District Wildlife Biologist
Illinois Department of Natural Resources-Wildlife (State)
Details
Posting:
Application Deadline:
06/09/2025
Published:
05/28/2025
Starting Date:
after 11/3/2025
Hours per Week:
at least 40
Salary:
$5,928 to $8,493 per month
Education Required:
Bachelors
Experience Required:
at least 2 years
Location:
Lacon, Illinois
Description
Position Overview
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is seeking to hire a District Wildlife Biologist for The Office of Resource Conservation. This position will be responsible for the development of a detailed district plan of work ensuring the efficacious use of public funds, personnel, and other resources available to the district (including specialized conservation equipment such as grain drills, seeders, mowers, backpack sprayers, and drip torches). This position will conduct prescribed fires and drawings, conduct field investigations of wildlife mortality events, assist in managing events, and participate in the Department’s chronic wasting disease program as directed. The Office of Resource Conservation within the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is responsible for the management of Illinois’ wildlife, fish, and forest resources, along with stewardship and restoration of natural lands. ORC manages fish and wildlife populations through hunting and fishing regulations based on scientific data. We welcome interested applicants who would like to be part of this team to apply today.
Essential Functions
- Provides professional, highly complex and comprehensive land, water and wildlife resource management and planning services on all public lands within the district:
- Under general direction of the Regional Wildlife Resources Administrator, provides professional, highly complex and comprehensive land, water and wildlife resource management and planning services on all private lands within the district.
- Conducts wildlife disease management and monitoring for diseases such as chronic wasting disease, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, avian influenza and others.
- Prepares and disseminates information regarding wildlife, wildlife habitat and related subjects to the general public, interested individuals and public/private organizations.
- Conducts wildlife capture and marking activities using specialized conservation techniques and equipment such as boats, outboard motors, wood duck traps, and rocket net launchers and conducts surveys to monitor wildlife population trends.
- Acts as liaison or serves as Regional Wildlife Administrator’s representative with State and Federal agencies and various other organizations (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, State and Federal Departments of Agriculture, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and constituency groups to coordinate wildlife resource planning and management efforts.
- Prepares and maintains various technical records and reports such as accomplishment reports, daily and/or monthly activity reports, programmatic cost reports, and expenditure accounts relating to wildlife habitat management.
- Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.
Contact
Mitch Oswald
mitch.oswald@illinois.gov (preferred contact method)