Colorado Division of Wildlife Accepting Applications for District Wildlife Managers

Are you interested in a career helping to manage Colorado’s wildlife?  Applications for District Wildlife Managers are now being accepted.  The primary job duties for these multi-purpose field positions include wildlife management, law enforcement, and field customer service.  Those individuals meeting the minimum qualifications and hoping to land a position as a District Wildlife Manager are encouraged to see the job announcement and associated information sheets at;  wildlife.state.co.us.   Applications must be received by September 22, 2006.

The DOW has a rich tradition in hiring the best qualified, talented and dedicated professionals to help manage Colorado’s wildlife resources.  In working to maintain this tradition, the hiring process is rigorous and competitive.  Anyone interested in applying for these positions must first meet the minimum qualifications: good moral character, clean background, and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources, biology, wildlife management, environmental science, zoology, fisheries, or another closely related field.  


Open Competitive    
                EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY         
       Department of Natural Resources             
            Division of Wildlife
 
Job Title:     Wildlife Manager I (District Wildlife Manager)     
Position Number:    VARIOUS                            
Job Location:     Statewide -- All testing/training for these vacancies will be conducted in Denver, CO
Salary:       $ 2901-4182 per month. (Although this is the full salary range, it is expected the successful candidate will be appointed at or near the minimum.  Promotion to the Wildlife Manager II and Wildlife Manager III levels are anticipated for the successful employee over the course of two years.)
Release Date:  September 1, 2006                              Apply By:  September 22, 2006
Employment Type:   Full-Time
Class Code:     H6U1TX    
Information About The Job:
  
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DETAILED AND COMPREHENSIVE.  PLEASE BE SURE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE "REQUIREMENTS" AND "HOW TO APPLY" SECTIONS.
 
Upon completion of training, this position will be located in the Division of Wildlife, Field Operations, which serves to preserve, protect, enhance, and manage wildlife and its environment for the use, benefit and enjoyment of the people of the state and its visitors.
 
DUTIES:   This position functions at a training level for entry into the Wildlife Manager series, working title: District Wildlife Manager (DWM). During the first year as a DWM, this position will be participating in a POST training course and participate in classroom and field activities which serve the position by providing knowledge and ‘real-world’ experience in the tasks necessary to be successful as a DWM.  During this period, positions are supervised by the DWM Training Manager and will be trained in the Division of Wildlife’s operation, application of the State’s laws, rules, regulations, and techniques of wildlife resources management. Under the guidance of a supervisor or work leader, as part of the training, this position exists to learn and fulfill the purpose of the work unit and be a representative of the Division of Wildlife in an assigned geographical area.  Ultimate goal is to become a fully-functioning DWM who enforces wildlife and fisheries law, protects habitats, interacts with public, and otherwise enhances the state's wildlife resources.
 
REQUIREMENTS:
Education and Experience – Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in agronomy, animal science, biology, environmental science, fisheries/wildlife biology, conservation biology, forestry, forest management, natural resource management, range management, range science, agricultural science, zoology, ecology, taxonomy, ichthyology or a closely related field.
 
Substitutions - Appropriate work experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the bachelor's degree. Appropriate work experience includes the following: fisheries management or fish culture (propagation and rearing of fish); applying the principles, practices and techniques of wildlife biology to resolve problems and effect improvements in wildlife, habitat and/or environmental impact statements; wildlife management/ conservation requiring law enforcement work; supervising, planning, organizing and/or directing a program for the development and utilization/protection of wildlife habitat; assisting in/ overseeing the collection, recording, presentation, and/or analysis of aquatic or terrestrial wildlife research data; professional aquatic or terrestrial research; designing, conducting, analyzing and interpreting the results of wildlife-related experiments; and protecting the quality of natural resources/the environment.  NOTE: Law enforcement experience will substitute ONLY if performed in a wildlife management/conservation setting.


NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: At the time of appointment, applicants must possess a valid State of Colorado driver's license and a valid Hunter Safety certificate (preferable Colorado Hunter Safety Cert- Information about Colorado Hunter Safety can be found at http://wildlife.state.co.us AND/OR http://wildlife.state.co.us/hunt/huntereducation); submit to a drug screening and suitability interview, must be willing to be fingerprinted and successfully pass a background investigation.
 
Because this position requires a law enforcement certification, applicants must be fingerprinted and successfully complete thorough personal background checks prior to appointment.
 
NOTE: If a candidate has used marijuana in the past year, used other illegal drugs in the past three years, been convicted of a felony, been convicted of any domestic violence charge, or been convicted of any misdemeanors delineated by the POST Board which preclude POST certification as a Colorado Peace Officer, that candidate will not be eligible for certification, will be disqualified and will not be hired. (see: www.ago.state.go.us/post/billmisdeam.html)
 
If a candidate receives a conditional job offer, the candidate must successfully complete a medical physical examination and a psychological examination.  Employees will be required to successfully complete the Division of Wildlife’s District Wildlife Manager training program including successful completion of the basic POST training program for certification as a Peace Officer.   
 
Upon successful completion of training candidates must: accept any geographic district from the list of vacancies and remain in first assigned district for a minimum of 2 years. 
Wildlife managers failing to relocate will be terminated and required to reimburse the Division of Wildlife for all training expenses, (approximately $40,000.)
 
HOW TO APPLY:
Review the duties, tasks, requirements, and additional information about this position carefully. 
 
PLEASE INCLUDE A VALID E-MAIL ADDRESS, THAT YOU WILL CHECK FREQUENTLY, as communication and information regarding this position may be sent through e-mail.  Please be sure your e-mail account is set-up to receive messages from @state.co.us and/or check your ‘junk mail/spam’ account to be sure messages from the Department of Natural Resources have not been filtered out of your ‘inbox.’
 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Applications are a part of the selection process and will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum requirements for the position. Be sure your application specifically addresses the requirements as listed in the minimum requirements section. Address your specialized experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position duties and minimum requirements. Attach additional pages if necessary to fully explain your experience and accomplishments. When additional documents (transcripts, licenses, certificates, etc.) are required make sure you include them in your application packet. Failure to include the required information and/or documents by the application deadline may result in your application not being considered for the position. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the Official State Application Form; in addition, ‘please see resume’ will not be accepted in the application pages, you must state your work experience in the application itself.  Your application will be reviewed by a qualified Human Resource Specialist to determine if you meet the minimum position requirements. If your application does not demonstrate that you meet the minimum requirements, you will not be considered for the vacancy. You will be notified of the results of the application review.  If you do not agree with our decision concerning your qualifications, you also have the right to have your application rejection reviewed by the State Personnel Director. However, you must submit your request for Director’s review in writing and the request must be received in the State Personnel Director’s office within 10 days from the date of your receipt of the original notice of rejection of your application. Your written request for review must include the following: 1) Job title; 2) Agency involved; 3) Name of the agency representative spoken to during informal resolution attempts; 4) Date(s) of the conversation; 5) specific issue; and 6) reason(s) it is believed the decision was arbitrary, capricious, or contrary to rule or law. This request for review should be directed to: State Personnel Director, Attention: Appeals Processing, 1313 Sherman Street, First Floor, Denver, CO 80203.
 
Once it has been determined if you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be asked to participate in the selection process for this vacancy.  The exam plan for this vacancy is below.  Please be sure to read all instructions completely.
 
SUBMIT APPLICATION TO:
To apply for this position, applicants must submit a State of Colorado Application for Announced Vacancy and the State Demographic Information Form by September 22, 2006.  Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the closing date. Postmarks will not be accepted. These forms may be obtained electronically from the State of Colorado Job Announcement Site:
 
State of Colorado Applications and State Demographic Information Form may be obtained from the State of Colorado Job Announcement Site
http://www.gssa.state.co.us/announce/Job+
Announcements.nsf/Web+Pages/WelcomeAppl?OpenDocument

Please submit the Official State of Colorado Application for Announced Vacancy and State of Colorado Demographic Information Form to:
 
Department of Natural Resources
Attention: Joyelle Maddux, Human Resources Office
1313 Sherman Street, Room 415
Denver, CO 80203
FAX      (303) 866-6499
 
YOU MUST BE A RESIDENT OF COLORADO TO APPLY.    
THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
 
(Continue for more information about the testing process and first year on the job)

ADDITIONAL NOTEWORTHY INFORMATION:
Examination Process for the Wildlife Manager I
 
APPLICATION PROCESS: MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPTEMBER 22, 2006, 5:00 P.M.
            Department of Natural Resources
            Human Resources Office
            ATTN: Joyelle Maddux
            1313 Sherman, Room 415
            Denver, CO 80203
           FAX: (303) 866-6499 or (303) 866-2417
 
    ONLY APPLICANTS MEETING MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS will receive a letter specifying the date, time and location for the first round of testing.
 
SELECTION PROCESS – As a note of reference, exam scores do not carry over from one phase of the selection process to the next phase.
 
TESTING PRE-WORK for PHASE I:
Training & Experience Evaluation (T&E):
§ As part of the pre-work for the first phase of the selection process, you will prepare narrative responses to situations/questions.  Your responses will be rated using an objective measure to determine your level of training and experience as it relates to the DWM position.
§ The T&E is required for entry to the Phase I exam day on October 21, 2006 and is scored with the exams completed during Phase I.
§ Detailed instructions for this portion of the selection process will be provided in letters sent to qualifying candidates.
 
TESTING:  PHASE I –TENTATIVE DATES - SUBJECT TO CHANGE
DATE:  October 21, 2006
Day long process.  Be at the location early, bring a picture I.D., the letter from DNR HR inviting you to the exam and your requested Training & Experience narrative.  These instructions will be included in the letter from DNR HR.
LOCATION:  Denver Metropolitan Area -- to be determined
 
The exams listed below are the exams that may be administered during the first phase:
Examination                                          Weight of Exam
Differential Aptitude Test (DAT)                To Be Determined
Short Answer Written Narrative                To Be Determined
Wildlife/ecosystem management exam    To Be Determined
 
·     Differential Aptitude Test (DAT), written multiple choice test, approximately 1 ½ hrs.  Elements of the DAT: Math, Spatial Relations, Abstract, Mechanical reasoning, Analogies.  Note: you are allowed to take the DAT once a year.  If you took the DAT prior to December 2005, you may elect to retest or you may elect to retain your current score.  The purpose of the DAT is to determine applicants who have the intellect to compete for the position and we have found this assessment to be valuable.  Preparing for DAT:  GRE and DAT study guides, State Aptitude Test.  Check bookstores, library reference sections and Amazon.com.
 
·     Short Answer Essays and Multiple Choice Exams are often used in the selection process.  Any exam explained below be included, eliminated or altered in some way.
o        Written test (approximately 2½ hours).  These questions will test your general knowledge of the Division of Wildlife, wildlife management and the wildlife manager position.
o        Purpose of the written tests are to assess your knowledge about the issues identified above; in addition, the Short Essays are to assess your ability to write with clarity and in a concise manner.  Your writing must be legible.  Practice timed essays.  Grammar and spelling count!  Answer all the questions.
o        Prepare by reviewing these handouts and studying the Division of Wildlife’s web site.  Many of the answers to the essays can be found in these handouts or on the Division’s web site.  CLICK, read and review all ten (10) topics listed on the Division’s home page.  http://wildlife.state.co.us
o        Review the wildlife manager job description from the job announcement.
 
·     Psychological Self-Report Evaluation: This evaluation is part of the hiring process for this agency.  The overall selection process is designed to assess your ability to perform the essential functions of the job.  This test is to assess personality characteristics that are associated with good performance in the field of law enforcement.
§ It is important to note that this testing is not to assess ‘mental health’ or to look for any symptoms of emotional or psychological disorders.  The results of this testing may be combined with your other selection materials to prioritize processing of applicants for the background investigation and further testing.
§ Even though this test is not timed, try not to spend too much time on any single item.  There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers on the personality exam, and the questions only ask how you feel or think about things.
§ You need your own understanding of the test items and no one else can tell you or prepare you on how to interpret the questions.
 
·     Life History Questionnaire (LHQ): 
§ Once you complete all exams for Phase I, you will return all materials to the exam proctor and receive a packet with instructions on how to complete the LHQ. 
§ The LHQ is a computer survey and is done on your own time.
§ Complete your LHQ within ten (10) days following the Phase I exam date (10/21/06)
 
NOTIFICATION OF TEST RESULTS
§ Finalists will be invited to the oral panel assessment based on the results of Phase I testing.
§ On November 3rd or shortly thereafter, candidates will be asked to call a given number to hear a pre-recorded message listing the last 4 digits of the successful candidates’ social security number.
§ Successful candidates will be instructed to schedule a time for the oral panel assessment.  If your social security number is not read, you will not be invited to the next phase of the testing process.
§ All applicants will receive written notification of test results.  Test results cannot be provided by telephone.
 
TESTING:  PHASE II – DATES TENTATIVE – SUBJECT TO CHANGE
DATE:  Week of November 13, 2006.  You must be available for one complete day to participate during this phase.  THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP DATES. 
LOCATION:  Division of Wildlife Headquarters, 6060 Broadway, Denver
 
·     Oral Assessment
§ Previous oral assessments have included a prepared presentation and an impromptu presentation in front of a panel of interviewers, a question and answer session regarding broad wildlife management issues and a group interactive problem solving exercise.
§ There is no guarantee the same format will be followed year after year.
§ Best way to prepare for the oral assessment: Know the Division’s current issues of concern—hot topics, (i.e., chronic wasting disease, black tail prairie dog, declining deer population, loss of wildlife habitat, whirling disease, wildfires, over abundance of elk populations, drought, current changes in regulations, reintroduction of lynx, human/bear conflicts, etc.).  Visit the Division’s website; review press releases, read newspapers, read brochures and other documents available to the public. Be knowledgeable about the wildlife manager job responsibilities.
§ After the Oral Panel Assessment, candidates referred for the WM I positions are required to complete a thorough background investigation and have no felony offenses, serious misdemeanors, recent DUIs or loss of driving privileges, domestic violence or restraining orders, or crimes of moral turpitude on their record.
 
·     Physical Agility Exam -- A physical fitness/agility exam will be administered after the oral assessment.  All applicants must pass this assessment to continue in the selection process.  All applicants must meet the same standards. The physical agility exam consists of simulations, similar to essential job tasks which have to be successfully completed within a specified period while wearing gear comparable to the work uniform of a District Wildlife Manager (work boots, jeans, weighted belt [etc.]) The simulations include may include tasks such as:


§   Rising from a seated position
§   Running around obstacles
§   Ducking under a bar
§   Going up and down a set of stairs
§   Pushing a sled
§   Pulling a sled/dummy
§   Going over a 4ft fence
§   Rising from a kneeling position
§   Run 300 meters in 72 seconds
§   Walk/run 1.5 miles in 16:28 minutes
§   29 (men’s) sit-ups in one minute
§   21 push-ups in one minute
          
All eligible applicants must successfully complete each simulated task during one time period without exceeding the time limit in order to continue in the selection process.  Applicants will only be given one opportunity per selection process year.
 
TESTING:  PHASE III (Final Interview) TENTATIVE DATE – SUBJECT TO CHANGE
      TENTATIVE DATE: Week of December 4th or 11th, 2006
 
      JOB OFFERS: It is intended that tentative job offers will be made by December 22, 2006, but the date is subject to change.  Top candidates may be invited to an interview. At this time, the number of candidates to be hired has not been determined, but it is estimated that 10 to 14 positions will be filled from this selection process.  This statement is no guarantee that hiring will occur as projected.
§ After the job offer, candidates must pass a final psychological test and a physical exam.  The psychological test determines mental health, issues of psychosis.  At the same time, any other psychological exams taken up to this point will be scored and taken into consideration. The physical exam identifies ailments that would prohibit a person from performing the functions of the job and is different from the physical fitness test.  Tentative dates for the physical and psychological evaluations will take place between December 22nd and January 8th; however, exact dates have not yet been set. In addition, a hair sample is taken on the same day for drug screening.  A hair sample test can detect drug usage in the previous three (3) months.  Final job offers will be extended upon the disclosure of the results.
 
PROJECTED HIRE DATE:    Week of January 8th or 15th, 2007  
§ If you are not interested in the DWM position, do not participate in the selection process.  If you do participate in the selection process, and as you advance through the testing/interviewing process, if you should decide you are not interested in the wildlife manager position, please withdraw from the process immediately.
 

FIRST YEAR ON THE JOB - WILDLIFE MANAGER TRAINING

UPON BEING HIRED:
 
§ All applicants must possess a Colorado Drivers license, a valid Hunter Safety card and local phone number before the start date.  If applicants do not possess the hunter education card, they must complete the training prior to the employment start date.
§ The Hunter Education information can be found at http://wildlife.state.co.us AND http://wildlife.state.co.us/hunt/huntereducation
§ Applicants must relocate to Denver metro area (or to a location where the applicant is willing to commute to the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Academy and the Denver HQ and at their own expense and time on a daily basis) prior to January 8, 2007.  Applicants will not be reimbursed for relocation expenses.

Law Enforcement/Wildlife Training

Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.)      February 2007 – June 2007 (19 weeks)
     
      Initial mandatory training will be at the Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Academy.
 
Training includes Colorado Criminal Code:  laws of arrest; search and seizure; officer survival; use of force; civil liability; suspect/witness interview and interrogation.  The Division of Wildlife pays 100% of the tuition and provides training materials and equipment.
 
Includes physically demanding training to develop proficiency in firearms, arrest control, batons and law enforcement driving.
 
Wildlife managers are required to pass the rigorous POST exam in order to achieve Colorado Peace Officer certification.  Applicants failing to successfully complete any portion of the law enforcement training will be terminated.
 
Field Training/Classroom Training      July 2007 - December 2007         Various locations
 
Field training includes classroom and field training in wildlife-related public relations and law enforcement.  Field training requires extended travel away from Denver.  The Division of Wildlife provides per diem and vehicles.
This includes becoming a Hunter Education Instructor.
Classroom training covers wildlife, fishery and habitat management.  Wildlife managers will receive certification in several natural resource educational programs.
 
Upon Successful Completion of Training
 
§ You must accept any geographic district from the list of vacancies.
§ Wildlife managers must remain in first assigned district for a minimum of 2 years.
§ Wildlife managers failing to relocate will be terminated and required to reimburse the Division of Wildlife for all training expenses, (approximately $40,000.)
 
LAST PIECE OF ADVICE:  When you interview, be honest with your answers.  Lying or giving misinformation disqualifies you from the process.