Species at Risk Biologist

**Job Information**:
Job Requisition ID: 46865

Ministry: Environment and Protected Areas

Location: Grande Prairie

Full or Part-Time: Full Time

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Scope: Open Competition

Closing Date: September 11, 2023

Classification: Natural Resources 8

**About Us**:
The Government of Alberta (GoA) is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion and innovation are valued and supported.

**Role**:
Are you passionate about preserving Alberta's natural heritage? Do you thrive in roles that requires a mix of technical expertise, environmental insight, and effective collaboration? We are seeking a Woodland Caribou Conservation and Recovery Specialist to join our dynamic team dedicated to safeguarding the province's iconic wildlife.

As a Species at Risk Biologist, focused primarily on woodland caribou recovery, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainable woodland caribou populations in the province of Alberta. Your guidance, tools, and training support will empower our staff to efficiently carry out their responsibilities, ensuring the conservation of Alberta's species at risk. You will be involved in establishing efficient procedures that strike the right balance between resource management and preservation.

**Primary responsibilities include**:

- **Woodland Caribou Data Management**: You will oversee the maintenance and management of the provincial woodland caribou population database. Your tasks will encompass data collection, quality assurance, and ensuring data use and dissemination meet provincial standards.
- **Resource Management**: You will be instrumental in woodland caribou inventory and monitoring, supporting population assessments, demographic reporting, and habitat evaluations. Your coordination skills will ensure the smooth operation of collaring programs and delivery of 3rd party management actions.
- **Woodland Caribou Recovery Planning**: Collaborating with various partners, you will assist in the delivery, improvement and advancement of the woodland caribou conservation and recovery program. From preparing requests for proposals and contract management to contributing and supporting Alberta’s woodland caribou sub-regional planning process and meeting jurisdictional commitments under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), your role will be integral to the long-term conservation of species.

Your dedication will echo across governmental departments, stakeholder collaborations, and research initiatives, leaving a lasting impact on woodland caribou conservation in Alberta.

**Qualifications**:
**Requirements**:

- University degree in biology, environmental science, natural resource management or a related field.
- Four years of directly related wildlife and land use integration experience.
- A valid Class 5 driver's license or equivalent. Demonstrated ability in the use of GIS software, data management, modelling and spatial analysis.**Equivalencies**:
**Assets**:

- An advanced degree in renewable resource/wildlife management and/or sciences, especially at the postgraduate level, is highly desirable.
- An ability to leverage your strong ecological knowledge of caribou conservation and recovery to support recovery planning strategies, management and actions of other Alberta species at risk (eg., wood bison).
- Proven experience in working with woodland caribou, including wood bison, ecology and management.
- Proficiency in conducting wildlife data collection activities, encompassing aerial surveys, remote camera setups, radio-telemetry operations, and biological sampling.
- Familiarity with strategies to mitigate wildlife-human conflicts, expertise in wildlife disease management, and adeptness in animal handling and husbandry techniques.
- Sound grasp of the current policies and regulations governing woodland caribou and wood bison conservation and management in Alberta, such as the Wildlife Act, Master Schedule of Standards and Conditions, and Alberta sub-regional planning initiatives.
- Knowledge of Federal Species at Risk legislation, recovery strategies, policies, and conservation agreements.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication aptitude, demonstrated by the capability to produce both accessible plain language documents and comprehensive scientific reports.
- Strong leadership competencies and a proven ability to excel within collaborative team environments.
- Acquaintance with habitat restoration methodologies.
- Comprehensive understanding of the forestry and energy sectors' dynamics within Alberta.

**APS Competencies**:
Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

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