Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist I, II or III

About the role

An individual in this position will work in a joint capacity with Pheasants Forever, Inc. (PF), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to promote, accelerate enrollment, coordinate, and implement the voluntary conservation programs of the Federal Farm Bill and other related state, local and other voluntary conservation programs in Clay County.

Responsibilities

• Voluntary conservation program promotion
• Contract coordination
• Conservation planning and modifications
• Site assessments
• Reporting
• Attend trainings and assist in coordinating technical assistance efforts
• Provide technical assistance to farmers/landowners on conservation planning, habitat planning and other wildlife related practices
• Meet with local chapters of Pheasants Forever and other local partners to influence habitat management efforts and participate in statewide meetings

Requirements

• Collaborate with local USDA office to promote and implement the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
• Aid partners with all phases of the Reinvest in MN (RIM) conservation easement program
• Help landowners identify plants and habitat on their property and guide them in improving those habitats for wildlife utilizing voluntary conservation programs from USDA NRCS, PF, BWSR and other local and state programs
• Promote and assist landowners in enrolling land in the Walk in Access Program (WIA)
• Use science-based knowledge to improve habitat within the agricultural regions of the work area
• Collaborate between partnering agencies to achieve habitat restoration and management goals for landowners and programs
• Aid partners with outreach, contract development, and implementation of the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science Degree or technical degree in Wildlife Management, Natural Resources Management, Agriculture, Forestry or closely related natural resources field
• Experience in agriculture or grassland management practices is preferred
• To be eligible for Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist II or III, an individual must have several years’ experience working with CRP and farm bill programs, or other related experience

Skills

• Customer service skills – must have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with farmers, landowners, and partner agencies
• Ability to work independently with little supervision
• Knowledge of wildlife ecology, prairie and wetland management including the ability to utilize various habitat management tools in the development of management plans (e.g. mowing, prescribed burning, herbicide spraying, grazing, forestry mowing, etc.)
• Identification skills of plants found in Minnesota, both native and non-native
• Knowledge of conservation and wildlife programs provided by federal, state, & local entities. In addition, knowledge of how these programs are implemented in an agricultural landscape is desired
• Knowledge of habitat requirements for pheasant, turkey, deer, waterfowl, monarch butterfly, native bees, and other grassland wildlife species
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Ability to use GIS mapping programs or closely related software (ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap experience preferred)
• Strong organizational skills

Benefits

• Health, vision, dental and more insurance coverage plans available
• 401(k) Retirement plan with an employer match of up to 5%
• Student Loan Assistance program of up to $200/month for eligible employees
• Paid Time Off accrued at 15 days (120 hours) per year for new employees (increasing after 3 years)
• Bereavement/Family/Self-care of 6 days (48 hours) per year
• 13 paid holidays

Pay

$45,000-55,000, dependent upon qualifications and experience (starting salary for FBB I: $45,000; starting salary for FBB II: $50,000; starting salary for FBB III $55,000).

Schedule

Approximately 70% of time is spent in office and 30% time spent in the field. During field season, the individual will spend time in the field doing site visits on private property, evaluating habitat, making habitat recommendations, identifying plants, and meeting contractors on construction sites. Other time will be spent in the office doing data entry, writing conservation plans, creating maps, and collaborating with partner staff on current and future projects. During office time, there will also be numerous interactions with landowners via phone, email, and in-person, to give technical and program information.