Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Tallahassee, FL
Salary: $23.44 an hour; 1920 hours a fiscal year
Deadline to apply: Jan 16, 2024

Level of Education:

Bachelor of Science degree with a major in one of the biological sciences and one year of professional biological experience (preferred); Master of Science degree in one of the biological sciences or two years of professional experience in conservation programs may be given preference.

Description of Position:

This OPS position serves as the Gopher Tortoise Monitoring Coordinator for FWC’s Program Planning and Monitoring group within the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. The individual in this position works as part of a team responsible for tracking the implementation and effectiveness of conservation plans, with an emphasis on the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and its alignment with other significant FWC planning documents and efforts. This position will coordinate with other sections and divisions of the FWC and external partners to improve monitoring of species, habitats, conservation threats and actions. The incumbent will also maintain datasets including conservation action tracking data, spatial data, and community science data.

Description of Duties:

Coordinate implementation and effectiveness tracking of conservation actions within the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan and other FWC conservation plans such as the Imperiled Species Management Plan and State Wildlife Action Plan.
Develop, populate, and maintain gopher tortoise geodatabases and other datasets.
Analyze and compile scientific and GIS data into technical reports, publications, and presentations.
Maintain the community science-based Florida Gopher Tortoise application; perform QA/QC, analyze, and generate reports to inform conservation efforts.
Assist with coordination of gopher tortoise and commensal research activities across the agency, provide biological opinions on agency research permit applications as requested, and coordinate with external partners and stakeholders.
Leverage technologies to analyze, improve, and implement new tools to collect and manage species and habitat data.
Speak publicly to further Florida’s conservation mission. This may include presenting at internal FWC meetings, external working groups, stakeholder meetings, and outreach events.
Assist with project management including grant writing, contract management, budget management and reporting.
Assist with the student intern program.
Although this is not a field position, opportunities may arise to assist with wildlife surveys and other field-based work; may include overnight travel (<10% of time).

Other duties include staying informed of current and relevant science regarding gopher tortoises and burrow commensal species; participating in team meetings, seminars and workshops relating to wildlife resource management; and partaking in career development training opportunities within and outside FWC.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Well-organized, detail-oriented, able to oversee multiple projects simultaneously, and able to set priorities and complete tasks on schedule.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Strong data management skills including experience with ArcGIS and other data management tools. Familiarity with GPS units, smartphone applications, and statistical software programs, preferred.
Able to apply technical and scientific knowledge to develop and implement projects; analyze, interpret, and explain complex technical issues regarding wildlife conservation activities.
Strong written and oral communication skills to work with internal and external customers.
Ability to work 40 hours a week with occasional overnight travel for conferences, meetings, trainings, and other relevant activities.
Preference for familiarity with standardized surveys for gopher tortoises and other wildlife.
Preference for an understanding of gopher tortoise natural history and biology, as well as the flora and fauna of southeastern ecosystems.

Application linked at the top!