Placer County

To provide specialized professional management of the Placer County Conservation Program Reserve system and programs to restore wetland and wildlife habitats; to contract for, draft, implement, evaluate, and revise wetland and habitat restoration and management plans; to monitor the status of species and habitats in wildlife reserves and develop and implement adaptive management programs; to assist in preparing natural resource related grant funding requests and administer grant funded projects; and to serve as a member of the management team.

This single-position class is unique to the Placer County Conservation Program and oversees functions and services related to wildlife and wetland habitats.

Receives general direction from the Placer County Conservation Plan Administrator or his/her designee.

May exercise direct supervision over professional, technical, and clerical personnel.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Prepare, implement, evaluate, and revise management plans and programs for the reserve system in consultation with federal and State resource agencies, scientists, and researchers.
• Provide procedures, methods and species identification training as needed for staff and project consultants.
• Work with licensed contractors, County departments, and assigned staff in the application of herbicides and pesticide
• Prepare complex technical reports related to wetland delineations, habitat management and environmental restoration projects; design, implement, and evaluate data collection activities and biological monitoring programs for management and restoration projects.
• Perform and direct biological surveys of species, wetlands and habitats using generally accepted scientific principles.
• Prepare natural resource conservation related grant applications and administer assigned grant funded projects; monitor and report on grant funding implementation; administer grant agreements and consultant contracts to ensure compliance with applicable terms and provisions.
• Serve as a liaison to various federal, State, and local agencies as well as non-profit land management organizations; represent the Placer Conservation Authority (PCA) on reserve management committees; work with private property owners, environmental organizations, resource conservation districts, and others regarding habitat management and environmental restoration issues.
• Assist and participate in division or department budget preparation and administration; prepare cost estimates for budget recommendations; submit justifications for staff, supplies, and equipment; monitor and control expenditures.
• Develop, negotiate, and maintain consultant contracts.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.
  

Work is performed in both an indoor office environment and in the field requiring travel to various locations throughout the County.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Three (3) years of full-time field work experience in biology, natural resource management, wildlife management, ecology, or habitat restoration providing professional field supervision for the management of wildlife habitats, restoration of native habitat through re-vegetation, removal of invasive vegetation, conducting biological surveys of plant and animal species, or similar activities.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in biology, wildlife management, ecology, natural resource management, zoology or a closely related field.

Required License or Certificate
May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position. Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of wildlife habitat conservation, restoration and management.
• Techniques of biological surveying and monitoring of sensitive species and habitats.
• Federal, State, and local laws and regulations relating to wildlife conservation.
• Methods and procedures of conducting field studies.
• Preparation and management of governmental grants.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• Principles and practices of policy development and implementation.
• Principles and practices of public finance, budgeting and fiscal control.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Arithmetic, basic statistics and mathematical calculations.
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.

Ability to:

• Develop work plans and methods to evaluate City and County land use applications.
  Interpret, explain and apply a wide variety of Federal, State and local policies, procedures, laws and regulations.
• Analyze and compile complex technical and statistical information and prepare appropriate reports.
• Read, analyze, and summarize scientific materials and statistical data.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of an assigned program budget.
• Supervise, train and evaluate assigned staff.
• Obtain information through interview and dialogue, and deal fairly and courteously with the public; work effectively with interruption.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, including the ability to make effective public presentations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; intermittently analyze work materials, technical information, and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe, explain and problem solve operational and technical policies and procedures.

Length of Probation:
All permanent appointments from open eligible lists to open positions in the classified service shall serve a probationary period of twelve (12) months or two thousand eighty (2,080) hours, whichever is more.

Bargaining Unit:
Professional