IA Wildlife Management Specialist

Wildlife Management Specialist

Work Location:

Great Lakes – Big Sioux Wildlife Unit

4051 Cherry Ave., Hawarden, Iowa 51023 (Sioux County)

Application deadline: March 2, 2026

Salary: $17.00 per hour

Typical Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – 40 hours per week

Anticipated Start Date: May 2026

End Date: One year from start date

This position may be extended for an additional year pending funding and job performance.

If the position is extended, the candidate may be reassigned to another wildlife unit in Iowa.

JOB description:  This position is part of a partnership between Pheasants Forever and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Under the daily direction of Iowa DNR staff, the incumbent will conduct habitat management work on public wildlife areas. The PF Wildlife Management Specialist is expected to perform a variety of semi-skilled maintenance and technical tasks at a wildlife management unit. The employee is expected to display a high level of initiative and commitment towards completing assignments efficiently.  The employee 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 include general wildlife management activities on State owned wildlife areas within the assigned unit counties.  Overnight travel will occasionally be required on special projects outside of the assigned unit counties.

Examples of typical job duties may include:

• 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.
• Exhibit honesty and integrity. Follow policy and cooperate with supervisors and co-workers.
• Display a high level of initiative, effort and commitment towards completing assignments efficiently.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT BENEFITS:

• Work alongside permanent DNR staff to develop technical skills.
• Work outdoors.
• Great opportunity to expand your professional network and make lasting connections.
• High rate of recruitment from PF Wildlife Specialist positions to permanent positions within DNR, PF and other conservation entities.
• Get a preview of employment within two organizations simultaneously, with opportunities to attend annual staff meetings for both DNR and Pheasants Forever.
• Pheasants Forever offers a competitive benefits package. Employee Benefit Package information can be found here: Employee Benefit Summary pdf