Ecologist

Use existing specialized KSAs to provide aquatic, wildlife, and physical sciences expertise to park staff as needed. Responsibilities primarily include using various techniques to conduct one or more of the following: 1) recovery actions for several listed animal species; 2) critical habitat restoration; 3) surveying, monitoring, and researching high-priority animal species and physical sciences projects; and 4) assisting with administration of high-priority projects being implemented and planned.

• Ecological Knowledge: Apply knowledge of Southeast Region fauna and ecology, physical natural resources, and project implementation to provide experienced support for high-priority needs in the aquatic, wildlife, and physical science programs.   40%
• Habitat Restoration Knowledge: Apply knowledge of Southeast Region aquatic habitat restoration and aquatic food webs and local/regional experience to provide skilled support for high-priority habitat restoration needs in the aquatic program.   40%
• Wildlife Knowledge: Use local/regional experience and intermediate-to-advanced identification techniques (keys, field guides, and other wildlife id resources) to identify amphibians, reptiles, fish, mammals, and birds when conducting surveys and recovery and restoration actions. Coordinate identification and/or other support with outside experts as needed.   15%
• Leadership & Safety: Use leadership skills and experience to maintain good communication with field crews, program managers and lead technicians, and Park Dispatch. Use appropriate tools (e.g., GPS, maps) to navigate safely either alone or with crew members. Follow NPS safety and communication protocols when working in the field. Communicate with NPS partner about safety concerns or incidents.   5%

• Required Certifications: On USFWS List of Authorized Individuals to handle T&E Species
• Overnight travel: Estimate 0-1 week quarterly
• Air travel anticipated: Estimate 0-1 week quarterly
• Health and Safety Considerations: This position may spend some time in the field, specifically in locations with uneven terrain and surrounding hazards such as dead and dying trees, ticks, rattlesnakes, and temperature extremes. Staff in this position will be provided with safety protocols and information related to these hazards and will be required to follow safety protocols similar to NPS staff. These protocols may require use of an NPS radio and communications tracking by NPS dispatch. Staff will also be encouraged to practice operational leadership principals, which encourage staff to proactively identify potential risks and appropriate mitigations and empower staff to choose not to complete a task when risks cannot be safely mitigated.
• Required Safety Gear: There may be situations when personal protective equipment is necessary for the completion of a task, such as wearing a hard hat in areas with a high number of hazard trees. If and when PPE is identified, it will be provided to the staff by the NPS for their use.
• Physical requirements: Job is primarily sedentary and performed in an office environment. Some field visits may involve brief exposure to arduous climatic conditions (e.g. temps >90 degrees) and the need for sufficient mobility to navigate uneven terrain. . Ability to sit at a desk for extended periods of time while providing computer-based support Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.