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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Ecologist Planner

💰 $60,000 - $110,000

Environmental ScienceEcologyConservation PlanningNatural Resources

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Ecologist Planner combines field ecology, habitat planning, regulatory compliance, and project management to design and implement conservation-minded solutions for land-use, infrastructure, and natural resource projects. This role leads species and habitat assessments, prepares technical reports and permitting documentation, develops mitigation and monitoring plans, and collaborates with engineers, planners, regulators, and community stakeholders to deliver technically sound, defensible ecological outcomes. SEO & LLM optimized keywords: wildlife ecologist planner, habitat assessment, species surveys, mitigation planning, NEPA, ESA, environmental impact assessment, GIS habitat modeling, conservation planning.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Field Biologist / Wildlife Technician with hands-on survey experience
  • Environmental Consultant (junior ecologist) supporting permitting and assessments
  • Natural Resource Technician from government agencies (state wildlife, BLM, USFS)

Advancement To:

  • Senior Wildlife Ecologist / Lead Planner
  • Habitat Restoration Manager or Conservation Program Manager
  • Environmental Project Manager or Regulatory Compliance Lead

Lateral Moves:

  • GIS Analyst / Habitat Modeling Specialist
  • Conservation Planner or Policy Analyst
  • Environmental Permitting Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and conduct comprehensive wildlife and habitat assessments across multiple ecosystems, including planning surveys, selecting appropriate methodologies (point counts, transects, camera trapping, acoustic monitoring, mist-netting), and managing field crews to generate robust, defensible biological data.
  • Design, implement, and interpret species-specific survey programs (avian, mammal, herpetofauna, invertebrate, aquatic) to detect presence/absence, abundance, breeding status, and habitat use to inform project-level decisions and regulatory compliance.
  • Prepare technically rigorous biological resource reports, technical memoranda, and environmental assessment sections (flora/fauna chapters) that synthesize field data, literature review, GIS outputs, and ecological reasoning for internal and external stakeholders.
  • Lead preparation of permitting and compliance documentation including Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations, state threatened and endangered species permits, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) assessments, and project-level NEPA/CEQA support, coordinating with regulatory agencies and legal teams as needed.
  • Develop and implement mitigation, avoidance, and minimization strategies for project impacts to wildlife and habitats, creating mitigation plans, restoration prescriptions, adaptive management frameworks, and long-term monitoring protocols to achieve biological objectives and permit conditions.
  • Perform habitat suitability modeling and spatial analyses using ArcGIS, QGIS, MaxEnt, or other habitat modeling tools to identify critical habitats, corridors, priority conservation areas, and landscape-scale impacts of proposed actions.
  • Integrate remote sensing, LiDAR, and orthophoto analysis to map vegetation communities, wetland extent, and habitat structure; validate remote-sensed outputs with field verification and QA/QC procedures.
  • Design and manage post-construction monitoring and compliance programs, including establishing baseline metrics, setting monitoring schedules, analyzing trends, and preparing monitoring reports that document success criteria and recommended corrective actions.
  • Serve as primary ecological technical lead on multidisciplinary design teams, coordinating with civil engineers, planners, landscape architects, hydrologists, and construction managers to ensure ecological considerations are incorporated into project design and implementation.
  • Prepare and present clear, defensible ecological findings and recommendations for internal project teams, regulatory agencies, applicant clients, and public meetings; translate complex technical topics into accessible language for non-technical audiences.
  • Manage field staff, subcontractors, and third-party consultants; develop scopes of work, oversee bidding, ensure field safety and permitting compliance, and monitor deliverables to meet schedule and budget.
  • Conduct impact assessments and cumulative effects analyses at site and regional scales to support environmental impact statements (EIS), environmental assessments (EA), and long-range conservation planning.
  • Lead wildlife mitigation bank or conservation easement planning efforts, including site selection, conservation value assessments, legal and financial feasibility support, and long-term stewardship planning.
  • Prepare and review ecological sections of grant applications, funding proposals, and conservation plans to secure restoration or mitigation funding and to prioritize on-the-ground actions that align with biodiversity objectives.
  • Use statistical and ecological modeling tools (R, Python, occupancy modeling, population viability analyses) to analyze survey data, estimate detectability, quantify uncertainty, and support science-based decision making.
  • Coordinate consultation and communication with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies (e.g., U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state fish & wildlife departments, Army Corps) to streamline permitting timelines and proactively address agency comments and data needs.
  • Implement invasive species surveys and management planning as part of habitat restoration and mitigation projects, developing control strategies, monitoring protocols, and community outreach materials.
  • Oversee the development and implementation of seasonal construction avoidance and minimization measures (e.g., buffers, seasonal restrictions, biological monitors, relocation plans) to reduce impacts on nesting birds, breeding amphibians, and other sensitive species.
  • Maintain and manage geospatial and biological databases, including GPS data collection, data entry standards, metadata documentation, and long-term data curation to support reproducible analyses and regulatory record keeping.
  • Lead stakeholder engagement and community outreach efforts related to wildlife and habitat planning, facilitate stakeholder workshops, incorporate traditional ecological knowledge where applicable, and build collaborative relationships with landowners, Tribes, NGOs, and local agencies.
  • Conduct risk assessments and feasibility studies for habitat restoration, translocation, or species reintroduction projects, including cost estimating, timeframes, regulatory constraints, and success metrics.
  • Stay current on evolving policy, laws, and best practices in conservation biology, threatened and endangered species management, and environmental permitting; translate regulatory changes into practical project-level guidance.

Secondary Functions

  • Support strategic planning and program development for long-term conservation initiatives, including contributing ecological expertise to organizational priorities and grant strategies.
  • Assist with development of environmental compliance checklists, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fieldwork, and safety plans for biological surveys and construction monitoring.
  • Provide technical review and quality assurance on ecological deliverables prepared by junior staff and external consultants.
  • Support internal GIS and data visualization needs by producing habitat maps, impact overlays, and interactive story maps for stakeholder presentations and decision support.
  • Contribute to training and mentorship programs, teaching survey techniques, data management practices, and regulatory processes to junior ecologists and technicians.
  • Participate in interdisciplinary project meetings, sprint planning, and resource allocation discussions to align ecological tasks with project timelines and budgets.
  • Compile and maintain literature reviews, species accounts, and reference libraries to expedite ecological assessments and ensure consistent application of best available science.
  • Track project budgets, prepare billing justifications for ecological tasks, and support contract administration for ecological work packages.
  • Support adaptive management by synthesizing monitoring findings and recommending iterative changes to mitigation actions or restoration prescriptions.
  • Represent the organization at conferences, technical working groups, and public forums on wildlife and habitat planning topics.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency in GIS (ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, QGIS) for habitat mapping, spatial analysis, and cartographic production; experience with spatial databases and geoprocessing workflows.
  • Strong field survey skills for a range of taxa (birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, aquatic species) including standardized protocols, sampling design, and safety practices.
  • Experience with species distribution and habitat suitability modeling (MaxEnt, occupancy models, landscape connectivity tools).
  • Proficient in ecological and statistical analysis using R or Python (data cleaning, modeling, visualization, reproducible workflows).
  • Familiarity with remote sensing analyses (LiDAR, multispectral imagery) and image classification techniques for vegetation and wetland mapping.
  • Demonstrated experience preparing NEPA/CEQA documents, biological resource sections of EIS/EAs, consultation packages, and permit applications (ESA, MBTA, Clean Water Act, state permits).
  • Technical writing and report preparation skills, producing peer-quality biological assessments, monitoring reports, mitigation plans, and permit submittals.
  • Experience designing and implementing monitoring programs, adaptive management frameworks, and success metrics for habitat restoration and mitigation.
  • Knowledge of wildlife capture, handling, and ethical considerations where relevant (site-specific permits and institutional animal care guidelines).
  • Competence with GPS/GNSS data collection, data management best practices, and metadata documentation.
  • Familiarity with conservation finance tools, mitigation banking principles, and habitat easement administration (preferred).

Soft Skills

  • Clear and persuasive communication skills for technical writing, public presentations, and stakeholder facilitation.
  • Strong project and time management skills; ability to prioritize multiple projects and work under tight regulatory timelines.
  • Collaborative team player with demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate across engineers, planners, regulators, and community stakeholders.
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving aptitude; able to synthesize complex ecological data into actionable recommendations.
  • Attention to detail and quality assurance orientation to ensure defensible, error-free deliverables.
  • Cultural sensitivity and ability to incorporate Indigenous and community knowledge into conservation planning respectfully.
  • Flexibility and adaptability to changing field conditions, project scopes, and regulatory requirements.
  • Leadership and mentorship skills for supervising field crews, junior ecologists, and subcontractors.
  • Negotiation and conflict-resolution skills for working through permit conditions, landowner concerns, and stakeholder tradeoffs.
  • Commitment to safety, field ethics, and environmental stewardship.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology, Ecology, Biology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree (M.S.) in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, Landscape Ecology, or related discipline; Ph.D. preferred for senior or research-heavy roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Wildlife Ecology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology / Environmental Science
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Landscape Ecology
  • Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
  • GIS and Remote Sensing

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years professional experience in wildlife ecology, habitat assessment, or environmental consulting.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years leading ecological assessments, permitting, and mitigation planning for infrastructure, energy, transportation, or land-management projects.
  • Demonstrated track record of successful agency consultations (USFWS, state wildlife agencies), permit approvals, and implemented monitoring programs.
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