There are currently two job openings: a Kansas Wetland Specialist and a Nebraska Wetland Specialist. The deadline for all applications is April 3, 2023.

Kansas Wetland Specialist

Playa Lakes Joint Venture and Ducks Unlimited are partnering to seek a candidate with demonstrated abilities to deliver wetland conservation activities across broad landscapes within Kansas. We are looking for an experienced, highly motivated, self-starting individual to join this conservation partnership. This is a full-time, salaried position.

The Kansas Wetland Specialist will be responsible for contributing to the protection, restoration, and enhancement of priority wetlands and associated habitats on private and public lands in various landscapes statewide. The position will provide outreach and project delivery primarily on private lands (but also other opportunities as they arise) on various project types working with a broad faction of partners. They will work closely with Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, US Fish & Wildlife Service, the US Department of Agriculture, and other partner staff and their various programs. Emphasis will be placed on habitat acre delivery as well as identifying new partnerships and opportunities to develop wetland projects that help to address water quality and quantity issues and wildlife habitat concerns that face the state. Special emphasis will be on building partnerships and landowner contacts in habitat areas including the Playa Lakes, Great Bend Sand Prairies, Smoky Hills, and the Arkansas and Ninnescah Rivers. Proposal writing, reporting, project budget management, serving on various committees, professional presentations, fundraising, public policy work, and acre-tracking will also fall within the position duties.

Major Duties

• Develop and complete new protection and restoration projects on wetlands and associated uplands on both public and private lands.
• Private landowner outreach and assistance to find win-win solutions for producers, ranchers, and other private landowners including promotion of Farm Bill and other partner programs (e.g., KDWP, USFWS, and others).
• Work with partner organizations to plan and coordinate restoration and enhancement project delivery.
• Maintain and develop new partnerships to complete projects, direct program policy, and find new nontraditional partnership opportunities, especially as it relates to wetland ecosystem services such as water quality, quantity, and flood abatement.
• Grant writing to raise funds for conservation work by pursuing traditional funding sources such as NAWCA and USDA grants and various other funding sources.
• Grant administration and reporting as well as budgeting, contracting, providing progress reports, and tracking acre-accomplishments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife or other Natural Resources related field or equivalent field experience.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate well with staff and partners.
• Experience working with state and/or federal wildlife or natural resources agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Self-motivated and strongly driven to make a conservation impact in the Great Plains landscape.
• Understanding of wetland ecology and management.
• Agricultural private landowner outreach and project development experience including Farm Bill programs.
• Experience implementing and completing wetland habitat restoration and/or enhancement programs and projects.
• Experience with habitat protection (e.g., conservation easements or real estate/acquisitions).
• Strong writing skills and grant writing experience.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and mapping software.
• Background in soil survey methodology.
• Ability to work effectively—both independently and as a member of a team.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and prioritize work activities and complete tasks to meet deadlines without constant supervision.

Other Requirements/Physical Demands

• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.
• This position may need to conduct off-site meetings and evaluations that may include traversing wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces in hot, cold, dry, or humid environments.

Travel Required

Travel requirements may be as much as 50% or greater depending on the nature and scope of a project.

Supervisor

This position reports directly to and is evaluated by Matthew Hough, Manager of Conservation Programs – Kansas, Ducks Unlimited. Feel free to reach out to Matt directly with any questions at 308-850-2717 or mhough@ducks.org.

Salary, Benefits, and Start Date

Starting salary is commensurate with education, experience, and location. PLJV is directly hosting the position and offers a generous benefits package, including full medical and dental coverage, HSA with annual contribution to defray medical deductibles, and a 7% salary match toward our retirement plan. We anticipate this position will begin working around April or May 2023.

PLJV’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

People are essential to realizing our mission to conserve birds and wildlife across the western Great Plains. At PLJV we are committed to including all voices within our landscape in order to implement conservation work by collaborating with a wide variety of individual and community stakeholders and ensuring that our work is reflective of their values, beliefs, and ways of knowing. We commit to building more equity into our programs and services by improving our awareness and understanding of the unique perspectives of people, engaging in dialogue with communities of all backgrounds, and taking actions that support our combined interests in a meaningful way.

Job Location

The job location can be located in Central Kansas with preference in or near Hays, Great Bend, Stafford, Pratt, or surrounding communities. It will likely be a home office, but office accommodations may be possible if desired.

To Apply

Playa Lakes Joint Venture is an Equal Opportunity Employer and seeks a diverse applicant pool. Please email your application documents as one complete PDF file to jobs@pljv.org. All applications should include a resume, a one-page cover letter, and three references. In the cover letter, please include salary requirements and desired location. The deadline for all applications is April 3, 2023.

Nebraska Wetland Specialist

Playa Lakes Joint Venture and Ducks Unlimited are partnering to seek a candidate with demonstrated abilities to deliver wetland conservation activities across broad landscapes within Nebraska. We are looking for an experienced, highly motivated, self-starting individual to join this conservation partnership. The Nebraska Wetland Specialist is a full-time, salaried position.

The primary focus of this position is to contribute to the protection, restoration, and enhancement of priority wetlands and associated habitats on private and public lands in various landscapes statewide. The position will provide outreach to landowners and operators by providing them with the information they need to choose the appropriate conservation program. The Wetland Specialist will work closely with partner biologists and engineers to deliver projects on the landscape, such as staff with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Emphasis will be placed on habitat delivery as well as identifying new partnerships and opportunities to develop wetland projects that help to address water quality and quantity issues, flood abatement, and wildlife habitat concerns that face the state. Grant proposal writing, reporting, managing project budgets, serving on various committees, presenting at conferences and workshops, fundraising, working with public policy, and project tracking will also fall within the position duties.

Major Duties

• Develop and complete new protection and restoration projects on wetlands and associated uplands on both public and private lands.
• Private landowner outreach and assistance to find win-win solutions for producers, ranchers, and other private landowners including promotion of Farm Bill and other partner programs (e.g., NGPC, USFWS, and others).
• Work with partner organizations to plan and coordinate restoration and enhancement project delivery.
• Work with partners to draft, negotiate, and close conservation easements.
• Maintain and develop new partnerships to complete projects, direct program policy, and find new nontraditional partnership opportunities, especially as it relates to wetland ecosystem services such as water quality, quantity, and flood abatement.
• Grant writing to raise funds for conservation work by pursuing traditional funding sources such as North American Wetlands Conservation Act and USDA grants and various other funding sources.
• Grant administration and reporting as well as budgeting, contracting, providing progress reports, and tracking accomplishments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife or other natural resources related field, plus three years of work experience. Work experience may be substituted for a degree.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate well with staff and partners.
• Experience working with state and/or federal wildlife or natural resources agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Self-motivated and strongly driven to make a conservation impact in the Great Plains landscape.
• Understanding of wetland ecology and management.
• Agricultural private landowner outreach and project development experience, including Farm Bill programs.
• Experience implementing and completing wetland habitat restoration and/or enhancement programs and projects.
• Experience with habitat protection (e.g., conservation easements or real estate/acquisitions).
• Strong writing skills and grant writing experience.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and mapping software.
• Background in soil survey methodology.
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as a member of a team.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and prioritize work activities and complete tasks to meet deadlines without constant supervision.

Other Requirements/Physical Demands

• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.
• This position may need to conduct off-site meetings and evaluations that may include traversing wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces in hot, cold, dry, or humid environments.

Travel Required

Travel requirements may be as much as 50% or greater depending on the nature and scope of a project.

Supervisor

This position reports directly to and is evaluated by Ele Nugent, Manager of Conservation Programs – Nebraska, Ducks Unlimited. Feel free to reach out to Ele directly with any questions at 517-242-6207 or enugent@ducks.org.

Salary, Benefits, and Start Date

Starting salary is commensurate with education, experience, and location. PLJV is directly hosting the position and offers a generous benefits package, including full medical and dental coverage, HSA with annual contribution to defray medical deductibles, and a 7% salary match toward our retirement plan. We anticipate this position will begin working around April or May 2023.

PLJV’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

People are essential to realizing our mission to conserve birds and wildlife across the western Great Plains. At PLJV we are committed to including all voices within our landscape in order to implement conservation work by collaborating with a wide variety of individual and community stakeholders and ensuring that our work is reflective of their values, beliefs, and ways of knowing. We commit to building more equity into our programs and services by improving our awareness and understanding of the unique perspectives of people, engaging in dialogue with communities of all backgrounds, and taking actions that support our combined interests in a meaningful way.

Job Location

The job location can be located in central Nebraska with preference in Ducks Unlimited’s Grand Island field office.

To Apply

Playa Lakes Joint Venture is an Equal Opportunity Employer and seeks a diverse applicant pool. Please email your application documents as one complete PDF file to jobs@pljv.org. All applications should include a resume, one-page cover letter, and three references. In the cover letter, please include salary requirements and desired location. The deadline for all applications is April 3, 2023.