Introduction

We are looking to fill a contracted position within the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s (MDIFW) Game Research and Management Section, in partnership with the Wildlife Management Institute. This position will be full-time for a term of one year with the potential for an additional term extension. Periodic overnight travel is expected with regular weekend and evening work.

The mission of the MDIFW is to preserve, protect, and enhance the inland fisheries and wildlife resources of the state as well as enable and promote the safe enjoyment of Maine’s outdoors. As part of this mandate, the Department’s Wildlife Division is charged with managing Maine’s game and non-game species and conserving and protecting habitat for Maine’s wildlife.  This position will work closely with wildlife biologists in the Wildlife Division’s Game Research and Management Section. 

Job Description

The selected candidate will support the Game Research and Management Section’s field data collection to inform black bear, deer, moose, game bird, and furbearer programs and will work under the direction of the various Senior Resource Biologists and/or Resource Biologists responsible for these programs. The work will be varied with time in the field capturing and marking animals, assisting with the collection and processing of biological data from harvested species, field season preparation, data management, and supporting game registration needs.  

Duties may include:

• Assisting with the capture of black bears in their winter dens and trapping bears in the spring,
• Assisting with the capture and banding of ducks, geese, and/or turkeys,
• Assisting with the winter deployment and maintenance of remote cameras to monitor  furbearer and game populations,
• Providing support to the furbearer and moose programs (e.g., prepping biological sample collection for moose, processing furbearer jaws or cutting moose teeth for aging, image tagging from winter camera trapping, mortality investigations and field necropsy, data entry, preparation for winter field efforts, etc.),
• Answering calls and providing technical support to our on-line game registration system to address online registration questions, 
• Collecting biological data from harvested deer, moose, and furbearers
• Entering data, database maintenance, and supporting data analysis and reporting  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The ideal candidate will possess:

• A strong work ethic and positive attitude, ability to follow instructions, and to work both independently and as a part of a team in the field and office setting.
• Experience/comfort working in harsh winter conditions and in remote settings.
• Experience operating snowmobiles, ATV, small watercraft, 4WD vehicles, and towing trailers.
• Experience capturing and handling wildlife. 
• Chemical immobilization experience with mammals and/or chemical immobilization certification.
• Data management experience, familiarity with Microsoft Access and GIS (e.g. ESRI) products and tools.
• Experience with operating standard field equipment (telemetry, gps, trail cameras, etc.).

Minimum Qualifications
At a minimum, this position requires a B.S. in Wildlife Biology, Natural Resources, Environmental or Biological Sciences, or a related field. Candidates should have at least three years of demonstrable professional experience.

Benefits
Through WMI you will be eligible for WMI 401(k) retirement plan with match. WMI will provide health, dental and eye insurance, workers’ compensation, general liability protection, professional liability protection and unemployment insurance benefits. WMI will withhold taxes including social security.