Description

  • Are you passionate about protecting the natural environment?
  • Are you a someone who would like to help guide the future of parks in Montgomery County?
  • Would you be excited to assist in developing and implementing natural resources projects with a focus on wildlife conservation?

Come work for Montgomery County Department of Parks Park Planning and Stewardship Division as a Wildlife Ecologist.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a six-time National Recreational and Parks Association Gold Medal Award Winner. Behind the vast and diverse Montgomery County Department of Parks system is a career staff complement of nearly 800 employees, 424 parks and over 37,000 acres of park land that serves a diverse population of more than one million residents in the Washington, DC area. The Department has an annual operating budget of over $129 million and a six-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) of over $235 million.

M-NCPPC, Department of Parks, Montgomery County, MD seeks a wildlife ecologist to develop, implement, and coordinate wildlife conservation and conflict management activities on parkland.

This position serves as Senior Natural Resources Specialist in the Park Planning and Stewardship Division to develop and manage projects of considerable responsibility, complexity, and variety within the Natural Resource Stewardship Section’s (NRS) Wildlife Ecology & Management work program. The NRS has primary responsibility for protecting the natural environment – the Park’s “original infrastructure”. The NRS section provides leadership and guidance for the department and to park operations managers in preserving park natural resources. The work of this position focuses on wildlife conservation and conflicts project management and coordination, developing and implementing natural resources projects with a focus on wildlife, guiding department staff and the public on wildlife conservation and regulatory matters, protecting interests of park natural, historic, and infrastructure resources, and inventory, monitoring, and analysis of scientific data.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT: Montgomery County Department of Parks believes that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success. Montgomery County Parks does not make hiring decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, political affiliation, ideology or status as a Veteran.
 
Please Note: The salary range listed above represents the earning potential for this position. Salary is commensurate with experience.

 

Examples of Important Duties

  • Develop & coordinate wildlife conservation projects, of an ongoing nature and county-wide scale, focused on nuisance wildlife mitigation, species of greatest conservation need and interpretive value, and for monitoring immigration of long absent or novel species into the county.
  • Develop wildlife conservation and mitigation projects and protocols for analyzing wildlife populations, implementing conservation strategies, and for guiding departmental standards and practice for broad use by staff, volunteers, and vendors
  • Coordinate wildlife monitoring, management, and data analytics supporting the Department’s MS4 core team and permit compliance reporting
  • Develop standards and procedure for artificial habitats supporting wildlife conservation and coordinate mapping, staff and volunteer actions, data collection
  • Evaluate, approve, and issue scientific research permits for Universities, science organizations, and the public and document findings and reports
  • Track and analyze scientific data for determining cause and effect, trends, etc..
  • Develop Best Management Practices and provide guidance to departmental staff and contractors to ensure regulatory compliance and due care for wildlife affected by land use changes
  • During planning, construction, and maintenance
  • Monitor activities and recommend stop work actions, as necessary
  • Coordinate, or assist to coordinate regulatory permit approval for projects
  • Point of Contact for nuisance wildlife issues and impacts
  • Address staff and public inquiries and service requests; conduct or coordinate management and mitigation efforts
  • Develop standards for trapping, disposition, and euthanasia of wildlife
  • Address Outreach and Media inquiries, planning, coordination, and response
  • Provide public education and outreach for assigned area of responsibility, to include:
  • Assisting with web creation for the Unit and routinely editing associated applications
  • Developing and coordinating social media content for the Unit
  • Speaking with the public, staff education forums, conferences, etc.
  • Assisting to create outreach plans, as required, for projects
  • Lead wildlife response, to include urgent/emergency
  • Respond to and investigate sick, injured, or dangerous wildlife reports
  • Handle, trap, or euthanize as necessary and in accordance with Federal, State, and local laws and professional standards
  • Collaborate with other local wildlife response agencies or private entities
  • Coordinate vendor and volunteer efforts to handle cases
  • Initiate purchase requests for supplies and services required of assigned areas or responsibility- coordinate and monitor activities of contractor, track expenditures, and approve invoices for submittal
  • May provide leadership supervision to assigned staff on a full-time or temporary basis

Important Worker Characteristics

  • Capable and comfortable with handling dangerous wildlife, e.g., venomous snakes, sick and injured, zoonotic disease, etc..
  • Knowledge of urban wildlife and management techniques
  • Small/Meso mammal trapping skills
  • Strong writing and oral communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Urban wildlife and urban nuisance wildlife management experience
  • Maryland Wildlife Damage Control Operator certification, Maryland Trappers certification, Hunter Education certification
  • Maryland Boaters Safety certification
  • ATV and/or UTV training and certification(s)
  • This position will routinely support and participate in deer population management projects of the Unit; deer handling and data collection techniques, as well as familiarity of firearms safety and comfort with work around firearms and hunting – Deer Cooperator Permit Program certification
  • Familiarity with use of ESRI GIS products, e.g., ArcPro, Field Maps, and ARCGIS desktop/online 

Working Conditions
Works in office and in field within geographical area. Works occasional evenings and weekends. Must routinely lift and move up to 100 lbs., occasionally work in inclement weather and in inherently dangerous situations, e.g., handling dangerous wildlife species and in close proximity to firearms discharge during hunting activities.

 

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s Degree in natural resource management, environmental science, forestry, wildlife management, or related field; and

2. Three years of progressively responsible experience; or

3. An equivalent combination of education and experience.

4. Valid driver’s license or the ability to acquire one.

Very competitive and flexible benefits programs available!
Go to our website to learn more: https://www.montgomeryparks.org/

Person(s) hired for this position must provide proof of being fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (with limited religious or medical exceptions).