OPS F&W Technician - 77907419

Requisition No: 869791 

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: OPS F&W Technician - 77907419

 Pay Plan: Seasonal

Position Number: 77907419 

Salary:  $20/hour 

Posting Closing Date: 03/22/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

FWC Avian Research Subsection

Wildlife Technician – OPS Position

$20 per hour

1105 SW Williston Rd

Gainesville, FL 32601  

Avian Research Subsection

Wildlife Technician - OPS 77973144

Gainesville, Florida - $20 per hour

Our organization:

The FWC envisions a Florida where fish and wildlife are abundant and thriving in healthy and connected natural landscapes with vital working lands and waterways; where natural resources are valued and safely enjoyed by all; and wherein natural systems support vibrant human communities and a strong economy.

Our Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

Every organization has an identity that is forged not only by what it does, but by how it conducts itself.  The values embedded in our mission and expressed in the vision of the FWC are to make quality decisions by being dynamic, science-informed, efficient, ethical, collaborative and committed to the vitality of the state and its environment.

Minimum Qualifications:

A high school diploma and two years of post-high school experience in wildlife, fisheries, environmental, ecological or related agriculture or construction is required. Vocational training or an

Associate’s degree in wildlife, fisheries, environmental, ecological or related agriculture or construction from an accredited school or college may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

 
Preferred Qualifications: 

Preference may be given to candidates with the following qualifications:

Two- or more years of experience with waterfowl and waterbird identification; or one year of experience with waterfowl and waterbird identification and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management, conservation biology, or closely related field.
Previous experience with one or more of the following:

Watching and extracting data from prerecorded biological videos.

ArcGIS Pro software.

Watercraft usage and safety.

Scientific data collection

Care for and maintenance of waterfowl decoys.

Recreational birding in wetlands.

Requirements:

Employment in this position is contingent upon a satisfactory Level 1 background check at no cost to the candidate.

Applicants should attach to their PeopleFirst application a detailed but concise cover letter of how they are qualified for this position, their resume, and three professional/academic references.
Office hours are from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time but work hours may extend beyond this time-period because of field responsibilities. Telework is only possible for extenuating circumstances and should be discussed during the interview process and in the applicant’s cover letter.

The duration of this position will be 8 weeks starting on 06 – March – 2026 (negotiable up to 03 – April – 2026). The incumbent will be expected to work at least 20 hours/week if enrolled in college-level courses and 40 hours/week if not enrolled in college-level course work. Candidates must be able to work in Florida during the position’s tenure.

Applications submitted by 25 – Feb – 2026 will be given priority and assessment of applications will continue from that date until a suitable candidate is found. 

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

The incumbent hired for this position will be expected to work on two projects involving the review of drone video transects of wetlands.

Within the first project, the incumbent will review ca. 200, 3-minute drone videos using ArcGIS Pro to identify and annotate all American coots (Fulica americana) and common gallinules (Gallinula galeata) within each video. Depending on identification abilities incumbent may annotate other species recorded in these videos.

Within the second project, the incumbent will help deploy experimental distributions of waterfowl and waterbird decoys in natural wetlands at predetermined GPS locations. In addition, the incumbent will review ca. 210 drone videos of decoy distributions with ArcGIS Pro.

Before the incumbent starts work on either of these projects they will be trained for two weeks on waterfowl and waterbird identification as well as the use of annotation tools within ArcGIS Pro such as the Image Analyst extension.

The incumbent may be required to take other training with FWC and complete tasks such as painting decoys, installing decoy anchors, and other field-related tasks in freshwater wetlands.
 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge in using Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and Outlook

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing

ability to either identify waterfowl and waterbird species native to Florida by sight or quickly learn to this skill.

Ability to spend four plus hours at a computer while still maintaining attention to detail in terms of annotation accuracy.

Ability to work independently.
Ability and desire to work in an extremely fast-paced, team environment.
Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.

Ability to act on changing priorities and responsibilities.

Ability to perform physical tasks such as carrying waterfowl decoys in wetlands for 50 meters or more.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
Ability to work with high attention to detail.

Ability to ask questions when they don’t know what tasks need to be done.

Skill of acting safely and calmly around large reptiles such as alligators and venomous snakes.

Skill of pacing workflow in a sustainable way.

Skill of summarizing weekly work output in short, ca. 30 minute, meetings.

Why should I apply?

You have an interest in gaining experience in waterbird and waterfowl ecology and survey techniques.

You are passionate about conserving wildlife species and their associated habitats.

You want to pursue a career in wildlife conservation/management, ecology, or related field.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:
*Eligible OPS positions and qualifying applicants may enjoy top-tier benefits offerings including comprehensive health coverage to meet the needs of you and your family while maintaining low deductibles and low monthly out-of-pocket contributions. .

Health Premiums $25.00- Single / $90.00- Family Biweekly

Low Cost $25,000 Life Insurance

OPS FICA Alternative Retirement Plan

On the Job Trainings

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

For a more complete list of benefits, visit https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.