Assistant Wildlife Biologist (Ecologist II)

Assistant Wildlife Biologist (Ecologist II)

Salary

$76,983.71 - $134,721.60 Annually

Location

Lorton Police Station, 8855 LORTON ROAD, LORTON, VA 22079 (HQ04), VA

Job Type

FT Hourly W BN

Job Number

26-01389

Department

Police

Opening Date

09/19/2026

Closing Date

10/2/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

S26

Posting Type

Open to General Public

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Announcement

The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is seeking an experienced ecologist to join our Wildlife Management Section in the position of Assistant Wildlife Biologist. This position supports the Wildlife Management Specialist in coordination of wildlife management activities and works collaboratively with other county, state, and federal agencies related to wildlife, natural resource management, and animal control. Under general supervision, the Assistant Wildlife Biologist conducts work which is considered full-performance level biological science duties including assisting with operations of the county's Deer Management Program and Canada Geese Management Program; wildlife inventory and population monitoring; wildlife health surveillance; human-wildlife conflict mitigation; habitat evaluations; scientific data collection and analysis; and community outreach/education for wildlife, public safety, and natural resource management. The position will have both office and field responsibilities.

Responsibilities:

• Assists in operations for the Fairfax County Deer Management Program including hunter orientations and training, field equipment installation and maintenance, field-dressing of deer, jawbone aging of deer, and biological sample collection for Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance
• Assists in operations for the Fairfax County Canada Geese Management Program including conducting egg-oiling and nest destruction to reduce flock growth of resident Canada geese, collecting monitoring data, and maintaining contact databases for property owners and landowner permissions
• Assists in the selection, design and implementation of wildlife population surveys (i.e., breeding birds, bats)
• Provides technical guidance and recommendations for wildlife mitigation to internal and external stakeholders experiencing wildlife damage or human-wildlife conflicts
• Collects, manages, and analyzes wildlife and natural resource monitoring data for permit compliance and/or wildlife management plans
• Responds to internal and external phone calls, emails, and inquiries about human-wildlife conflicts, wildlife identification, wildlife behavior, wildlife health, and wildlife management practices
• Performs public education and outreach activities, including the development of brochures, table exhibits, and content for county wildlife webpages
• Participates in public meetings and events about the county's wildlife management program
• Delivers educational presentations about wildlife, human-wildlife conflict, wildlife/public safety, and habitat management for various audiences
• Coordinates with the county's animal control, health department, and state wildlife partners for collection/submission of biological samples related to wildlife health surveillance

SALARY: The starting salary offer will be in the minimum to midpoint range ($76,983.71 to $105,852.66) of the advertised compensation range and will depend on relevant skills and experience. Promotional rules apply for current Fairfax County Government employees.

SCHEDULE: Flexibility is a condition of employment. The schedule will vary depending on seasonal wildlife program needs and will require some night and weekend work.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

• Monitors physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the Countys streams, lakes, ponds and other water bodies and/or terrestrial ecosystems and wildlife
• Participates in the development of monitoring plans, quality assurance project plans, and/or natural resource management plans
• Analyzes data and prepares monitoring reports which summarize water quality conditions of streams and/or the conditions of ecosystems
• Assesses the impacts of development and stormwater management systems on the ecological health of County streams and stream valleys and/or the impacts from human land disturbance, overabundant wildlife species, non-native invasive species and other factors on natural communities/ecosystems
• Manages watershed and stream or terrestrial resource monitoring data
• Assists in development of stormwater, watershed and/or natural resource management plans
• Assists in the selection, design and implementation of stream, wetland and/or terrestrial community, ecosystem or population restoration projects
• Responds to citizen and business community questions regarding the condition of streams and/or terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems
• Performs public outreach activities including the development of brochures, reports and web pages
• Participates in public meetings and educational programs
• Maintains contact databases

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. The knowledge, skills and abilities in the lower levels of the Ecologist class series are also required.)

• Knowledge of stream ecology, terrestrial ecology, botany, bioassessments protocols, and stream habitats;
• Knowledge of fish, plants and/or wildlife communities and field identification to the species level
• Knowledge of laboratory and field safety procedures, and the handling, storage and transfer and/or application of flammable and/or toxic chemicals
• Knowledge of stream and/or vegetative community classification methodologies
• Knowledge of personal computers, associated hardware, and networked environments for the development, storage and dissemination of environmental data
• Ability to calibrate and maintain field equipment used in water quality and natural resource monitoring
• Ability to analyze and manage complex environmental datasets using databases, spreadsheets, and statistical programs
• Ability to communicate technical and semi-technical issues effectively, both orally and in writing, to a wide range of audiences
• Ability to carry field equipment and hike long distances over rough terrain
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelors degree in aquatic ecology, ecology, biology, botany, zoology, geography, environmental science, limnology, natural resource management or related field; plus two years of experience in water quality monitoring, terrestrial ecosystem assessment and management, data analysis and reporting, bioassessments (fish, macroinvertebrates, vegetative communities, wildlife) using standard protocols, and assessments of stream and/or terrestrial habitat conditions.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

Valid Drivers License (Required at the time of application)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, credit check, driving record check and public safety background check to the satisfaction of the employer. Must have current pre-exposure rabies vaccination or obtain within three (3) months.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two years of progressively responsible experience in wildlife management, wildlife biology, ecology, natural resource management, or a closely related field.
• Masters Degree is preferred.
• Knowledge of wildlife ecology and wildlife management practices for game and nongame species.
• Field experience with hunting and/or field dressing/processing large game.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Software and ArcGIS

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to stand, stoop, bend, stretch, walk, climb, sit, kneel, crouch, reach, crawl, lift, and handle materials with manual dexterity.
• Work requires close contact with animals.
• Work requires performing tasks in adverse weather conditions.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to operate various pieces of equipment, including four-wheel drive vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and covered trailers.
• Ability to walk, negotiate or traverse property or terrain that is not level.
• Subject to random drug testing.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home, including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others. We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demographics/fairfax-county-general-overview).

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY?703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-AL1

Requisition 26-01389

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click here for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid

For additional details please visit the Countys benefits webpage.

Non-Merit Positions

• Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Flexible Spending Program

• Deferred Compensation

• Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

Please indicate your area(s) of study or major(s)/minor(s) towards a degree. Check all that apply.

• Aquatic Ecology
• Ecology
• Biology
• Botany
• Zoology
• Geography
• Environmental Science
• Limnology
• Natural Resource Management
• Wildlife Biology/Management
• Natural or Life Science
• Conservation Biology
• Parks and Recreation
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not Applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".

05

Do you currently possess a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

06

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have in water quality monitoring, terrestrial ecosystem assessment and management, data analysis and reporting, bioassessments (fish, macroinvertebrates, vegetative communities, wildlife) using standard protocols, and assessments of stream and/or terrestrial habitat conditions?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six or more years

07

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working in wildlife management, wildlife biology, ecology, natural resource management, or a closely related field?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six or more years

08

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Office Suites (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating, editing, formatting, and saving simple documents; inserting simple tables; and proofreading documents for accuracy)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of common commands such as creating a title; using, modifying, and creating styles; setting up the ruler; indenting paragraphs; using tabs and tables; inserting a caption, footnote, endnote, special character, or hard page break; using page numbering; creating headers and footers; inserting graphics; inserting an equation; adding comments and tracking changes)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all functions of program including mail merge, macros, creating a table of contents, creating bookmarks and cross-referencing)
• None of the above

09

Have you had training and/or experience with ArcGIS software?

• Yes
• No

10

What is your level of experience in public speaking?

• No public speaking experience
• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

11

What is your level of experience with hunting?

• No hunting experience
• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

12

Are you comfortable working outdoors in adverse weather conditions where biting/stinging insects, skin-irritating plants, and other similar hazards exist while wearing proper personal protective equipment?

• Yes
• No

13

If you have hunting experience, please describe your hunting experience from the list below. Check all that apply.

• No hunting experience
• Archery hunting
• Firearms hunting
• Setting up/breaking down tree stands
• Field dressing deer
• CWD tissue sampling experience
• Hunting safety courses (IBEP, tree stand safety, hunter safety, instructor)

14

Which of the specialized equipment listed below do you have experience using? Check all that apply.

• Drive & maintain multiple types of ATV vehicles
• Drive a 4x4 truck off road or in tight spaces
• Able to secure, tow, drive and backup multiple sizes of trailers
• None of the above

15

This position requires a flexible schedule that includes some night and weekend shifts based on seasonal wildlife program needs. Are you willing to work occasional nights and weekends?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer Fairfax County

Address 12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone 703-324-3311

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm