OPS F & W BS II - 77902129

Requisition No: 853944 

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: OPS F & W BS II - 77902129

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 77902129 

Salary:  $20.83 an hour 

Posting Closing Date: 06/22/2025 

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Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Position number: 77902129

Address and telephone number: Southwest Regional Office, 3900 Drane Field Road, Lakeland, FL 33811, (863) 660-8028

Supervisor: Brianna White 

Minimum Qualifications:

Five years professional experience in a closely-related biological field or laboratory program is required. A Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field can substitute for four of the five years of required experience.

Preferred Requirements: A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in one of the life/physical sciences is preferred.

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.

Description of Duties: THIS IS AN OPS POSITION. IT IS NOT CAREER SERVICE.

The Division of Habitat and Species Conservation is comprised of six Sections and two offices. An exciting opportunity is available for a Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist II to join a team of employees within the Wildlife and Habitat Management Section by conducting wildlife inventories and monitoring surveys on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the Southwest Region. Surveys will be conducted per established protocols and will include, but are not limited to, herpetofauna drift fence arrays, small mammal surveys, mesomammal surveys, and avian point counts. Incumbent shall coordinate with local staff to ensure completion of survey activities as prescribed in Wildlife Conservation, Prioritization, and Recovery (WCPR) Strategies and Land Management Plans. Incumbent will also assist with entering data in the Survey and Monitoring Protocol (SaMP) database and reporting survey results and will be responsible for managing data sets and producing technical reports.

This is a temporary position that is anticipated to last a minimum of four years.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Wildlife biology
• Identification of birds by sight and sound
• Ability to use field guides and keys to identify amphibians, reptiles and mammals.  Assessment and inventory of wildlife and habitat
• Collection and analysis of biological data
• Ability to write scientific reports
• Familiarity with outdoor recreational activities and ability to communicate conservation principles to the public
• Ability to organize/plan work assignments and set priorities
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team
• Familiarity with GPS, ArcGIS, and Microsoft Office
• Ability to work safely outdoors and tolerate extreme temperatures, high humidity, biting insects and other hazards.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience conducting wildlife surveys multiple taxa using a wide range of techniques in Florida. Ability to operate 4 wheel-drive vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, and other equipment.

Starting pay rate: $20.83 / hr.

Broadband code: 19-1023-02

Class code: 5028

Region: Southwest

Title: OPS+ Biological Scientist II

County: Lake, Polk and Highlands

Working hours: Mon. - Fri. 8am-5pm with guaranteed assignments outside normal daily working hours

List of any subordinates supervised: N/A

Residency requirement: Negotiable; required to work out of a field office (field offices located in Frostproof, Haines City, or Clermont) or the Southwest Regional Office (Lakeland).

Minimum Qualifications: Five years professional experience in a closely-related biological field or laboratory program is required. A Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field can substitute for four of the five years of required experience.

Additional requirements: Must possess or obtain a valid Florida Driver’s License. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Employee allowed to work a maximum of 1,920 hours per fiscal year (to be prorated based upon hiring date). Occasional overnight travel is required.

Benefits: Potential to participate in group health insurance.

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.