Wildlife Diversity Technician - Scientific Tech 2 - Non-Permanent - Two Positions - *04714-24

TWO (2) OPENINGS

FULL-TIME/NON-PERMANENT

WILDLIFE DIVERSITY TECHNICIAN

SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN 2 (ST2)

Wildlife Program

• Diversity Section

Olympia, Washington

• Thurston County

Anticipated Appointment Length: 18 months

These roles play a crucial part in promoting wildlife diversity in western Washington, aligning with the Agency's mission to conserve and revive habitats and species. The work is comprised of fieldwork primarily in Region 6, with occasional assignments across western Washington.

You'll be immersed in field data collection, wildlife management, habitat improvement, and research, all aimed at furthering Washington's conservation efforts for Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Your projects could range from implementing vital recovery strategies and habitat management to tracking species trends, conducting research, and monitoring diseases across diverse taxa.

Western Pond Turtle

• Photo credit

• WDFW

Here is some of what you will be doing, 

• Use established protocols to complete wildlife surveys including but not limited to:

• Reptile and amphibian surveys, monitoring, research

• Snowy Plover surveys and monitoring

• Bat surveys

• Insect monitoring and distance sampling

• Gopher surveys

• Songbird surveys

• Additional data collection on species as prioritized

• Assist with habitat management/enhancement projects directed toward the recovery of species of greatest conservation need.

• Downloading and entering data.

• Maintain and organize field equipment and supplies.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Setting, including hazards:

• The working environment is primarily composed of field work but does involve field preparation in the office and data management and summarization. Up to 75% of the time will be spent in the field or preparing to go in the field.

• While in the field, the employee should expect to encounter a variety of conditions such as inclement weather, dense understory vegetation, muddy wetlands, slippery river rocks, steep slopes, clear cuts, heat, cold, low light, and biting insects.

• Field work requires hiking off-trail at times and bending, ducking, balancing, and crawling through, under, and over dense understory and woody debris as well in caves, bridges, tunnels, and culverts, wetlands, and over exposed terrain.

• Navigating and driving on established and dirt/logging roads located throughout western Washington.

• Employees will at times be required to carry a heavy pack (<40 pounds) and haul awkward equipment (e.g., rebar). 

• A small portion of time will be spent in a busy office environment.

• Must be able to negotiate water in emergency situations.

• Schedule:

• Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but schedule may change depending on field work needs. The approximate duration of this position is 18 months. The anticipated start date is April 15, 2024.

• Travel Requirements:

• Daily in state vehicle travel to job sites with regular overnight travel.

• Tools and Equipment:

• Desktop computers, standard computer programs (i.e., Microsoft Word and Excel) ArcGIS, GPS, digital cameras, iOS handhelds/apps (iPads), specialized wildlife acoustic detectors, temperature, and relative humidity dataloggers, PIT tag readers.

• Customer Interactions:

• Employees may be approached by landowners or other users of public and/or private lands when in or on route to study sites.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from high school or GED, including one year of high school science and two (2) years of experience as a Scientific Technician 1.

OR

• Graduation from high school or GED including one year of high school science and two (2) years of field experience as an assistant to a biologist, chemist, or zoologist.

PLUS:

• Knowledge of principles and procedures of biological research; standard laboratory and field methods; wildlife ecology.

• Familiarity with technology including Windows computers, Microsoft Office software (e.g., Excel, Word, Access), iOS handhelds/apps(iPads), digital cameras, GPS, etc.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Valid driver's license

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

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

• One (1) year professional experience conducting field research.

• Familiarity with western Washington flora and fauna.

• Experience conducting field surveys for pond turtles, amphibians, songbirds, insects, or shorebirds.

• Experience handling shorebirds

• Familiarity with wildlife disease management and decontamination procedures.

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 diana.humes@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 diana.humes@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 | Facebook | Instagram

dh