Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Ecologist Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Ecologist Manager organizes, directs and evaluates comprehensive wildlife science and management programs focused on species monitoring, habitat restoration, regulatory compliance, applied research, and community engagement. This role is responsible for designing and implementing scientifically rigorous field studies, supervising technical staff and contractors, managing budgets and grants, ensuring safety and permitting compliance, and translating ecological data into management actions that support species conservation and agency policy.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Field Biologist / Wildlife Technician
Research Biologist or Ecological Consultant
Environmental Planner or Habitat Restoration Specialist

Advancement To:

Senior Wildlife Program Manager
Director of Conservation or Natural Resources
Regional Ecological Program Director

Lateral Moves:

Habitat Restoration Manager
Environmental Compliance Manager
Conservation Science Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the design, implementation, and quality assurance of species population monitoring programs (transect surveys, point counts, camera trapping, acoustic monitoring, mark-recapture, telemetry), ensuring statistically robust sampling design and reproducible protocols that meet agency and stakeholder objectives.
Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary field and research team, including hiring, training, performance management, safety oversight, and professional development to build capacity and retain skilled technical staff and seasonal crews.
Oversee the preparation, submission, and compliance tracking for environmental permits and regulatory documents (Endangered Species Act [ESA] consultations, NEPA assessments, Migratory Bird Treaty Act [MBTA] considerations, state wildlife permits), ensuring projects proceed within legal frameworks.
Develop and implement habitat restoration and enhancement projects (riparian planting, invasive species removal, wetland creation, habitat connectivity actions) from planning through construction, monitoring outcomes against biological objectives, and adapting actions based on monitoring results.
Lead grant writing, proposal development, and fundraising activities to secure federal, state, and private funding; manage grant budgets, reporting, deliverables, and fiscal compliance to fund conservation initiatives and research.
Prepare and manage multi-year project budgets and procurement processes, track expenditures, administer contracts with consultants and contractors, and ensure cost-effective use of resources to meet program goals.
Design and execute spatial analyses and habitat modeling using GIS (ArcGIS, QGIS), remote sensing, species distribution models, and landscape connectivity tools to inform conservation planning, siting of mitigation, and prioritization of restoration work.
Conduct statistical analyses and data visualization using R, Python, or similar tools; ensure rigorous data management, metadata documentation, and QA/QC procedures to produce defensible scientific products and decision-support tools.
Coordinate and lead field operations including logistics, safety plans, equipment procurement, transportation, and scheduling for complex multi-site field campaigns, ensuring adherence to health and safety standards and minimizing risk to staff and wildlife.
Serve as principal author for technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, management plans, monitoring summaries, and regulatory submittals that translate scientific findings into actionable management recommendations and policy guidance.
Represent the organization in interagency coordination meetings, stakeholder forums, community outreach events, and technical workshops; build and maintain partnerships with federal/state agencies, tribes, NGOs, landowners, and academic partners to advance shared conservation objectives.
Evaluate environmental impacts of proposed projects and provide ecological risk assessments and mitigation strategies, including construction timing windows, avoidance measures, and adaptive management triggers to minimize harm to sensitive species and habitats.
Oversee population viability analyses, demographic modeling, and trend assessments to inform recovery planning, reintroduction/translocation efforts, and long-term conservation targets for focal species.
Plan, supervise and document species-specific capture, handling, tagging and telemetry operations (VHF/GPS/ARGOS), ensuring animal care protocols and permitting conditions are strictly followed and that data flows into centralized databases.
Manage invasive species control programs, coordinating mechanical, chemical, and biological control tactics; monitor efficacy and non-target effects and integrate control work with native species recovery and restoration objectives.
Lead the development and implementation of adaptive management frameworks that use monitoring data to refine management actions, set quantitative performance indicators, and guide iterative decision-making.
Oversee contracting and scope-of-work development for consultants and contractors, evaluate bids, monitor contractor performance in the field, and ensure deliverables meet scientific and contractual standards.
Coordinate disease surveillance and health monitoring for wildlife (pathogen sampling, necropsy coordination, biosecurity protocols), and work with wildlife health specialists and public health partners to mitigate zoonotic risks.
Prepare clear and persuasive technical briefings, presentations, and testimony for executive leadership, advisory boards, permitting authorities, and the public to secure approvals and support for conservation initiatives.
Lead community science and volunteer programs (training volunteers, quality control of citizen-collected data, integrating volunteer efforts into monitoring and restoration), increasing community engagement and program capacity.
Conduct reviews of environmental impact statements, biological assessments, and project designs to provide technical comments and recommendations that reduce impacts to wildlife and meet conservation commitments.
Maintain and improve centralized data systems and workflows (databases, cloud storage, data access protocols) to ensure long-term data integrity, reproducibility, and accessibility for internal staff and external partners.
Develop and execute species recovery plans and conservation strategies that align with local, regional and national priorities, including establishing recovery criteria, timelines, and measurable objectives.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis for internal teams, permitting processes, and stakeholder inquiries.
Contribute to the organization's conservation science strategy and long-term ecological monitoring roadmap.
Collaborate with planning and engineering teams to translate ecological requirements into project designs, permit conditions, and construction specifications.
Participate in cross-functional planning meetings, grant review panels, and adaptive management workshops to integrate ecological data into broader organizational priorities.
Assist in public outreach activities, educational programs, and media interactions to communicate scientific findings and promote stewardship.
Maintain inventory and procurement of field equipment, lab supplies, and safety gear; coordinate maintenance and calibration of telemetry and monitoring equipment.
Provide logistical and technical support for emergency response actions related to wildlife incidents, spills, or sudden habitat disturbance events.
Review and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) for field methods, safety, and data collection to reflect best practices and regulatory changes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Wildlife ecology and population biology: survey design, demographic analysis, occupancy and distance sampling methods, mark-recapture.
Regulatory compliance: demonstrated knowledge and applied experience with ESA, NEPA, MBTA, state wildlife laws, and permitting processes.
GIS and spatial analysis: expert use of ArcGIS/QGIS, habitat modeling, remote sensing data interpretation, and spatial prioritization tools.
Telemetry and remote monitoring: proficiency with VHF/GPS/GSM/ARGOS telemetry systems, camera traps, acoustic recorders, and drone-supported surveys.
Statistical programming and data analysis: R, Python, or equivalent for statistical analyses, modeling, and data visualization.
Database and data management: ability to design and manage relational databases, metadata standards, and QA/QC pipelines for long-term monitoring datasets.
Habitat restoration techniques: design and oversight of revegetation, invasive species control, hydrologic restoration, and erosion control measures.
Project, budget and grant management: experience preparing budgets, administering grants, financial reporting, and contract management.
Species identification and natural history: field-level expertise identifying regional flora and fauna across focal taxa (birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles).
Technical writing and reporting: preparation of biological assessments, monitoring reports, scientific manuscripts, and regulatory documents.

Soft Skills

Leadership and team management: ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, develop staff, and foster a collaborative culture.
Effective communication: clear written and oral communication for technical and non-technical audiences, public speaking, and stakeholder negotiation.
Stakeholder engagement and diplomacy: build partnerships with government agencies, tribes, NGOs, landowners, and community groups.
Problem-solving and critical thinking: adapt monitoring and management approaches to emerging issues and complex ecological problems.
Time management and prioritization: manage multiple projects, deadlines, and field seasons simultaneously.
Attention to detail: rigorous documentation, adherence to protocols, and strong QA/QC discipline.
Mentoring and training: develop training curricula and mentor junior scientists and seasonal technicians.
Conflict resolution and facilitation: manage sensitive stakeholder interactions and guide consensus-driven conservation solutions.
Adaptability and resilience: work effectively in remote field conditions, changing project scopes, and during emergency response situations.
Ethical judgment: apply best practices for animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and data integrity.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology, Biology, Conservation Biology, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology, Ecology, Conservation Biology, or related discipline with an emphasis on applied field research and program management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wildlife Ecology
Conservation Biology
Ecology
Natural Resource Management
Environmental Science
Zoology
Forestry
Geographic Information Science (GIS)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10 years of progressively responsible experience in wildlife research, field programs, or conservation project management.

Preferred:

7+ years experience including supervisory or managerial responsibilities and demonstrated success managing multi-disciplinary conservation programs, budgets, and regulatory processes (ESA/NEPA/MBTA).
Proven track record of securing and managing grants, publishing technical reports or peer-reviewed research, and leading field teams through complex monitoring and restoration projects.