Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Ecologist Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking a motivated and experienced Wildlife Ecologist Specialist to lead and execute applied wildlife research, monitoring and conservation projects across diverse terrestrial and/or aquatic ecosystems. The successful candidate will design scientifically rigorous survey programs, manage field crews, perform advanced spatial and statistical analyses, produce regulatory-quality reports, and coordinate with agency partners, stakeholders and contractors to ensure compliance with federal and state environmental laws and best-practice conservation outcomes. This role requires a blend of hands-on field expertise, technical analytical skills (GIS, telemetry, statistical modeling), and strong written and verbal communication for regulatory, scientific and public audiences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Field Technician or Wildlife Field Assistant with direct survey experience.
Recent graduate (B.S./M.S.) in Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Natural Resources, or related field.
Environmental consultant or biological survey specialist (junior level).

Advancement To:

Senior Wildlife Ecologist / Lead Wildlife Biologist
Conservation Program Manager or Project Manager
Habitat Restoration Manager or Species Recovery Coordinator
Technical Principal or Senior Environmental Scientist within consulting firms or agencies

Lateral Moves:

GIS Analyst / Remote Sensing Specialist focused on ecology applications
Habitat Restoration Specialist or Conservation Planner
Environmental Compliance Specialist (NEPA/ESA)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, implement and lead standardized wildlife population monitoring programs (e.g., point counts, line transects, camera trapping, acoustic surveys, mist-netting, mark-recapture) that produce robust, defensible data to inform management and regulatory decisions.
Plan, coordinate and supervise multi-disciplinary field teams, contractors and volunteers in remote and variable field conditions while enforcing safety protocols, ensuring quality control, and maintaining project schedules and budgets.
Conduct comprehensive habitat assessments using field surveys and remotely sensed data to characterize vegetation structure, cover types, habitat suitability, and changes over time relevant to focal species and ecological objectives.
Develop and execute telemetry and tracking studies (VHF/GPS/ARGOS) including tag deployment, data retrieval, movement and home-range analyses, and interpretation of behavior and mortality events to inform mitigation and conservation actions.
Lead design and execution of species-specific studies for threatened, endangered, and sensitive species, producing detectable, repeatable monitoring approaches that satisfy state and federal permitting conditions.
Prepare technical documents including biological assessments, biological evaluations, species status reports, permit applications, technical memoranda, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and clear regulatory deliverables for NEPA/ESA consultation and environmental permitting.
Perform advanced statistical analyses and ecological modeling (population trend analysis, occupancy modeling, capture–recapture, survival analysis) using R, Python, or equivalent tools to derive management-relevant inference and uncertainty estimates.
Produce accurate, publication-ready maps and spatial analyses using ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, remote sensing tools, and spatial modeling workflows to support habitat suitability modeling, impact assessments and mitigation planning.
Coordinate and lead environmental compliance efforts, including preparation and review of documentation for NEPA, Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations, habitat conservation plans (HCPs), incidental take permits, and state regulatory approvals.
Design and implement survey QA/QC procedures and data management plans to ensure integrity, reproducibility and long-term archiving of wildlife and habitat datasets using standardized metadata and relational databases.
Interpret and synthesize complex ecological datasets into concise, actionable recommendations for project managers, clients, landowners and permitting agencies to reduce impacts and improve conservation outcomes.
Lead mitigation planning and adaptive management programs, including development of restoration prescriptions, monitoring success criteria, and coordinated implementation with restoration contractors and partner agencies.
Prepare and manage project budgets, scopes of work, timelines and procurement for field equipment, lab analyses, and third-party contractors while ensuring cost-effective delivery of technical scopes.
Develop and submit grant proposals and funding applications to secure research or conservation funding, including preparation of technical narratives, budgets and partner letters of support.
Provide expert testimony or technical representation in public hearings, stakeholder meetings, permit negotiations and agency consultations to clearly explain methods, findings and recommended actions.
Establish and maintain relationships with federal, state and local resource agencies, tribal governments, NGOs, academic partners and landowners to facilitate permitting, data-sharing, and collaborative conservation actions.
Implement novel field techniques and technologies (e.g., eDNA sampling, autonomous recording units, drone surveys) where appropriate to improve detection rates, reduce disturbance, and increase cost-effectiveness of monitoring.
Lead post-project analyses and long-term monitoring reviews to evaluate mitigation performance and inform future project designs using adaptive management frameworks.
Train and mentor junior biologists, technicians and interns in field methods, data handling, safety protocols, and professional communication to build team capacity and scientific rigor.
Oversee specimen/biological sample handling and coordinate laboratory workflows for genetics, stable isotopes, disease screening or contaminant analyses, ensuring chain-of-custody and quality assurance.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of current scientific literature, regulatory guidance, and evolving best practices in wildlife ecology to continuously refine methods and ensure scientific credibility of project outputs.
Conduct risk assessments for field activities, develop health and safety plans, and implement mitigation measures (e.g., wildlife encounters, extreme weather, hazardous terrain) to protect staff, animals and project assets.
Lead post-disturbance assessments and rapid ecological evaluations following events such as wildfires, floods or development activities to quantify impacts and prioritize recovery actions.
Design and implement community outreach and education programs that translate scientific findings into understandable, actionable content for stakeholders and the public to build support for conservation initiatives.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests, exploratory analyses and visualization products for internal teams, clients and stakeholders.
Assist with procurement, equipment maintenance, GIS data management and the development of field standard operating procedures and safety checklists.
Participate in cross-functional project planning meetings, contribute technical expertise during proposal development and assist with client relationship management.
Contribute to internal knowledge sharing by developing training modules, checklists and best-practice guides for fieldwork and data analysis.
Provide peer review of technical deliverables prepared by colleagues or subcontractors to uphold scientific and regulatory standards.
Assist with the identification and onboarding of vendors, laboratories and subcontractors for specialized analyses or restoration services.
Maintain and update project metadata, data dictionaries and database schemas to support long-term data discoverability and reuse.
Support seasonal logistics including travel planning, permitting logistics, and coordination with landowners and stakeholders for site access.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in wildlife survey and monitoring techniques (line transect, point counts, camera trapping, acoustic monitoring, mist-netting, capture–recapture).
Advanced GIS and spatial analysis skills using ArcGIS Pro and/or QGIS, including habitat suitability modeling, geoprocessing workflows and cartographic output.
Strong statistical and data analysis skills in R and/or Python for occupancy, abundance, survival and trend analyses, including experience with packages such as unmarked, lme4, igraph or similar.
Experience designing and deploying telemetry studies (VHF/GPS) and analyzing movement/migration/home-range data.
Experience with remote sensing tools and workflows (LiDAR, multispectral imagery, NDVI/time-series analysis) for habitat characterization and change detection.
Familiarity with eDNA sampling, lab workflows and interpretation for species presence/absence detection (where applicable).
Demonstrated proficiency in preparing regulatory documents and compliance packages for NEPA, ESA, CWA, and state-level environmental permitting.
Data management and QA/QC skills, including experience with relational databases, metadata standards, GIS geodatabases, and reproducible analysis pipelines.
Field equipment competency, including use and maintenance of GPS units, rangefinders, telemetry gear, ARUs, camera traps, drones (UAV) and safety equipment.
Technical writing ability to prepare high-quality technical reports, biological assessments, scientific manuscripts and client deliverables.
Familiarity with laboratory coordination for genetics, disease screening, contaminant analysis and sample chain-of-custody procedures.
Project management skills including budget tracking, scheduling, procurement, and subcontractor oversight.

Soft Skills

Strong verbal and written communication skills tailored to technical, regulatory and public audiences.
Leadership and team management skills with experience supervising field crews and mentoring junior staff.
Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking abilities to troubleshoot field and analytical challenges.
Stakeholder engagement and consensus-building skills to work effectively with agencies, tribes, landowners and community groups.
Meticulous attention to detail and commitment to scientific rigor in data collection, analysis and reporting.
Adaptability and resilience to operate under challenging field conditions, variable timelines and shifting priorities.
Time management and organizational skills to balance multiple projects and deliverables concurrently.
Ethical decision-making and professional integrity, particularly in wildlife handling, permitting and data reporting.
Instructional skills for delivering trainings, safety briefings and method standardization across teams.
Cultural sensitivity and ability to work with diverse communities and indigenous partners respectfully.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Wildlife Biology, Zoology, Natural Resources, Environmental Science or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree (M.S.) or Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, or related discipline for roles with higher technical or supervisory responsibilities.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wildlife Ecology
Conservation Biology
Natural Resource Management
Ecology, Zoology, or Environmental Science
Geographic Information Science (for GIS-intensive roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive professional experience in wildlife field research, monitoring programs, habitat assessment and regulatory compliance.

Preferred:

5+ years of relevant professional experience including lead roles on field studies, telemetry projects, regulatory permitting (NEPA/ESA), complex spatial analysis, and supervisory responsibilities.
Demonstrated experience preparing biological assessments, technical reports, and representing projects to regulatory agencies.
Track record of partnering with federal/state agencies, Tribes, NGOs, academic institutions, or private-sector clients.

Additional desirable qualifications:

Current field safety certifications (Wilderness First Aid / First Responder, CPR) and, as applicable, boat operator certification, ATV/UTV training, or commercial drone (sUAS) pilot certification.
Experience obtaining and complying with federal and state wildlife permits (e.g., USFWS permits, state research collector permits) and managing incidental take conditions.
Peer-reviewed publications or technical reports demonstrating applied ecological research and evidence-based recommendations.