Within the Department of Fish and Wildlife, maintains and enhances habitat for fish and wildlife on a Wildlife Area, Game Farm or other land under departmental jurisdiction.

Positions work under the supervision of a higher level Habitat Technician or manager of lands. Positions perform manual duties on a specific habitat area. Work is largely procedural, but incumbents must frequently use their judgment in application or choice of options, and in determining the priority of work assigned to them. May supervise laborer or other staff.

Participates in planting, fertilizing, and cultivating cover and feed crops; mows and rakes hay; harvest grain and seeds; sprays crops, trees and weeds; plants, prunes, and trims trees and shrubs to provide better habitat; performs other farming tasks; performs technical and manual duties as necessary;  

Maintains area’s buildings, grounds, and facilities; builds and maintains fences; grades and maintains roads; operates and maintains trucks, tractors, plows, disks and harrows;  

Supervises seasonal employees when necessary;  

Carries out approved programs, or recommends practicable changes for managing habitat through silviculture practices, reforestation, food patches, or erosion control;  

Conducts fish and wildlife census counts and surveys, assists in field studies of fish and wildlife, collects, compiles, and charts biological data, prepares reports, and maintains records;  

Maintains good safety and public relations practices; has continuous contact with the public responding to a variety of fish and wildlife inquiries or complaints; provides department information and resolves complaints; advises enforcement personnel of potentially illegal or disruptive actions;  

Assists in department activities conducted by other divisions;  

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of:  methods and practices of land management and development; soil conservation methods; fish and wildlife habitat; general farming methods and silviculture practices.   

Ability to:  work will with others; maintain records and compile reports; repair and operate equipment; meet with the public; maintain buildings and facilities; work on the land.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Graduation from High School or GED and two years of post-High School education in the fields of agriculture, fish, wildlife, or habitat management, natural resource science, or equivalent study. 

Experience in fish, wildlife, or habitat management activities may be substituted for the post-High School education. 

An unrestricted (other than corrective lenses) drivers license. 

NOTE:  Applicants may be required to obtain the following licenses:  Pesticide, Herbicide. 

NOTE:  The Department of Fish and Wildlife will designate the need for a Commercial Drivers license (CDL) with specific endorsements.  Candidates selected for CDL positions will be tested for use of controlled substance and alcohol misuse as required by the 1991 Federal Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act.

New class: Adopted 6-13-97, effective 7/1/97
Revised new class code: (formerly 92150) effective July 1, 2007
Revise class title (formerly Habitat Technician 1), adopted November 10, 2011, effective November 14, 2011.