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  • Wildlife Management Specialist, Pheasants Forever, 6 positions

    Jul 31, 2018 3:30 pm by Kimberly BakerJobs

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    IOWA DEPARTMENT NATURAL RESOURCES 

    JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

    PHEASANTS FOREVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

    6 Positions:  

    1. Clear Lake Wildlife Unit – Clear Lake, IA

    2. Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit – Ruthven, IA

    3. Prairie Resource Center (1) – Lehigh, IA

    4. Prairie Resource Center (2) – Lehigh, IA

    5. Rathbun Wildlife Unit – Russell, IA

    6. Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit - Highlandville, IA  

           

    Salary: $12.86–13.05/hr.

    Hours: ~8:00 a.m. – ~4:30 p.m. – 40 hours per week

    These are one year positions.

    The positions may be extended for an additional year pending funding and job performance.  If the positions are extended the candidates may be reassigned to another wildlife unit in Iowa.

     JOB DESCRIPTION:  The PF Wildlife Management Specialist is expected to perform a variety of semi-skilled maintenance and technical tasks at a Wildlife Management Unit or Prairie Resource Center.  The employee is expected to display a high level of initiative and commitment towards completing assignments efficiently.  Employees in this position will work with other wildlife unit personnel and be under the general direction of the Wildlife Biologist.  The job duties of this position at a Wildlife Unit include general wildlife management activities on State owned wildlife areas within the assigned unit counties.  The primary responsibilities at the Prairie Resource Center are to assist with the production of native grass and wildflower seed. 

    Examples of typical job duties at the Prairie Resource Center:

    • Identification and harvest of specific prairie species from prairie remnants across the state.
    • Assist with seed propagation and care of native plants in the greenhouse.
    • Perform general wildlife management activities including: Prescribed fire implementation on grass/wildflower fields, noxious weed control,  planting, maintenance, and harvest of over 100 prairie species, and  operating large farm machinery such as tractor, combine, chain saw, native grass drill, and seed cleaning equipment.     
    • Assist with the training/direction of inmate offenders, volunteers and other staff in the cleaning harvest and planting of native plant material.
    • Participate in the writing/production of the biannual newsletter.

    Examples of typical job duties at a Wildlife Unit:

    • Perform general wildlife management activities including: Wetland management, prairie management, native prairie seeding, food plot development, edge feathering, tree/brush removal, spraying, disking, mowing, etc. using large farm machinery, chainsaws, and other hand tools.
    • Prescribed fire implementation for ecological purposes. This duty will require fire-line construction, fire-line holding, and mop-up activities.  Performance of these tasks will require the employee to periodically work under physically stressful and adverse conditions.  Proficiency in the use of basic wildland firefighting equipment will be needed.           
    • Wildlife Surveys & Monitoring including: Waterfowl banding, deer spotlight routes, august roadside surveys, spring bird point counts, fall quail covey counts, chronic wasting disease sampling, etc.  Collecting of biological data occasionally will require early or late in the day work scheduling
    • General area maintenance involving mowing, sign posting, fence building, fence removal, tree/brush control, noxious weed control etc. These activities require the ability to use simple power equipment; drills, saws, hand tools, chain saws, trimmers, small mowers etc.   
    • Special assignments may require some overnight travel as part of a crew, to accomplish large scale fence removal, fence building or tree removal projects outside of the assigned unit counties. These assignments will require the ability to work well with others, work out of doors under all types of weather conditions, and to withstand physically demanding work, i.e., lifting, bending and hauling.       

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

    • College graduate with a degree in wildlife biology, animal ecology, or another closely related natural resource field.
    • Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
    • Able to travel on overnight duties.
    • Work with minimal supervision; demonstrate responsible behavior and attention to detail.
    • Must have a valid motor vehicle operator’s license.
    • Able to work alone or as part of a team, with the public, in all conditions, on weekends, holidays, nights, and evenings as required.
    • Follow policy and cooperate with supervisors and co-workers.
    • Exhibits honesty and integrity.
    • Displays a high level of initiative, effort and commitment towards completing assignments efficiently.

    SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:  Must possess or be able to acquire a commercial driver’s license, pesticide applicator’s license, S130-190 basic firefighter training certification, IDNR chainsaw safety certification, and first aid & blood born pathogen training. Special requirements shall be met within 60 days of hire if not currently possessed.

    HOW TO APPLY: Please send resume, cover letter and three references by close of business Friday, August 10, 2018 to Pete Hildreth – PO Box 619 Lake View, IA 51450 or to: pete.hildreth@dnr.iowa.gov. Email is Preferred.  For more information contact Pete Hildreth at (712) 254-0955.

    AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AGENCY  

     

    PHEASANTS FOREVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST BENEFIT PACKAGE INFORMATION              

    1.  Pheasants Forever, Inc. currently offers group health insurance through Medica.  Health coverage is available to full time employees working 30+ hours per week. The plan is available the first of the month following 60 days of employment. The employee has the option of purchasing the Single +1 or Family plan on a pretax basis.

    2.  If health insurance is elected through Pheasants Forever, Inc. the premium for Consult-A-Doc is paid for by the company.  This service provides around the clock physician access, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone or email, to answer any questions by educated medical advice and treatment options.

    3.  Pheasants Forever, Inc currently offers voluntary Dental Insurance through MetLife. Dental coverage is available to full time employees working 30+ hours per week.  The plan is available the first of the month following 60 day of employment.  The premium is paid for 100% by the employee on a pretax basis. Low or High plans are available.

    4.  Pheasants Forever, Inc. maintains a Section 125 Flexible Spending Account option where employees can put away pre-tax dollars to pay for un-reimbursed medical and dental expenses (expenses not covered by the employees health or dental policy, co-pays, prescriptions, eye glasses and exams, etc), as well as dependent care expenses (child care expenses).  This is also available the first of the month following 60 days of employment.

    5.  Pheasants Forever, Inc. sponsors a 401(k) retirement plan for eligible employees.   Employees are eligible to begin making pre-tax and post-tax deferrals after 60 days of employment.  Pheasants Forever will match the first 5% of the employee’s gross wages.  After 1 year of employment, employees will be eligible to receive a profit-sharing contribution from Pheasants Forever, Inc (note:  the entry dates for the profit-sharing portion of the plan are January 1st and July 1st).  Employee contributions are always 100% vested. Employer funds are subject to a 6 year step-vesting schedule (2 years = 20%, 4 years= 80%, 6 years = 100%).  Minimum age for participation is 21. 

    6.  Pheasants Forever, Inc. provides a Term Life Insurance benefit equal to 1 times the employee’s annual salary, capped at $50,000.  Pheasants Forever, Inc. also provides Long-term disability coverage to eligible employees, which provides coverage after 90 days of disability.  Both of these policies are effective the first of the month following 60 days of employment.  All premiums on these policies are paid by Pheasants Forever, Inc.

    7.  Pheasants Forever, Inc provides the opportunity for employees to purchase voluntary Short Term Disability and Group Term Life Insurance through payroll deduction the first of the month following 60 days of employment.  The premium is paid 100% by the employee.

    8.  Pheasants Forever, Inc provides the opportunity for employees to purchase voluntary Vision and Identity Theft/Pre Paid Legal Insurance through payroll deduction the first of the month following 60 days of employment.  The premium is paid 100% by the employee.

    9.   Pheasants Forever, Inc. provides the opportunity for employees to purchase voluntary Accident Insurance through payroll deduction the first of the month following 60 days of employment.  The premium is paid 100% by the employee. 

    10. Pheasants Forever, Inc. provides the opportunity for employees to purchase voluntary Cancer Insurance through payroll deduction the first of the month following 60 days of employment.  The premium is paid 100 % by the employee.

    11. Pheasants Forever, Inc. provides the opportunity for employees to purchase voluntary hospital Confinement Indemnity Insurance through payroll deduction the first of the month following 60 days of employment.  The premium is paid 100% by the employee.

    12. Employees begin earning vacation after 90 days of employment with Pheasants Forever, Inc.  Vacation is earned on a sliding scale based on years of employment, beginning at 10 days (80 hours) per year for the first 3 years, and increasing thereafter as outlined in the employee handbook. 

    Important Note:  This is intended to be only a summary of the basic benefit programs that Pheasants Forever, Inc. offers.  In the event of a conflict between the actual plan documents and this summary, the actual plan documents shall govern.

    Revised 07.01.2015