Scientist - fish

Description: Requisition Id: 3207

Salary: $54,552.00 - $68,088.00

Salary Grade: S9

Job Location: 2 Locations (Lee's Summit & Branson, Missouri)

Closing Date: June 21, 2024

Our Culture: The Missouri Department of Conservation supports a culture of trusted professionals that is dedicated to our mission, responsible stewards, and believe in One MDC.

To learn more about the job, feel free to contact the hiring supervisor- Zach Ford at or at .

Summary/Objective

These positions support science-informed management, monitoring, and regulations to achieve balanced and sustainable sport fish populations statewide.

We are looking to fill openings for the Scientist - Sport Fish Ecologist in 2 locations: 1 position at our Kansas City Regional Office in Lee's Summit, Missouri and 1 position at our Branson Office in Branson, Missouri . When applying please note your first choice for location in your cover letter.

Essential Job Duties

• Initiate, design, conduct, and lead research, monitoring, and collaboration with regional and statewide staff to inform management of priority sport fish populations.
• Serve as science program lead and chair for respective sport fish working group to identify priority information needs and develop those into research project proposals.
• Serve as the primary lead on sport fish regulation proposals identified by the sport fish working group throughout the regulatory process.
• Assist with branch and regional work planning and provide updates to Sport Fish Coordination Team and administration annually and as requested.
• Serve as a member on other working groups, committees, projects and stakeholder teams.
• Oversee all components of approved research projects including budgeting, hiring, and supervising staff, data collection and management, data analysis, managing cooperative agreements, progress reports, grant reporting, and final reporting.
• Create various technical and non-technical presentations and publications for scientific journals, papers, posters, pamphlets, websites, and popular articles.
• Collaborate frequently with interagency staff, working groups, and university faculty on cooperative research efforts to ensure project objectives and deadlines are met.
• Participate in research project proposal reviews and on project teams for other research projects and initiatives.
• Provide scientific technical support to other researchers, students, managers, administrators, educators, and protection staff.
• Correspond with communication staff and stakeholders via email, telephone, and in-person discussion.
• Excel in a team setting with immediate work team and other fisheries, wildlife, forestry, and protection staff to achieve common goals and provide support when needed.

Ancillary Job Duties

• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree in Wildlife Science, Fisheries, Biological Sciences, or related.
• At least three (3) years of relevant professional experience.
• Must maintain a valid, current driver's license.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to safely operate boats, outboard motors, jet motors, power tools, and trucks towing various length of trailers.
• Understanding of basic electrofishing principles and techniques.
• Ability to safely apply electricity to water to immobilize and collect fish.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with fish population dynamics and population simulation modeling is essential.
• Ability to travel and work varying shifts, as required.
• Ability to use office equipment, such as copier, phone system, fax, scanner, and computer.
• Familiarity with sonar units, GPS, and GIS equipment and software.

Work Environment

• Regularly work in outdoor environments where hot, cold, wet and/or humid conditions exist.
• Occasionally exposed to loud noises which may require the use of hearing protection.

Physical Abilities

• Remain stationary up to 70% of the time.
• Move about grounds, both inside and outside of buildings.
• Regularly operate tools and other machinery and relocate machinery to other areas.
• Frequently communicate and exchange accurate information.
• Clarity of vision, three-dimensional vision, precise hand-eye coordination, and the ability to identify and distinguish colors.
• Regularly lift up to 30 pounds, correctly lift up to 75 pounds.
• Concentrated attention is required at all times.
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function.

Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee will also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required. The Missouri Department of Conservation reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. Management reserves the right to change job descriptions, job duties, functions, and requirements.