OPS- F & W Biological Scientist III - 77905006

Requisition No: 844032 

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: OPS- F & W Biological Scientist III - 77905006

 Pay Plan: Seasonal

Position Number: 77905006 

Salary:  $21.63 an hour 

Posting Closing Date: 01/26/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

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

Position number: 77905006

Address : 1875 Orange Ave E, Tallahassee Florida 32311,

Phone: 850-922-4330

Supervisor: Bridget Gerovac

Description of duties: The Division of Habitat and Species Conservation is comprised of six sections and two offices. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Imperiled Species Management Section’s (ISM) Manatee Management Program! This dynamic role will support the collaborative implementation of the Manatee Warm-water Habitat Action Plan. Primary duties will involve analyzing and applying data, assisting in leading stakeholder meetings, coordinating with non-governmental organizations and partners, and supporting manatee management staff on various tasks. If you’re passionate about wildlife and habitat conservation, this position offers a unique chance to make a real impact.

Specific responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

1. Assists in coordinating discussions, internally and externally, related to the implementation of the Manatee Warm-water Habitat Action Plan;
2. Facilitates, organizes, and leads interagency and partner groups regarding warm-water habitat restoration, enhancement, and creation;
3. Performs field and site visits related to natural and industrial warm-water and foraging habitat as necessary;
4. Assists in maintaining industrial partnerships by monitoring operations, performing site visits, and contributing to updates and revisions for manatee protection plans;
5. Conducts regular review and assessment of existing data, data collection activities (e.g. aerial & boat-based surveys), and data analyses to support management and conservation recommendations;
6. Contributes to preparation of reports and may present results through internal and external (peer-reviewed publications, professional and public meeting, etc.) outlets;
7. Assists with the creation, maintenance and quality control of shapefiles, layers and geodatabases, develop maps and data summaries using ArcGIS, GoogleEarth, MS Access and MS Excel for management purposes;
8. Contributes to program outreach efforts, including manatee and sea turtle annual decal development and distribution as needed;
9. Participates in stranding response, necropsies, and other miscellaneous field work assignments as needed;
10. Aids with developing and/or coordinating responses to public inquiries received via AskMyFWC, public records requests, or other assignments as needed;
11. Attends internal and external meetings, workshops, and presentations as necessary;
12. Maintains all assigned equipment in safe working condition; and
13. Performs other project-related duties and administrative tasks as directed. 

Pay Rate: $21.63 per hour

Broadband code: 19-1023-03

Class code: 5074

Region: Northwest

Class Title: OPS Fisheries & Wildlife Biological Scientist III

County: Leon

Office Address: 1875 Orange Ave E, Tallahassee, Florida 32311

Working hours: 40 hours per week; Typically M-F, 8 AM – 5 PM, though hours may vary with type of work and may require work on weekends or holidays. Travel is required to perform the duties of this position (1-25%).

List of any subordinates supervised: 0-2 (potential for supervision of interns or volunteers)

Residency requirement: Tallahassee

Level of Education and Experience:

Prefer a bachelor’s degree in biology, wildlife, or fisheries management; zoology; environmental sciences or other closely related curriculum and two years of professional experience; or prefer a graduate degree and one year of professional experience.

Candidates with previous experience with wildlife management or research programs will be given preference.

Qualified applicants should have a background in one of the following: aquatic resource management, aquatic habitat restoration or imperiled species management.

Qualified applicants will need to be highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and adept at problem-solving and time management to succeed in this position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• This position requires administrative, communication, and computer skills, and the review, evaluation, interpretation, and presentation of biological data.
• Proficiency in MS software applications: Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required, and Google Earth Pro, ArcGIS 10.5+, ArcGIS Pro, or ArcGIS Online, SharePoint preferred;
• Knowledge of wildlife conservation, management techniques, and ecology;
• Knowledge of terminology, scientific method, principles, and techniques used in biological research, analyses or assessment;
• Knowledge of freshwater, marine and/or estuarine ecosystems;
• Ability to perform quantitative analyses of scientific data;
• Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work assignments to meet deadlines;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including public speaking and technical report writing;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, the public, and interested parties; and

• Ability to travel statewide is required.

The Commission expects its employees to be courteous and respectful while assisting Commission customers and stakeholders, ensuring each encounter is as positive as possible. Employees should promptly resolve questions or problems relating to the Commission, its programs and/or fish and wildlife resources. Employees should seek to gain public support for agency objectives and programs by serving Florida's citizens in a positive and proactive manner and by listening to what the customer wants and striving to meet their needs. When appropriate, employees will explain the reasons for agency actions or decisions while communicating a consistent FWC point-of-view. Responsible for following the provisions and requirements in Section 215.422, Florida Statutes, related to the Department of Financial Services rules and FWC's invoice processing and warrant distribution procedures. Work at FWC is cross-functional meaning duties may cross division/office lines. The Commission expects employees to function across FWC's organizational structure by providing their skills and expertise wherever needed through work on teams or as directed

Other requirements: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license. Occasional overnight travel is required.

OPS Employment Description: This is a full-time OPS (Other Personnel Services) position. OPS employees are paid for the number of hours they work. OPS employees do not receive paid leave, or paid holidays. OPS staff have the potential for health insurance benefits and participation in the Deferred Compensation investment retirement program.

How to Apply: Application packets must be submitted through the State of Florida’s official employment site (https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com/) and must include a cover letter and resume in addition to the state application. Application packets without a cover letter, resume and state application will not be considered for the position.

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.