Conservation Biologist Supervisor

Job Code: 32000065
Salary Grade: NC20

Class Concept

This is professional and supervisory work over a field unit involved in wildlife (aquatic, marine, and terrestrial) culture, wildlife management, habitat management, forestry, field and laboratory research, disease management, wildlife management, commercial or recreational fishing industry enhancement, and access (such as game land or waterways access) management. Work addresses the health, stability, restoration, and control of populations of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife and their habitats. Work involves the technical and administrative supervision of a unit of professional biologists and technicians who may be located in work locations remote from the employee. Employee recruits new employees, evaluates, coaches, develops and performs other supervisory functions for those supervised. Employees ensure projects meet deadlines and evaluate success of projects by their achievement of overall budgets, goals, and objectives. Employees may assist a higher-level manager to engage with members of the public, legislators, agency partners, and commercial interests to explain scientific principles, biological information, policies and regulations. Employees project budgetary needs for supplies, equipment, tools, vehicles, and human resources after gathering information from employees and supervisors in their work unit. Employees establish and enforce quality, quantity, standards, and policies for the work unit and ensure these comport with agency goals and accepted scientific standards. Supervisors must periodically adjust activities of the work unit due to changing technology, shifts in program emphasis, or adjustments in priorities. The size of the work unit is up to twelve employees, depending on the complexity of work, supervisory requirements, and geographic dispersion of the work unit. Employees are provided overall goals and objectives and expected to independently plan and direct work operations to accomplish those goals and objectives. Work is reviewed through periodic work reports and direct observation.

Recruitment Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of supervising the planning, organizing, and directing of biological studies involving wildlife or fisheries management, thorough knowledge of biological statistics, scientific principles, sampling techniques, GIS technology, and computerized data analysis and thorough knowledge of biological principles and management practices as applied to marine or estuarine biology, and wildlife and fisheries management.
• Thorough knowledge of state and federal laws pertaining to supervision including FLSA, OSHA, USERRA, ADA, and EEO, thorough knowledge of taxonomic identification procedures, field and laboratory techniques, and the operation of sampling and laboratory equipment and thorough knowledge of wildlife (aquatic, marine, and terrestrial) habitat, wildlife management, wildlife disease, and species propagation.
• Knowledge of the types, habitats, and behavior of a variety of wildlife (aquatic, marine, and terrestrial) species, knowledge of water level management, wetlands, water chemistry or quality and plant species succession and knowledge of the equipment and techniques associated with silviculture.
• Considerable knowledge of the methods and techniques for hunting, trapping, and commercial and recreational fishing.
• Ability to prepare or guide someone to prepare complex, written, technical reports for a variety of audiences, ability to communicate orally and in writing, to include coaching, counseling, disciplining, developing and otherwise supervising employees and ability to plan and direct work operations, including complex field studies.
• Ability to supervise the application of biological principles to land use planning, ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other biologists, members of the general public, and member of groups interested in wildlife or fisheries management or commercial fishing interests and ability to train and supervise other employees.
• Ability to project and monitor a budget comprised of several projects and to manage federal grants.
• Ability to design and implement or guide employees to design and implement complex study plans or field surveys, ability to interpret statistical analysis and to develop compelling recommendations for the consideration of higher-level management and ability to acknowledge and capitalize on conservation and resource planning opportunities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other biologists, members of the general public, members of groups interested in wildlife or fisheries, and local government officials.
• Skill in operating standard and specialized scientific sampling equipment.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in wildlife or fisheries management, , fisheries science, zoology or a biological science from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.