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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Conservation Program Specialist

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

ConservationWildlifeEnvironmental

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Conservation Program Specialist is a mid-level conservation professional responsible for designing, implementing, monitoring, and reporting on species and habitat conservation programs. Working at the intersection of field science, community engagement, regulatory compliance, and grant management, this role delivers evidence-based conservation actions that advance species recovery, habitat restoration, and landscape-scale resilience. The Specialist leads and coordinates field surveys, data management, technical reporting, partner collaboration, and permit/contract administration to ensure projects meet ecological objectives, fiscal targets, and regulatory requirements.

Key SEO terms: wildlife conservation specialist, species recovery, habitat restoration, monitoring and evaluation, GIS for conservation, grant writing, endangered species compliance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Field Technician / Biological Technician with 1–3 years of field monitoring experience
  • Wildlife Biologist I or Research Assistant focused on species surveys or habitat assessments
  • Restoration Technician or Environmental Educator with applied conservation experience

Advancement To:

  • Wildlife Conservation Program Manager / Senior Program Specialist
  • Habitat Restoration Lead or Regional Conservation Coordinator
  • Conservation Science Manager or Director of Field Programs

Lateral Moves:

  • Ecological Restoration Specialist
  • Natural Resource Planner or Environmental Compliance Specialist
  • Community Engagement / Outreach Coordinator for conservation initiatives

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead design and execution of standardized species monitoring protocols (line transects, point counts, mark-recapture, camera-trap surveys, acoustic monitoring) to quantify population trends, distribution, and demographic parameters against conservation objectives.
  • Manage all aspects of multi-year habitat restoration projects, including site selection, invasive species control planning, native species reintroduction, erosion control measures, and post-restoration monitoring to evaluate ecological outcomes.
  • Prepare, submit, and manage federal and state grant proposals and cooperative agreements (including budgets, logic models, timelines, and deliverables) to secure program funding and ensure compliance with funder reporting requirements.
  • Coordinate permitting processes and ensure regulatory compliance (ESA, MBTA, NEPA, state wildlife codes), preparing permit applications, biological assessments, and supporting documentation to secure take/collect permits and land-use authorizations.
  • Develop and maintain spatial datasets, GIS maps, and habitat suitability models using ArcGIS/QGIS and remote sensing products to inform conservation planning, priority-setting, and project reporting.
  • Supervise, hire, train, and schedule seasonal field crews, interns, and volunteers; implement safety protocols, field SOPs, and quality-assurance checks to deliver reliable, defensible field data.
  • Oversee tracking and telemetry studies (VHF/UHF/VPS/ARGOS), including transmitter deployment, relocation, mortality investigation, and telemetry data processing to analyze animal movement, home ranges, and habitat use.
  • Design and implement monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks and performance metrics (SMART indicators, theory of change) to measure ecological effectiveness and program impact, producing adaptive recommendations.
  • Lead collection, chain-of-custody, and proper handling of biological samples (genetics, stable isotopes, contaminants) and coordinate with partner laboratories to ensure data quality and timely analysis.
  • Produce clear, compelling technical reports, scientific summaries, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and grant/quarterly progress reports tailored to funders, regulators, landowners, and the scientific community.
  • Manage program budgets, procurement, contracts, and subawards; reconcile expenditures, track in-kind contributions, and maintain fiscal documentation to support audits and grant compliance.
  • Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with federal and state agencies, tribal governments, NGOs, academic institutions, landowners, and local communities to align conservation actions and leverage resources.
  • Coordinate stakeholder engagement and outreach activities (public meetings, workshops, training sessions) to foster community support, increase local stewardship, and translate technical findings into actionable guidance.
  • Implement invasive species detection and rapid response protocols, coordinating mechanical, chemical, and biological control measures while documenting treatment efficacy and non-target effects.
  • Use statistical software (R, Python, or similar) to clean, analyze, and visualize monitoring datasets; run occupancy models, population trend analyses, and habitat-selection models to inform management decisions.
  • Lead adaptive management cycles by synthesizing monitoring results, stakeholder feedback, and emerging science to revise project actions, conservation targets, and risk mitigation strategies.
  • Ensure health and safety of field teams by developing and enforcing site-specific safety plans, first-aid/CPR readiness, boat/ATV operation training, and COVID/zoonotic disease precautions.
  • Manage data systems and data governance: establish metadata standards, verification workflows, secure data storage, and data-sharing agreements to maintain data integrity and support reproducible analyses.
  • Conduct species-specific conservation planning (recovery plans, conservation easements, safe harbor agreements) that translate legal and ecological objectives into implementable actions and timelines.
  • Coordinate the deployment and maintenance of remote sensing tools (drones/UAVs, multispectral sensors, LiDAR) and process imagery to map habitat condition, restoration progress, and disturbance events.
  • Provide technical assistance to landowners, municipalities, and partners on best management practices for habitat restoration, livestock/wildlife coexistence, and mitigating anthropogenic threats like road mortality and development impacts.
  • Participate in fundraising and donor stewardship activities, drafting donor-facing summaries, impact statements, and stewardship reports that link on-the-ground accomplishments to funding outcomes.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and produce GIS products, dashboards, and visualizations that synthesize monitoring results for internal program teams, partners, and funders.
  • Contribute to organizational conservation strategies and program roadmaps by identifying science priorities, emerging threats, and potential funding opportunities.
  • Collaborate with communications teams to translate technical findings into outreach materials (fact sheets, web content, social media posts) that increase public awareness and stakeholder buy-in.
  • Assist with institutional review and permitting coordination for research projects involving animal handling or genetic sampling; ensure all human/animal ethics approvals are current.
  • Participate in cross-program working groups, task forces, and adaptive management meetings to integrate species-level actions into broader landscape-level conservation planning.
  • Maintain inventory and logistics for field equipment, coordinate seasonal mobilization, and manage relationships with vendors for sample analysis, equipment calibration, and vehicle maintenance.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in ArcGIS and QGIS for spatial analysis, habitat mapping, and producing publication-quality maps.
  • Strong field ecology skills: proven experience with line transects, point counts, camera-trap deployment, mist-netting, live trapping, and other wildlife survey techniques.
  • Telemetry and tracking: experience deploying and monitoring VHF/UHF/GPS/ARGOS transmitters, interpreting movement data, and troubleshooting field gear.
  • Data analysis proficiency using R or Python for statistical modeling (occupancy, N-mixture, GLMMs), trend analysis, and data visualization.
  • Experience writing and managing state and federal grants (e.g., USFWS, NOAA, state wildlife grants) and preparing funder-required reports and deliverables.
  • Familiarity with environmental permitting and regulatory frameworks (Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, NEPA) and experience preparing biological assessments and permit applications.
  • Competency in database management (MS Access, SQL, Google BigQuery) and data governance practices, including metadata creation and quality assurance.
  • Practical experience with remote sensing tools: drone/UAV operation (part 107 or equivalent preferred), aerial imagery processing, and multispectral/NDVI analyses.
  • Strong technical writing skills: drafting technical reports, recovery plans, grant narratives, and peer-reviewed publications.
  • Practical knowledge of habitat restoration techniques, native plant propagation, invasive species control, erosion control, and post-restoration monitoring.
  • Familiarity with sample collection protocols, chain-of-custody, and coordination with analytical labs for genetics, contaminants, or stable isotope analyses.
  • Proficient in project management tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, Asana) for scheduling, resource allocation, and milestone tracking.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills for translating technical science into accessible guidance for stakeholders and the public.
  • Proven ability to build and maintain collaborative partnerships with diverse stakeholders including tribal governments, landowners, agencies, NGOs, and academic partners.
  • Strong leadership and team management skills: recruiting, mentoring, motivating, and supervising field crews in remote and challenging environments.
  • Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking aptitude to synthesize disparate data sources and design pragmatic conservation interventions.
  • Cultural sensitivity and ability to engage respectfully with local, Indigenous, and rural communities to co-develop conservation solutions.
  • Time management, organization, and the ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.
  • Flexibility and adaptability to changing field conditions, evolving funding landscapes, and shifting regulatory requirements.
  • Facilitation and public speaking skills for leading community meetings, technical trainings, and stakeholder workshops.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Conservation Biology, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or closely related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree (M.S.) in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology, or related discipline with coursework in statistics, GIS, and conservation planning.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Wildlife Biology / Wildlife Ecology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology / Restoration Ecology
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Environmental Science / Environmental Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–7 years of professional experience in wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, or conservation program implementation; experience may include a combination of field, research, and programmatic roles.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years managing conservation projects or programs, demonstrated success in grant writing and fund management, and experience supervising field crews and collaborating with federal/state agencies and tribal partners.

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