On-Call Wildlife Technician

About ICF

The Wildlife Technician position supports the Environment & Planning Division of ICF. We provide environmental planning policy permitting and other services to clients. We are passionate about doing whats right for our clients our people the communities where we live and work and the environment. We are planners scientists program managers communicators economists technologists and strategists. We are collaborative curious and committed to excellencethese are qualities we value that make us who we are and inspire us to grow. If you perform well in a fast-paced engaging and collaborative environment and would like to work with a diverse team of industry professionals we encourage you to learn more about ICF () and consider applying to join our team.

One of ICFs many offices around the world is Gillette - located in the heart of Wyomings energy producing Powder River Basin. The Gillette office is a small biology-driven office composed of primarily wildlife biologists. The majority of their work is centered around the mining oil and gas and renewable energy industries in the Rocky Mountain Region. Gillette is an industrial town of approximately 35000 people and within driving distance of the famous Black Hills region Devils Tower and Big Horn Mountains. Nearest cities include Rapid City SD Billings MT and Casper WY.

Job Description

As a Wildlife Technician you will be responsible for completing ground and aerial wildlife surveys habitat assessments and data entry. Aerial surveys are conducted with a small fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter. Field work is often performed on foot in rugged often hilly rocky terrain and the ability to hike long distances is required. The fieldwork will require long and often irregular hours (potentially nights early mornings and some weekends) in potentially adverse weather conditions. Fieldwork will be conducted in remote areas with the potential for overnight/extended travel. Technicians must be able to confidently identify western avian and mammalian species. Surveys may include but are not limited to searches for sage-grouse prairie dogs waterfowl passerines and raptors. Technicians must have excellent navigational skills with GPS tablets and be able to operate four-wheel-drive trucks. Technicians will be required to work independently in the field so dedication resourcefulness and accountability are essential skills for the position. While fieldwork will be conducted independently all work will be carried out as part of a larger team effort and excellent communication skills and an ability to cooperate in a team are equally important qualities.

About On-Call Employment with ICF

Given the seasonal or project-specific nature of our environmental work ICF often hires environmental professionals as On-Call employees. On-call employees are scheduled for work hours as they become available and suitable weather conditions permit (work is usually scheduled a few weeks ahead of time) and each on-call employee is free to accept or refuse the hours assigned to them in a given week. On-call employees may work concurrent projects outside of their ICF assignment (as long as their outside work does not create a conflict of interest with the work they do for ICF). Expected fieldwork responsibilities to include 40-50 hours per week from early-April through early-July with the possibility of extension depending on potential projects. Work would be based out of the Gillette office but could require travel throughout the Rocky Mountain states.

Key Responsibilities

• Ground and aerial biological surveys.
• Greater sage-grouse lek surveys.
• Record keeping longhand field notes and data entry.
• Raptor nest searches and prairie dog colony delineation surveys.
• Work in a manner that promotes safety for yourself and others around you.
• Work collaboratively with project managers regarding availability and project completion.

Basic Qualifications:

• B.S. degree in wildlife biology or closely related field.
• Must be proficient in navigation using iPads maps and GPS.
• Must have a valid drivers license and be able to operate four-wheel drive trucks.

Additional Skills/Experience:

• Must be able to work independently in the field for extended periods of time often with limited mobile phone reception.
• Solid avian and mammalian identification skills.
• Ability to hike long distances (up to 12 miles per day) withstand cold/hot and windy conditions for long periods and be able to lift heavy items (more than 50 lbs.) if needed for field safety.
• Strong knowledge of Rocky Mountain Region fauna.
• Short-grass prairie/shrub-steppe vegetation identification skills.
• Previous experience conducting aerial surveys from fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter.
• Ability to withstand aerial flying conditions at low altitudes and sitting in confined spaces.
• Previous consulting experience or biological resources management.
• Experience in or knowledge of conventional and renewable energy development industries.
• MSHA certified

Professional Skills:

• Excellent verbal interpersonal and written communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and be flexible regarding the work schedule in a fast-paced environment
• Sound business ethics including the protection of proprietary and confidential information
• Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to analyze situations identify existing or potential problems and recommend solutions
• Excellent organization skills and the ability to follow established field and data management protocols
• Proficiency in MS Office Applications (Word Outlook Excel) and Esri FieldMaps programs

Working at ICF

Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position including but not limited to relevant work experience skills certifications and competencies that align to the specified role geographic location education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is: