The NC Wildlife Resources Commission Mission Statement is to conserve North Carolina’s wildlife resources and their habitats and provide programs and opportunities that allow hunters, anglers, boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy wildlife-associated recreation. The Commission is the regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of N.C. fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws. The NCWRC employs 700 full-time staff across the state, including wildlife and fisheries biologists and technicians, wildlife law enforcement officers, wildlife educators, communication specialists, customer service, information technology, and administrative professionals.
The NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Wildlife Management Division monitors the health and status of wildlife populations, developing and administering programs for their management and wise use and, when necessary, helping to resolve human-wildlife interactions in a manner assuring a diverse wildlife resource for future generations of North Carolinians. The division provides services in a variety of ways, including providing technical guidance to landowners wanting to manage wildlife on their lands and monitoring the health and status of wildlife populations. The Wildlife Diversity program promotes conservation of species, and the biologists who work in the section often specialize in particular species or genre.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is accepting applications for a Black Bear Biologist (Conservation Biologist II) for our Wildlife Management Division. The Black Bear Biologist is an integral position with the Wildlife Management Division’s Game and Furbearer Program. The Black Bear Biologist and the Game and Furbearer Program:
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ensures the long-term viability and sustained harvest of 71 game and furbearer species by providing the best possible scientific information on the status and management of each species and its habitats so that regulations and management are based on objective data; and
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participates in planning and coordination of management directives based on sound science.
The Black Bear Biologist coordinates the survey, monitoring, and research activities for black bears in North Carolina. Responsibilities include the design, implementation, analysis, and dissemination of these activities. In addition, the Black Bear Biologist identifies knowledge gaps and makes recommendations on new or existing surveys, monitoring, and research needs that will inform management decisions and agency policies. As the technical expert on black bears, the Black Bear Biologist stays up to date on black bear ecology, current management practices, emerging techniques and research, and developing issues. Using this information, as well the dissemination of surveys, monitoring, and research activities, the Black Bear Biologist develops management, regulatory, and policy recommendations that are based on sound and reliable data. The Black Bear Biologist collaborates with agency staff, the Commission, organizations, and stakeholders on hunting regulations to meet objectives outlined in the black bear management plan and to assure the long-term viability and sustained harvest of black bears.
Most of the black bear related projects and technical guidance efforts require collaboration with, and assistance from, other external partners. As such, the Black Bear Biologist works with other state and federal partners, hunting associations, stakeholders, and private landowners on cooperative projects related to surveys, monitoring, research, biological data collection, wildlife habitat treatments, and human-bear interactions. In addition, the Black Bear Biologist communicates and presents information on the bear population status and biology, population and habitat management, and Commission policies and regulations with internal and external agency audiences, decision-makers, organizations, media outlets, and the public. The Black Bear Biologist represents the Commission on state, regional and national committees, state board meetings of non-governmental organizations, the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Large Carnivore Working Group, the Southern Appalachians Black Bear Study Group, and other national groups.
Due to increases in both human and black bear populations, providing science-based technical guidance is key to addressing human-bear interactions. To successfully manage conflicts, the Black Bear Biologist will assist in identifying, developing, and providing public outreach opportunities and technical guidance materials and programs to address human-bear interactions. The Black Bear Biologist will maintain and update guidelines for responding to human-bear interactions and assist with staff training and guidance on black bear capture and handling techniques and bear incident investigations.
This is a home-based position. The workstation for this position is in the employee’s home-based office using an agency provided computer, vehicle, tools, and other necessary equipment. The employee in this position is expected to provide home office space compliant with WRC and state policies. The location of the home-based office may be anywhere within North Carolina, with preference for central North Carolina.
A Monday-Friday schedule is associated with this position which involves working 40 hours per week (specific times set by manager). Evenings and weekend work may be required on occasion. This position also requires frequent in-state and out-of-state travel with occasional overnight stays.