Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Working Title: OPS F & WBS II - 77902297
Position Number: 77902297
Salary: $15.43 an hour
Posting Closing Date: 05/17/2018
Working Title: OPS FISH/WILDLIFE BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST II (HSC/AHCR/MESS)
Announcement Type: Open Competitive
City: Panama City/Panama City Beach
Facility: NW Regional Office
Division: Habitat and Species Conservation
Section: Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Restoration (Marine/Estuarine Subsection)
Supervisor & Position number: Katie Konchar
For More Information Contact:
Katie Konchar, Fish/Wildlife Biological Scientist III
Tallahassee Headquarters Office
850-879-7520
Position Physical Address:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Northwest Regional Office
3911 Hwy. 2321
Panama City, FL 32409-1658
Description of duties
This is a part time, seasonal, other personal services (OPS) position. Successful candidates will be expected to assist with scientific monitoring on and in the waters of West Bay, train and supervise volunteers, enter and verify data, and complete statistical analysis for FWC’s Oyster Reef Habitat Restoration in St. Andrew Bay, FL project (http://www.nfwf.org/gulf/Documents/fl-st-andrew-oyster-14.pdf). The project has created over 4 acres of oyster reef habitat and thereby improved water quality, reduced wave energy and promoted the recovery of over 200 acres of degraded seagrass habitat in West Bay, St. Andrew Bay. Duties include, but are not limited to: •assist and participate in oyster reef and seagrass habitat monitoring, including seagrass, oyster reef, water quality, fish and invertebrate surveys and sample collection; •data entry, verification and quantitative analyses; •technical report and document writing and presentations; •volunteer oversight; •repair and maintenance of vehicles, vessels and trailers; and •assist with administrative duties such as purchasing and completing travel documents.
This position will involve field work in adverse and physically challenging conditions, as well as office duties as they pertain to project goals. The incumbent will be required to have a Florida driver’s license and drive state vehicles, often while trailering vessels up to 25’ in length. Skin diving is a necessary component of field work and will require the employee to demonstrate skin diving skills using a mask and snorkel.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Work within the project manager to monitor and communicate results for FWC’s Oyster Reef Habitat Restoration in St. Andrew Bay, FL project.
50% Implement the project’s 5-year Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan following the guidelines set forward in the Oyster Habitat Restoration Monitoring and Assessment Handbook (Baggett et al. 2014), assist with field work to complete monitoring in a timely manner, record data, process biological samples and maintain monitoring equipment.
40% Collect, enter, verify and analyze project data and develop technical reports and documents related to the Oyster Reef Habitat Restoration in St. Andrew Bay, FL project. Data management may involves ensuring data is entered and proofed in a timely manner, preparing summary reports with descriptive statistics and graphs in advance of deadlines, assisting with data analysis and interpretation, and assisting with the preparation of quarterly, annual and/or final reports and publications of project results.
10% Administrative duties which include: adhering to purchasing protocols; completing travel documents; submitting timesheets; and providing clear, timely, and effective updates to project team members and supervisor.
Other duties as required:
Courteously assists Commission constituents to resolve questions or problems they may have in matters relating to the Commission, its programs or fish and wildlife conservation, generally. Seeks to garner public support for agency objectives and programs by serving Florida’s citizens in a positive and pro-active manner.
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.
Responsible for the repair and maintenance of all State issued equipment including a vehicle and vessel.
Responsible for timely and accurate processing and or approval, as appropriate, of vendor invoices and warrants for payment of goods received or services rendered to avoid automatic interest penalty payments to said vendors. Responsible for adhering to the provisions and requirements of Section 2015.422, F. S., related to the State Controller’s rules and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission invoice processing and warrant distribution procedures.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of coastal and estuarine ecosystems; Knowledge of the terminology, principles, and techniques used in biological research, analysis, or testing; Knowledge of the methods of ecological data collection; Ability to collect, record, and analyze scientific data relating the biological sciences; Ability to conduct estuarine and marine habitat restoration, biological studies or analyses using valid scientific methods and techniques; Ability to willingly follow and adhere to standard operating protocols; Ability to supervise work groups and lead field teams and volunteers during project monitoring; Ability to perform quantitative analyses of scientific data using a statistically rigorous approach; Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments; Ability to communicate effectively and proficiently verbally and in writing; Ability to write technical reports; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, the public and other stakeholders; Ability to work independently; Ability to travel occasionally and conduct in-water surveys of estuarine and marine natural resources; Skill trailering, operating and collecting scientific samples from marine vessels up to 25’ in length; Knowledge of personal computers; Skill using Microsoft office programs including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; Ability to perform strenuous field duties in adverse conditions and maintain flexibility with work hours; Ability to think logically and apply problem-solving techniques; Ability to lift at least 35 lbs. repeatedly over extended periods; Ability to get in and out of a boat at the dock and on the water.
Licensure/registration/certification requirements (If applicable, list the appropriate Florida Statute or federal regulation cite):
Valid state driver’s license; Boaters Safety certification is preferred but is also available through on the job training.
WHAT IS OPS EMPLOYMENT? Other Personal Services (OPS) employment is a temporary employer/employee relationship used solely for accomplishing short term or intermittent tasks. OPS employees do not fill established positions and may not be assigned the duties of any vacant authorized position. OPS employees are at-will employees and are subject to actions such as pay changes, changes to work assignment, and terminations at the pleasure of the agency head or designee.
This is a grant funded OPS position with limited benefits. This position is funded based on a 5-year grant received by the Commission.
WHAT BENEFITS ARE APPLICABLE TO OPS EMPLOYEES?
•State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan - mandatory •Workers’ Compensation - mandatory •Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) - mandatory •Participation in state group insurance (only when meeting eligibility requirements) •Deferred Compensation - voluntary
•Employee Assistance Program – voluntary
Position term: Approx. 6 months from June 1, 2018 – November 29, 2018. The duration of employment is contingent upon continued and anticipated funding as well as completion of work required during and after the project monitoring season.
Broadband code: 19-1023-3
Class code: 5074
Region: Northwest
Title: Biological Scientist II, (Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist - Level 2) OPS
County: Bay
Working hours: Daily varying from 8AM to 6PM; Total hours in workweek 30; May take advantage of flex-time opportunities;
List of any subordinates supervised: None
Residency requirement: U.S. Citizen
Level of Education Required: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major course of study in one of the biological sciences and at least one year of professional experience in a field or laboratory program OR a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with
major course of study in one of the biological sciences
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.
Nearest Major Market: Panama City