IA Wildlife Management Specialist

Wildlife Management Specialist

Work Location:

Iowa DNR Black Hawk Wildlife Unit (Sac County)

2392 230th Street, Early, Iowa 50535

Application deadline: March 2, 2026

Salary: $17.00 per hour

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

Anticipated Start Date: 2-4 weeks post successful job offer

End Date: One year from start date

JOB description:  This position is part of a partnership between Pheasants Forever (PF) and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The PF Wildlife Management Specialist is expected to assist the public with wildlife concerns and crop evaluations for wildlife damage in addition to performing a variety of maintenance and technical tasks at the wildlife management unit. The employee is expected to efficiently display a high level of initiative and commitment towards completing assignments. The employee in this position will work with other wildlife unit personnel and be under the general direction of the Natural Resource 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. Click here to view a video of what typical job duties may include.

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 Depredation Program: Evaluate crops and work with producers on reducing crop damage through technical advice, habitat recommendations, and implementation of the depredation program. Get training on a number of wildlife damage mitigation techniques and present them to landowners and producers. Respond to inquiries on a variety of wildlife topics.
• 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.
• Exhibit honesty and integrity.
• Display a high level of initiative, effort and commitment towards completing assignments efficiently.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT BENEFITS:

• Work alongside permanent Iowa DNR staff to develop technical skills.
• Work outdoors.
• Unique work experience combining habitat management and human dimensions work within the wildlife field.
• Great opportunity to expand your professional network and make lasting connections.
• High rate of recruitment from PF Wildlife Specialist positions to permanent positions within Iowa 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