F & W BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST III - 77070321

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Data Science · Full-time
Tallahassee, FL, USA
Posted 6+ months ago

Requisition No: 817603

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: F & W BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST III - 77070321

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 77070321

Salary:  $1,730.77 bi-weekly + benefits

Posting Closing Date: 12/17/2023

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Position number: 77070321

An Address: 1875 Orange Ave  Tallahassee Florida 32311

Broadband code: 19-1023-03

Class code: 5074

Region: Northwest

Title: Fisheries & Wildlife Biological Scientist III

County: Leon – Location Tallahassee

Working hours: 8 to 5; M-F

List of any subordinates supervised: 0 to 1 staff or interns

Residency requirement: Tallahassee area

Level of Education: Prefer a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in one of the biological, physical or natural sciences and 1 year of experience.

Salary: $1,730.77 bi-weekly

Employment contingent upon successful completion of a background check

Description of duties

This position is located within the Imperiled Species Management Section and assists with developing conservation measures to reduce potential adverse impacts to species and their habitat under the responsibility of the Section, with a focus on Florida manatee and marine turtle conservation. This environmental commenting position is primarily office-based, and field work may be limited.

Responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

  1. reviewing permit applications and relevant data to draft biological opinions for regulatory and planning authorizations such as Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP), Coastal Construction Control Line permits (CCCL), Sovereign Submerged Lands Leases (SSL), Joint Coastal Permits (JCP), management plans, comprehensive plan amendments, and State Clearinghouse items under the Coastal Zone Management Program (CZMP);
  2. implementing county manatee protection plans (MPPs);
  3. providing technical assistance to other sections within the agency, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Port Authorities, and county/city governments;
  4. working with local, state, and federal agencies and stakeholder groups to conserve, enhance, and protect manatee and marine turtle habitat;
  5. initiating, managing and/or attending meetings and workshops, and creating/delivering presentations;
  6. reviewing and commenting on coastal lighting plans and wildlife appropriate lighting fixtures;
  7. acting as agency expert witness in administrative hearings;
  8. assisting with management of the agency’s Project Tracking System;
  9. performing other duties as required, including but not limited to: assisting with education and outreach projects and other field activities, such as site visits and data collection, as directed.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  • This position requires administrative, communication, and computer skills, and the review, evaluation, interpretation, and defense of biological data.
  • Knowledge of terminology, principles, and techniques used in biological research, analysis, or testing.
  • Knowledge of scientific method.
  • Knowledge of the methods of data collection, particularly for imperiled or endangered species.
  • Ability to perform quantitative analysis of scientific data.
  • Must be able to create PowerPoint presentations and initiate, manage, and lead meetings.
  • Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments to meet deadlines.
  • Qualified candidates will need to be detail-oriented, self-motivated, and have good time management skills to succeed in the position.
  • Must communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
  • Ability to understand and apply Florida statutes and rules as they relate to conservation issues.
  • Demonstration of or experience in technical writing or professional correspondence.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, the public, and stakeholders.
  • Ability to work independently and on teams.
  • Previous experience with Florida manatee or sea turtle management or research programs and/or the state or federal environmental resource permitting programs is preferred.
  • Previous experience with ArcGIS 10+ or ArcPro, SharePoint 365, and MS Office 2016 is desired.
  • Limited statewide travel is required.

The Commission expects its employees to be courteous and respectful while assisting Commission customers and stakeholders, ensuring each encounter is as positive as possible. Employees should promptly resolve questions or problems relating to the Commission, its programs, and/or fish and wildlife resources. Employees should seek to gain public support for agency objectives and programs by serving Florida's citizens in a positive and proactive manner and by listening to what the customer wants and striving to meet their needs. When appropriate, employees will explain the reasons for agency actions, or decisions while communicating a consistent FWC point-of-view. Responsible for following the provisions and requirements in Section 215.422, Florida Statutes, related to the Department of Financial Services rules and FWC's invoice processing and warrant distribution procedures. 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.

Application packets must be submitted through the State of Florida’s official employment site (https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com/) and must include a cover letter and resume in addition to the state application.

Application packets without a cover letter, resume, and state application will not be considered for the position.

Position Requirements:

  1. Possess and maintain a valid Florida Driver’s License.
  2. Travel is required to perform the duties of this position (1-25%)

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.

**VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  **Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is an equal opportunity employer.