Wildlife Biologist ; PCN

Job Description

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

In this flexibly staffed Wildlife Biologist 2/3 position, the incumbent will work collaboratively as part of the research team in Region IV of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to evaluate critical management and ecological questions in large game mammals, with a focus on ungulates, including caribou, moose, Dall sheep, mountain goats, and bison. The incumbent will be responsible for working with wildlife managers to identify research questions and associated hypotheses and will assist other researchers or lead other researchers in development and execution of rigorous studies to evaluate those hypotheses and development of new or evaluation of existing survey and inventory techniques.

The incumbent will be responsible for contributing or leading all aspects of the study from beginning to end, including study design, logistics, data analysis, research presentations at professional meetings, writing of interim reports and final publications, and communicating the findings with wildlife managers, the Board of Game, the public, and other audiences.

Under the Alaska Constitution and Alaska Statutes, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is responsible for managing fish and wildlife species for the benefit of all people consistent with the sustained yield principle. Much of our work focuses on research to inform conservation and management of large game species in an effort to support subsistence and recreational harvest opportunities.

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and well‑being are paramount, and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.

The incumbent will have opportunities to support science‑based management and address applied and novel ecological questions with a focus on ungulates. In collaboration with other research staff, the incumbent will have opportunities to contribute to research aimed at understanding topics such as apparent competition, nutritional ecology, movement ecology, population ecology, predator‑prey interactions, and more. In addition to contributing to ongoing projects and developing new projects, the incumbent also will have opportunities to work on existing data spanning several decades.

The incumbent will be joining a team with expertise in stable isotopes, physiology and nutrition, genetics, and biometrics. Publication is encouraged and expected of all members of the team.

The incumbent will conduct field work in remote parts of southcentral and southwestern Alaska, in some of the most scenic areas in the world. Field work can occur in all weather conditions and may require flying in small fixed‑wing aircraft for many hours at a time or capturing animals via darting from a helicopter. Work from small boats and via ATVs or snow machines also may be required to meet needs of specific projects.

Some work may include extended stays in remote field camps to conduct vegetation sampling or other field work. Incumbents will be exposed to biting insects, snow, wind, rain, continuous sun, and other hazardous conditions during fieldwork. Incumbents will be required to be certified to carry firearms and bear spray during field work. The incumbent will have a private office in Palmer to conduct analyses, writing, and other office work.

• Experience developing and executing research projects from beginning to end, including development of research questions and hypotheses, study design, execution of data collection in remote field conditions or otherwise, data analysis, writing, and publishing in reputable, peer‑reviewed journals.
• Experience analyzing animal location and movement data, such as for analyses of home ranges, habitat use and selection, migration analyses, range fidelity, etc.
• Experience collecting and analyzing population abundance and demographic data,…