Scientific and Natural Areas Management Specialist - NR Spec Sr Eco Svcs

• Telework Eligible:
  No
• Education Verification
• License / Certification Verification

• Job
• Location:
  
  Windom
• Telework Eligible:
  No
• Full/Part Time:
  Full-Time
• Regular/Temporary:
  Unlimited
• Who May Apply:
  Open to all qualified job seekers
• Date Posted: 08/07/2026
• Closing Date: 09/01/2026
• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit:
  Department of Natural Resources
• Division/Unit:
  Ecological and Water Resources
• Work Shift/
  
  Work Hours:
  
  Day Shift
• Days of Work:
  Monday
  - Friday
• Travel Required:
  
  Yes
  - Up to 25% of the time
• Salary Range: $29.76 - $43.69 / hourly; $62,138 - $91,224 / annually
• Classified Status:
  Classified
• Bargaining Unit/Union: 214 - MN Association of Professional Employees/MAPE
• FLSA Status:
  Exempt
  - Professional
• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities:
  Yes

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

The Division of Ecological and Water resources is seeking to fill one (1) permanent full-time Scientific and Natural Areas Management Specialist position located in Windom, Minnesota. This position exists to protect and enhance native plant and animal communities on land in the DNR Southern Region especially Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs).

• Function as the local point-of-contact for site-specific concerns regarding State Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs) in the Southern Region; identify management needs; and plan and implement habitat enhancement projects on SNAs so that important sites and their natural resource values are protected and work plan goals, policies, and procedures are fulfilled.
• Direct and supervise prescribed burns on lands managed by the Division in the Southern Region and assist with other cooperative prescribed burn efforts safely and according to plans so that the natural communities and native species present are enhanced and not jeopardized.
• Seek protection and assist in acquisition of priority lands to be designated as Scientific and Natural Areas, established as NAR sites, or enrolled in other appropriate land conservation programs so that rare resources, native biodiversity, healthy watersheds, and natural ecological systems are protected.
• Coordinate and perform public engagement, outreach, education, and information activities on SNAs, to promote understanding and support for rare resources and natural lands protection and management in the Southern Region.
• Direct (as lead worker) day-to-day operations of the field crew, assist with budget management (as well as maintaining data in AMSD), carry out administrative duties and participate in division, department, region, interagency, and other committees and task forces addressing prairie natural areas protection, conservation, or department administrative/business activities.

The SNA Management Specialist must have the ability to perform hard physical labor for extended and irregular periods of time, under adverse conditions and in all extremes of weather. This physical labor includes digging, lifting, shoveling, carrying, bending, pushing, climbing, and walking on uneven terrain. Additionally, the incumbent must be willing and able to operate commonly used equipment such as chainsaws, GPS, tractors, ATVs, trucks and trailers, seeders, chemical sprayers, and mowers.

• Bachelor’s degree in ecology, wildlife management, zoology, conservation biology, natural resource management, or closely related major.
• Three (3) years of professional level experience designing and implementing terrestrial habitat assessments and/or habitat management including developing goals and objectives, implementing actions, and monitoring/reporting.
  ** An advanced degree in one of the majors listed above may substitute for one year of…