Overview

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is seeking to fill a Senior Wildlife Biologist position within the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s (WGFD) Large Carnivore Section (LCS), as a Large Carnivore Biologist focused on grizzly bear monitoring and management.

This position requires a heavy workload in the field and being on-call during certain portions of the year to immediately respond to conflicts and implement mitigation between large carnivores (grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, and wolves) and people, including determining and documenting livestock cause of death. Fostering a productive working relationship with livestock producers that are incurring depredation from large carnivores is essential, as well as dealing with a variety of unique conflict issues between the public and large carnivores and experience working in remote settings.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The listed functions are illustrative only and are not intended to describe every function which may be performed at the job level.

• Develops study designs and implements monitoring and research projects for quantification of grizzly bear population dynamics throughout Wyoming, including data acquisition and analysis in order to evaluate harvest objectives. Requires expertise in the use of current modeling techniques to estimate the abundance and distribution of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, as well as preferred experience in multiple data analysis tools.
• Coordinates with Large Carnivore Section and regional personnel to develop and evaluate management scenarios for grizzly bears throughout Wyoming and represents the Department at public meetings and informational presentations regarding black bear management.
• Serves as the liaison with researchers and land management agencies regarding work being conducted on black bears in Wyoming and fosters active communication between all interested parties.  Potentially serves as a Departmental representative on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team.
• Investigates conflicts between large carnivores and humans or livestock, including verifying the species responsible for depredation to livestock, property damage, or other forms of large carnivore conflicts, independently with other WGFD or other agency personnel (i.e., USDA – Wildlife Services).
• Provides a timely and appropriate response for all conflict situations and coordinates closely with LCS personnel, regional personnel, and the affected public on conflict resolution activities.
• Manages human and/or livestock/large carnivore conflicts using deterrents, firearms, traps, snares, lethal removals, and controlled pharmaceuticals. Collect from both the ground and air, summarize and analyze appropriate population and habitat data for large carnivores.
• As required, using data works with other LCS senior wildlife biologists and regional personnel to formulate harvest/season recommendations and other management plans/recommendations on large carnivores.
• Reviews and evaluates large carnivore research needs and reports and participates in research.
• Provides appropriate training to WGFD, other agency personnel, and the public, as assigned, related to large carnivore management, conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with other WGFD employees, State and federal agency personnel, local landowners, sportspersons, and non-governmental organizations.
• Attends WGFD or other approved training sessions to keep current with techniques and issues of importance to large carnivores’ management and conflict resolution. Participates in other training dealing with injured wildlife, immobilization of wildlife, use of equipment (motorized and non-motorized), dealing with the public, and other training as assigned.
• Uses various forms of communication and technology to reach a diverse group of stakeholders and carry the Bear Wise program’s message, promoting public awareness in areas with bears, wolves, and mountain lions.
• Conducts Living in Bear, Lion, and Wolf Workshops and other programs as requested.

Qualifications

PREFERENCES/**AGENCY REQUIREMENTS:

Preference will be given to those with a Bachelor’s degree in wildlife management, range management, biology, zoology, ichthyology (or a related field) OR; Preference will be given to those with a minimum of 3-5 years of experience working in large carnivore management.
Preference will be given to those individuals with field experience capturing and handling large carnivores and collecting/analyzing data on large carnivore ecology.

**Must have a valid driver’s license.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Requires working knowledge of large carnivore ecology and capture methods and other wildlife species.
• Excellent physical condition and ability to perform under adverse and various terrain and climatic conditions.
• Able to work independently with little direct supervision.
• Ability to work productively in a team setting and individually.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, late evenings/early mornings, and extended hour workdays.
• Ability to work outside, often for long periods on foot or horseback, in severe weather conditions and terrain.
• Ability to safely ride, pack and handle horses and mules and work in and around livestock in pasture and free-range settings.
• Well-developed communication skills (written and oral).
• Ability to collect, analyze and interpret long- and short-term data sets.
• Ability to work with other people/agencies/groups.
• Ability to successfully negotiate positive outcomes for large carnivore species.
• Knowledge of the principles of trophy game species data collection and conservation/management.
• Computer skills and ability to learn new software packages, including knowledge of R programs, Capture/Mark/Recapture population estimation methodologies, Spatially.
• Explicit Capture-Recapture programs, Microsoft Office, and various statistical applications.
• Ability to collect data from various types of aircraft.
• Knowledge of general outdoor skills.
• Knowledge of requirements for preparing reports, personnel management, and functions and structure of other agencies.
• Ability to make decisions under difficult circumstances.
• Must be able to accurately convey WGFD policy and goals to the public and other agencies.
• Full knowledge of the scientific method and application to monitor and manage large carnivores on a statewide level.
• Ability to safely and appropriately handle live wildlife in a variety of sensitive and hazardous conditions.
• Knowledge of Wyoming Statutes Title 23, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Regulations, and other Wyoming Statutes pertaining to large carnivore damage and conflict resolution.
• Ability to safely utilize and handle firearms, including use in the euthanasia of wildlife.
  The position requires lifting heavy objects and strenuous physical exertion at times.
• Knowledge of the aspects of human dimensions within the wildlife profession and dealing with diverse stakeholders daily to reach common ground. Experience working with multiple age groups, educational backgrounds, and diversity to facilitate an efficient means of education and outreach regarding large carnivore management and conflict resolution.
• Ability to safely operate motorized equipment, including 4×4 pickup trucks, ATVs, and snowmobiles.