Wildlife Refuge Manager
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · usajobs.gov
SuffolkLead / Manager
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The job in short
Wildlife refuge management.
Compliance
Details
- Found
- 11 d ago · posted 2026-10-16
- Location as listed
- Suffolk, Virginia
- Role
- Operations Manager
- Source
- The company’s own careers site
Full description
Summary
You will serve as a Wildlife Refuge Manager with Great Dismal Swamp and Nansemond National Wildlife Refuges. This position supervises all operations and staff, overseeing habitat management, conservation programs, public use, and administrative functions. Applies expert resource-management knowledge and works with diverse partners to address complex environmental issues and advance agency goals.
Duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Oversee and administer refuge land, wildlife, and wetland conservation activities. Utilize principles and methods of refuge use and planning policy, such as community and outdoor recreation, environmental, and land use planning. Supervise a multifaceted team of professional, technical, analytical and administrative support staff, setting a team attitude of adhering to high professional standards and completion of accurate, high-quality work related to compliance. Formulate, develop, communicate and implement short- and long-range plans, strategies, and refuge policy associated with all operations, projects, fiscal requirements, personnel and property management, etc. Communicate with internal and external audiences by conducting formal and informal presentations, leading meetings, providing training, facilitating refuge tours, and representing the refuge at public and partner events to explain refuge management objectives, conservation initiatives, and Service policies.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/29/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. -AND- Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: zoology, wildlife management, or an appropriate field of biology that included at least 9 semester hours in zoology; 6 semester hours in such wildlife courses as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, or wildlife management; and 3 semester hours in botany, and 3 semester hours in conservation biology. You must submit transcripts. You must submit transcripts. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) Planning, administering, evaluating, managing, and/or operating programs, activities, and projects associated with conserving and managing fish and/or wildlife resources on public or private land for the purpose of providing critical habitat for fish and wildlife; 2) Applying wildlife biology, ecology, and/or habitat management procedures and policies to be implemented and conducted in field operations; 3) Assist with development of long and short term management plans; 4) leading a staff of professional and nonprofessional personnel; and 5) Delivering formal and informal presentations, conducting training, leading meetings, facilitating refuge or program tours, or representing an organization before partners, community groups, or the public.. You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
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