Description

This position works under the leadership of the Habitat Bureau Chief and Wildlife Division Administrator on nongame habitat conservation for species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) with an emphasis on conserving wetland and riparian habitats. This is a statewide position based in Helena involving regular office work, conducting and overseeing administrative tasks, regular overnight travel to state, regional, and national meetings, balancing work of multiple projects with time-sensitive demands, and regular communication with an array of state, federal, non-government organization, private individuals, and partnership groups that are engaged in similar work.

Job Duties:

This position serves as the department’s expert on management and conservation of habitat for nongame species of greatest conservation need with a primary focus on wetland and riparian habitats that support a high percentage of Montana’s SGCN, and serves as a program coordinator for two habitat conservation programs. This position coordinates and collaborates with FWP staff, conservation groups, and land managers to prioritize, strategize, and conserve habitats for nongame SGCN. This position will have a primary emphasis on conserving and managing wetland and riparian habitats and secondary emphasis on forest habitats that support SGCN. This position will manage and administer both the Migratory Bird Wetlands Program and the Nongame Habitat Program. Program management will include managing applications and proposals, ranking projects for funding, establishing contracts and agreements, mapping and geospatial data management, maintaining program databases, managing program budgets, and writing reports summarizing accomplishments. The position is the primary liaison between the Wildlife Division’s Habitat and Nongame Bureaus, with the Wetland Protection Advisory Committee, and with regional FWP staff and partners implementing habitat projects to benefit nongame. As an agency expert in wetland-riparian habitat types and the habitat needs of nongame SGCN, the position may serve as the state’s wildlife representative on a variety of Montana, regional, or national advisory capacities.

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You must apply through the State of Montana Career site.  Please apply before closing date of July 15, 2026.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

The technical knowledge, skills, and abilities of this position are normally attained through an education equivalent to a master’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Management, Disease Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Zoology, Biology, or related field including completion of a field research project presented in a successfully defended thesis.  This position requires a minimum of 3 years of experience that includes 1) establishing or assisting with habitat conservation, restoration, or enhancement projects; 2) working directly with private landowners, organizations, or agencies on natural resource topics; and 3) administering agreements, grants, or other forms of documentation that involve basic accounting, technical writing, and attention to details. Other combinations of education and experience which could provide such knowledge, skills and abilities will be evaluated on an individual basis.
 
Equivalent experience is defined as five (5) years of progressively responsible experience as a wildlife biologist or senior wildlife technician that includes examples of:

• Literature review and development of a problem statement and or hypothesis for a particular issue.
• Development of a detailed study plan or sampling protocol for a field-oriented project based on the above-noted hypothesis.
• Data collection and the effective management of data with an appropriate application. 
• Interpretation and analysis of data, including a quantitative assessment of that information.
• Completion of a final report in a peer-reviewed publication or a publication comparable to a refereed journal.
• If appropriate to the project, formulation of any recommended changes in management prescriptions and or actions.
• Oral presentation on results of investigation to agency staff or public audience.

If you feel you meet the equivalent experience, please provide a supplemental document in your application that indicates your experience level relative to each point listed above.