Wildlife Damage Specialist

Job Description

Job ID: 31711
Agency: Game Fish & Parks - Wildlife Division
Location:Mitchell, SDSalary: $22.98/hr, depending on qualifications
Pay Grade: H
Closing Date: 06/19/2025

The Wildlife Damage Specialist will be stationed out of Mitchell and will cover north Davison, north Hanson, Miner, and Kingsbury counties in the southeastern region of South Dakota (Region 3). Wildlife Damage Specialist's identify problem wildlife that cause damage to livestock, crops, and property or are a threat to human health and safety; and remove the animals or reduce their ability to cause damage by the most efficient and cost-effective means available to provide a reliable and consistent source of wildlife damage control throughout the assigned geographical area. This position is supervised by the Regional Program Manager.

Duties of a Wildlife Damage Specialist include:

• working independently;
• travel extensively, often on bad roads and in inclement weather and in remote, rural areas;
• walk long distances in rough country while carrying heavy packs, equipment, traps, and animals;
• operate all-terrain vehicles in rough country or around sloughs and in remote areas;
• work on flood-stage rivers and creeks in boats;
• set and check traps in deep water;
• climb on river banks;
• lift, carry and handle wildlife, dead and alive, and be exposed to disease and injury;
• work around domestic livestock in a panic because of predators;
• work with all of the hazards associated with aerial depredation work;
• work in the dark during early morning and late-night hours while predators are out;
• answer and return phone calls at all times of the day or night;
• routinely handle of firearms, explosives, sharps, poisons and chemicals; and
• other duties as assigned.

This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Game Fish & Parks. For more information on the Department of Game Fish & Parks, please visit https://gfp.sd.gov/ .

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
BS degree in Wildlife, Biology, or a natural resources/related field or college-level coursework in wildlife management and identification; or applicable work experience in wildlife, or wildlife habitat management.

Knowledge of:

• animal behavior, wildlife identification, habitat, and types of damage typically related to a species;
• animal diseases and safe-handling practices, disease sampling, collection and preservation methods;
• wildlife damage control methods: trapping equipment and the proper methods of location, bedding, staking, set construction, baiting, and luring; how the environment such as terrain and wind currents affect the work at hand; and erection of fencing and placement of hazing devices;
• firearms including rifles, shotguns, and pistols; ammunition; night vision and thermal optics; and safe-storage practices;
• wildlife management practices and survey techniques.

Skill to:

• effectively set and maintain snares, foothold, body grip and Hancock traps;
• shoot a variety of firearms proficiently and safely in mostly unfavorable conditions.

Ability to:

• plan and effectively organize work priorities and requests for services;
• establish and maintain working relationships with individuals, the general public, local government officials, other state agencies, federal and tribal government officials;
• read and identify animals quickly and efficiently from tracks, scat, hair, kill sights, and other signs;
• read, interpret, and implement applicable department, state, and federal laws and regulations;
• act as an intermediary among adjoining landowners who are unwilling to cooperate with each other for the purpose of securing a large enough area on which to practice predatory control effectively;
• balance landowners' expectations for predatory control with the public's expectations for sport and for humane treatment of animals with factual information and education;
• educate and inform people at all levels of knowledge about predators and the objectives of predatory control;
• navigate in rural and remote areas and adapt to changing weather;
• use a computer and Microsoft Office programs such as Excel, and Word and apps such as OnX and ArcGIS
• operate pickups, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, boats; and repair and service equipment in the field;
• communicate information clearly and concisely.

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information at https://bhr.sd.gov/job-seekers/work-for-state-government/ . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Must apply online: https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=1QN
You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us
http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

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