Wildlife Conflict Specialist - Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Wildlife Conflict Specialist

As a senior level biologist, you'll apply your expertise and resolve human-wildlife conflict issues by providing sustainable solutions.

Envision yourself working closely with private landowners to resolve damage to commercial crops, livestock, and other private property, with a primary focus on conflicts involving ungulates and carnivores. In this dynamic role you will also lead efforts in Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements, provide technical assistance to landowners related to preventative measures, depredation investigations, and assist in fostering recreational access opportunities.

What to Expect:

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Wildlife Conflict Specialist will:

• Work with private landowners to prevent and control ungulate (elk and deer), turkey, and waterfowl depredation on crops and property damage and coordinate with federal agencies for other wildlife species when applicable:
• Provide a timely response for field investigations of crop depredation, primarily caused by ungulates.
• Conduct complex inspections and investigations to determine the nature and extent of damage to commercial crops.
• Identify damage mitigation alternatives and prioritize efforts aimed at resolving wildlife damage.
• Interact and coordinate with producers and crop assessors during the damage claim process.
• Negotiate contracts and/or agreements and identify settlement options with landowners and/or producers.
• Prepare final damage prevention strategy and associated landowner/producer agreement for agency approval.
• Perform follow-up inspections to ensure corrective action is implemented to address wildlife crop depredation.
• Work with private landowners, department staff and WDFW Enforcement personnel to prevent, reduce and control wildlife damage, livestock depredations and human safety concerns related to carnivores (cougar, bear, wolf, bobcat, coyote):
• Provide a timely response for field investigations (such as necropsies) of livestock mortality/injury purportedly caused by carnivores.
• Conduct complex inspections and investigations (such as necropsies) to determine the cause of mortality for domestic livestock.
• Coordinate with WDFW and/or Federal, State, and Local enforcement staff involved in investigations of wildlife conflict.
• Utilize capture and immobilization equipment, coordinate with hound handlers, and use firearms to capture and/or euthanize carnivores, when necessary, and follow agency policies and procedures.
• Prepare final damage prevention strategy and associated landowner/producer agreement for agency approval.
• Document public safety or livestock damage incident details, landowner interactions, agency actions, and both non-lethal and lethal (if applicable) deterrent measures in a database.
• Perform follow-up inspections to ensure corrective action is implemented to address carnivore/livestock conflicts.
• Respond to reports of injured wildlife and/or dangerous wildlife and independently make decisions as to disposition:
• Physically capture injured wildlife when necessary.
• Utilize immobilization equipment (e.g., dart gun), syringes, needles, and darts to administer chemical immobilization drugs to injured wildlife.
• Coordinate and/or deliver injured wildlife to appropriate rehabilitation facility.
• Utilize firearms or approved drugs to provide field euthanasia of injured wildlife when necessary.
• Provide outreach and communication to other agencies, tribes, and public on wildlife damage control issues:
• Plan, facilitate, and represent the program/agency in public meetings, hearings, presentations and workshops involving wildlife conflict management in local assigned area.
• Provide education and outreach information designed to reduce negative wildlife interactions.
• Administrative and other duties as assigned:
• Maintain records related to wildlife damage complaints, crop damage losses, lethal and non-lethal strategies implemented, and animals lethally removed.
• Participate in trapping, transfer, and releasing wildlife; tissue and specimen collection; and conducting priority game surveys when involving conflict management.
• Plan, facilitate and/or represent assigned area…