agency staff, other agencies, industry, and the public. Additionally:
  • Develop effective objectives, timelines, and action plans.
  • Communicate clearly in writing and orally.
  • Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
  • Follow prescribed policies, protocols, and procedures.
  • Record data and other information accurately and legibly.
  • Work independently and as a team member.
  • Effectively and safely operate standard highway vehicles, ATVs, tractors, and trailers.
  • Safely use hand and power tools, including chainsaws.
  • Perform in a punctual and dependable manner.
  • Navigate confrontational encounters in a respectful manner.

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 Cheri.Weld@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 Cheri.Weld@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 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@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.

Follow us on social media:
LinkedIn tendersglobal.net Facebook tendersglobal.net Instagram