Klickitat Wildlife Area Assistant Manager - Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2 - Permanent - *04273-25
Title- Klickitat Wildlife Area Assistant Manager
Classification- Fish & Wildlife Biologist 2
Job Status- Full-Time / Permanent
WDFW Program- Wildlife Program
Duty Station- Goldendale, Washington – Klickitat County
Flight Pay- Salary listed does not include flight pay – flight pay is base pay plus 15% while performing low level flight operation duties.
The salary listed above does not include the 3% pay increase that goes into effect on July 1, 2025.
Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!
The Klickitat Wildlife Area Assistant Manager plays a key role in supporting the management of the 25,000-acre Klickitat Wildlife Area in Klickitat County.
In this role, you’ll work closely with the Wildlife Area Manager to implement habitat restoration, fish and wildlife management, and recreational access activities in alignment with the Klickitat Wildlife Area Management Plan.
Your key responsibilities will include equipment maintenance, infrastructure repair, and ensuring public access.
With your experience, you will help advance WDFW’s mission of conserving fish, wildlife, and their habitats.
What to Expect-
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Klickitat Wildlife Area Assistant Manager will,
Monitor, Restore, and Manage Habitat on Wildlife Areas:
- Lead, manage, and provide technical input on habitat projects.
- Stabilize and revegetate disturbed sites.
- Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program on Wildlife Areas.
- Maintain and improve habitat using weed control, forestry, and farming methods.
- Cultivate native vegetation and food plots for wildlife.
- Conduct site reviews of restored sites and recommend future management.
- Survey wildlife/habitat and assess improvement efforts.
- Develop habitat prescriptions and oversee implementation.
- Apply mechanical, cultural, or chemical weed control; maintain records per Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) standards.
- Cut trees and brush, and prunes limbs from trees according to project prescription.
Conduct Studies, Field Reviews, and Surveys on Habitat, Wildlife, and Recreation on Wildlife Area:
- Review and study fish, wildlife, plants, habitats, and recreational use on Wildlife Areas; implement management plans.
- Monitor gazing and agricultural leases and other land-use permits; maintain records.
- Participate in interagency restoration and conservation projects.
- Survey Wildlife Areas for priority wildlife species.
- Recover injured wildlife and collect specimens.
- Monitor and guide public use on Wildlife Areas.
- Evaluate environmental impacts and report findings.
Conduct Outreach and Communicate with Neighbors, Stakeholders, Land-Use Permit Holders and Public Regarding Wildlife Area Activities, Permits, and Plans:
- Help develop and implement Wildlife Area Plans.
- Coordinate with agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and the public on habitat and access projects.
- Provide public info on wildlife species, habitat enhancement and management, and recreational opportunities via presentations and consultations.
- Attend meetings and coordinate with adjacent landowners.
- Support forest and land-use planning and permitting.
Maintain Facilities, Infrastructure, and Equipment:
- Assist in developing and evaluating capital projects.
- Ensure facility safety and infrastructure upkeep.
Principal Assistant to Wildlife Area Manager:
- Act as backup for the Manager; serve as primary contact in their absence.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Work Setting, including hazards:
- Approximately 80% of work is conducted in the field and 20% in an office setting.
- Fieldwork often involves travel to field sites and under inclement weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, rain, and snow.
- Staff may spend 60–70% of the time navigating difficult terrain—such as slippery rocks, steep banks, sticky mud, deep snow, and water—often independently with minimal supervision.
- Field surveys are occasionally conducted using various transportation methods, including hiking on foot, trucks, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), small boats such as canoes or a drift boat, and flight (as a passenger) in a motor aircraft.
- Exposure to potentially hazardous wildlife and other environmental risks.
- Biological sampling may require handling hazardous materials and sharp instruments (e.g. needles), with potential exposure to pathogens or injury.
- Work on private lands, including areas under active agricultural production, may involve additional risks such as exposure to farming equipment, chemicals, and uneven terrain.
- Frequent walking, bending, stooping, and lifting or carrying loads of up to 50 pounds across uneven, rugged terrain.
- Duties may include loading and transporting equipment or supplies exceeding 50 pounds.
- Operate and maintain a variety of equipment, including farm tractors and implement, Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) and ATVs, 4x4 trucks in off-road settings, towed equipment (e.g., trailers, implements), and herbicide application equipment.
- This position may involve working in or near water, including tasks that require navigating, negotiating, and performing duties related to water environments.
Schedule: Typically, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. At times, work may be off-schedule due to seasonal demands, emergencies, and time critical assignments. Work hours may be long and irregular.
Travel Requirements: Occasional travel (approximately 5% to 10%) is required for training, meetings or fieldwork.
Tools and Equipment: Computer, GPS, software, radio telemetry equipment (transmitters and attachment, receivers, antennas, tracking methods), binoculars and spotting scopes, radios, pickup truck, flatbed truck, utility trailer, ATV, UTV, chipper, fire suppression equipment, wheeled tractors, implements used with a tractor, boat, boat trailer, sprayers, clinometer, digital camera, hand tools such as shovels, jacks, bow saws, pruning saws, backpack sprayer, fence post drivers, wire stretchers, and tools used in carpentry. Power and hand tools used include chain saws, brush cutters, mowers, electric and gas-powered herbicide sprayers, and standard shop tools such as grinders, drills, table saw and bandsaw, and handheld circular saw and saber saws.
Customer Interactions: Interact with recreationists in the field. Regularly interact with local, state, and federal government personnel, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), consultants, contractors, private non-profit agency representatives, Tribal representatives, and project applicants.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required Qualifications:
A Bachelor's degree in wildlife management, wildlife biology, wildlife ecology, natural resource science, or environmental science.
AND
One (1) year of professional experience in fish/ wildlife/ habitat management or research.
AND Experience in/with all of the following:
- Habitat management activities.
- Wildlife management tools and field techniques.
- Wildlife and habitat survey methods and techniques (e.g., conduct field surveys to collect data, identify wildlife and plants species).
- Principles of wildlife harvest management.
- Weed/Noxious plant identification and plant management using pesticides and integrated pest management (IPM).
- Operating motorized and non-motorized equipment and tools.
- Driving a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck, towing a trailer, and operating All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs).
- Farm equipment, such as tractors, along with a variety of implements.
- Microsoft software (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet creation, and other applications; use web-based tools, e-mail, and calendar clients).
Please Note:
- A Master’s degree or Ph.D. in the applicable science may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.
- Professional equivalent experience may substitute, year for year, for education requirement.
Certifications/Licenses:
Valid driver’s license and the ability to operate a state vehicle.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Obtain First Aid Training, with completion within six (6) months of hire.
- Obtain Pesticide license, with completion within six (6) months of hire.
- Obtain and maintain Wild Land Firefighter Red Card, with completion within one (1) year of hire.
Preferred Qualifications:
In addition to the required qualifications, our ideal applicant will possess some or all the following:
Experience in/with:
- Fish and wildlife habitat relationships and management requirements.
- Wildlife population relationships and ecology.
- Training and supervising temporary and volunteer staff.
- With biological data collection.
- Identifying Eastern Washington native plant species.
- Diagnosing and correcting basic issues with equipment performance, as well as facilities and building systems such as plumbing.
- Identifying nongame species; big and small game species; waterfowl, songbirds, birds of prey, and shorebirds, etc., in the field.
- Working with forest management, as well as habitat enhancement and restoration for big and small game and listed species.
- With controlled fire or fire management in forest or habitat restoration projects.
- Performing basic carpentry.
- Implementation of Wildlife Area Plan activities.
- Agricultural practices, including fences and the use of agricultural equipment.
- Management of plant communities.
- General state procedural policies and rules governing work activities.
- Operating backpack and ATV/UTV mounted sprayer used in herbicide application.
- Operating chainsaws and other equipment used in forest habitat management.
- Performing proper care and maintenance of motorized and non-motorized equipment.
- Conducting data analyses and making inferences from data for management recommendations.
- Using critical thinking in collecting, recording, compiling, and summarizing data.
- Air rifle certificate/training.
Your application should include the following:
- A completed online application showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
- An up-to-date resume.
- A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
- At least three professional references with current contact information.
Supplemental Information
In addition to pay and other special employee programs, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for. Click the “Benefits” tab at the top of this announcement to learn more.
Important Note:
All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
Union- WAFWP:
This position is in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the Washington Association of Fish & Wildlife Professionals.
Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice:
Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following:
- Notify us of your veteran or military spouse status by email at Ashley.Lee@dfw.wa.gov.
-
Veterans only – Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
- Please redact any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
- Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2024-1234 – Biologist 1 – Veteran)
- Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer
As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
Request an accommodation: Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.
Technical Difficulties: If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.
Other questions: If you have other questions regarding this position, please reach out to Ashley.Lee@dfw.wa.gov and reference job #2025-04273.