Regional Biologist

The Southern Region of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) is seeking an experienced Regional Biologist for south Louisiana. The biologist will work under the direction of the Manager of Conservation Programs for south Louisiana and become part of a team of biologists, engineers, and other professionals that are based out of Lafayette, Louisiana. The focus of this position will primarily be the enhancement and restoration of wetlands and associated habitats important to migrating waterfowl and other wetland dependent fish and wildlife species. This position will assist with implementing conservation projects on private and public lands in south Louisiana.

Qualifications:

• Candidates must have a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree in a natural resources field—an advanced degree is desired.
• Applicants must also have at least five years of relevant experience and be knowledgeable about wetland and waterfowl ecology and management.
• A strong background in ornithology with an emphasis on waterfowl and other wetland dependent birds is desired.
• Experience in providing technical assistance to landowners on how to better manage wetlands for waterfowl is also desired.
• Related experience in soil and water conservation as it pertains to rice agriculture is preferred but not necessary.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential.
• Proven proposal/grant writing skills, project management capabilities, and wetland restoration and enhancement experience are necessary.
• Familiarity with the region’s biological resources, local and regional environmental issues, and private and public stakeholders is beneficial.
• Applicants should be knowledgeable about state and federal wetland conservation programs, policies, and laws/regulations. Examples include (but are not limited to) the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act, RESTORE Act, National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbors Act, and Louisiana Coastal Zone Management Program.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• The ideal candidate will be a self-starter adept at finding, initiating, managing, and delivering wetland enhancement, restoration, acquisition, and protection projects with a focus on DU priority areas in south Louisiana.
• This position will be responsible for project initiation and management.
• Project initiation duties include identifying potential projects, developing/maintaining relationships with public and private partners, and obtaining funding from a wide variety of sources for project work. This also includes writing and submitting proposals to various agencies, foundations, and other funding sources to secure project funds.
• Project management and delivery duties include coordinating with agency partners and other stakeholder groups, DU engineering staff, consultants, and regulatory agencies to ensure timely and on-budget delivery of projects.
• This position will be responsible for developing project agreements, drafting reports, managing project budgets, providing technical assistance, and data entry.
• Candidate must also assist with fundraising and outreach events, represent DU at wetland conservation venues/events, and help with other conservation activities.
• Candidate would be required to establish and maintain relationships with key DU volunteers and development staff and provide DU management with timely communication on project work/issues.
• Finally, candidate will assist communication staff with developing articles to promote and describe DU projects.
• This position is a combination of office and field work. Types of duties vary depending on scheduling, seasonal priorities, and other factors.

Tagged as: Science/Engineering