Landscape Ecologist / Conservation Program Biologist II

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission seeks a Landscape Ecologist (Conservation Program Biologist II) in Little Rock, AR. The role involves monitoring and improving habitat practices, conducting research on land use impacts, and collaborating with various divisions and external partners. Candidates should have skills in programming (R, Python), advanced statistical models, and experience with data collection technologies. The position requires teamwork, communication skills, and the ability to travel.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) Landscape Ecologist (Conservation Program Biologist II) is responsible for assisting the AGFC Fisheries and Wildlife Management divisions in monitoring habitat work, improving habitat practices, and integrating additional advanced technologies into monitoring practices.

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• The AGFC Landscape Ecologist will work collaboratively with staff across all divisions, including Wildlife Management, Fisheries, Private Lands Habitat, Research, and others.
• This position will develop and conduct agency-priority research where the linkage between land use patterns, time, climate, and human impact are explored to better inform management decisions.
• This position will provide specialized support agency-wide to address the agency's Key Result through monitoring habitat work, assisting with improving habitat practices, integrating additional advanced technologies into monitoring practices, and describing habitat relationships with fisheries and wildlife populations.
• This position will answer long temporal or broad spatial-scale questions utilizing data collected from diverse sources such as remote sensing data, cameras, drone imagery, and satellite collars using advanced modeling techniques.
• This position may serve as an agency lead for data collection technologies through standardizing analyses and implementing protocols.
• This position will provide leadership within the agency on relevant research projects and will eventually take ownership of the program to determine work priorities and meet the most critical agency needs.
• The person selected for this position will collaborate with external partners (state, federal, university, and non-governmental), and participate in regional and national groups relevant to the field.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS:
• Proficient in the use of R, Python, or other programming language
• Experience using advanced statistical models
• Experience evaluating outcomes of habitat management
• Experience leading research in collaboration with various partners
• Experience with data collected using sources such as drones, cameras, satellite collars, or other technologically advanced sources
• Ability to work independently and ability to form teams, work effectively within a team, and overall understand the value of teamwork
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated qualities of self-motivation, organization, and critical thinking
• Ability to travel and work varying shifts, as needed