Agent trainee

Summary / Objective

Looking for an impactful career that is healthy, rewarding and purpose driven? Want to be part of something bigger while serving on a professional team that works to ensure future generations have opportunities to enjoy wildlife and wild places?

The Missouri Department of Conservation would like to invest in you and your future to attend a 6-month conservation agent training academy.

Graduates of the Conservation Agent Academy receive a county assignment and become front-line ambassadors as the face of conservation as part of their communities - educating and fairly enforcing the Wildlife Code of Missouri with emphasis on voluntary compliance and proactive stewardship of nature and resources "off the beaten path."

Applications are being accepted to fill up to a twenty-member academy class for Conservation Agent Trainees scheduled to begin March 16, 2025.

Trainees will be required to reside in the Department provided housing in Jefferson City, Missouri during the training. Academy graduates earn a POST class A-CC license, applicants must be willing to be assigned to any county in the state, based on current vacancies and agency needs.

All correspondence for this position will be via email. On the submitted application, select email as the preferred method of contact and list an up-to-date email address for notifications.

IMPORTANT : This position requires a degree, please upload a copy of your transcript to your job profile prior to August 18, 2024.

Essential Job Duties

• RESOURCE LAW ENFORCEMENT : Field patrol; check hunting-fishing activity for Wildlife Code violations; special investigations;
• investigation of reported violations; enforce state laws within statutory jurisdiction; assists in prosecution of persons apprehended for violating laws and regulations;

other pertinent enforcement responsibilities.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND EDUCATION : Adult and youth meetings; hunter safety instruction; radio and TV programs; recruitment and education at fairs and exhibits;

newspaper articles; informative social media submissions for various outlets, community programs with schools, sportsmen's clubs, and other organizations.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT : Wildlife censuses and surveys; endangered and / or protected species, investigation of wildlife damage complaints;

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT : Pollution investigations; assistance in fish distribution; fish rescue; management of community lakes, public access points, etc.

lake and pond management information for owners; other duties directly related to fisheries management.

• FORESTRY MANAGEMENT : Forestry development with private landowners; forest arson investigation; other duties directly related to forest management.
• OTHER DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES : Assistance in land acquisition investigations; assistance with approval of commercial permits;

equipment maintenance; in-service training programs; emergency public services including search and rescue, first aid, assistance at drownings, flood rescues, etc.

and other duties representing the Department.

Ancillary Job Duties

Prior to being accepted into the training class, all individuals must demonstrate ability and proficiency in the following :

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college-required but not limited to the following programs : forestry, fisheries mgt, wildlife mgt / conservation, natural resource mgt, law enforcement, criminal justice, agriculture or other related biological sciences.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to teach conservation and related subjects to the public.
• Ability to work varied hours including Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
• Ability to use firearms and pass an annual qualification test using a Department-issued sidearm.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle (often with trailer attached) and have or obtain a valid Driver’s License by the date of employment.
• Work outdoors in extreme hot and cold temperatures.
• Ability to observe and classify wildlife species, fish species, trees and common insects and identify diseases inherent to trees and insects.
• Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to enforce wildlife laws firmly and tactfully, with respect for the rights of others.
• Ability to create public awareness of and involvement in fish, forest and wildlife programs and to provide leadership to the public in this activity.
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with elected officials, members of the press, educators, community leaders, courts, representatives from related agencies and the general public.
• Ability to make independent decisions and act decisively on the determined course of action.
• Ability to work under stress for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to utilize and maintain issued equipment.

Work Environment

• Frequently work in outdoors in extreme conditions.
• Frequently work outdoors, often in rugged terrain and inclement weather (typically between zero and ten days per month).
• Regularly travel in closed vehicle.
• Working long hours and occasional weekends.

Physical Abilities

• Ability to run for sustained periods of time (over two minutes)
• Ability to run sprints
• Ability to run up and down stairs
• Ability to dodge obstacles
• Ability to crawl under obstacles
• Ability to jump and vault over obstacles
• Ability to climb fences
• Ability to lift and carry light (under 25 lbs.) to heavy (over 100 lbs.) for specified distances
• Ability to lift and carry victims
• Ability to extract victims from automobiles and buildings
• Ability to drag victims or suspects
• Ability to push vehicles off roadway
• Use of force by pushing and pulling in self defense situations for a designated period of time
• Ability to enter and exit vehicles and watercraft
• Ability to bend and twist in use of force situations

Disclaimer

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee will also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Management reserves the right to change job descriptions, job duties, functions, and requirements.

Exemption Status / Special Notes This position has been determined to be Exempt according to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Employees must agree to accept compensatory time in lieu of cash payments in accordance with the Department's Compensatory Time Off and Overtime Policy.

Salaried and hourly employees are expected to use a mobile device-cellular phone for Department business, as needed. MDC promotes a Tobacco-Free (smoke and smokeless) working environment.

The Department of Conservation will only hire United States citizens and aliens authorized to work in the United States.

All new employees will be required to complete an "Employment Eligibility Verification" (Form I-9) and produce requested documentation after employment.

Candidates seeking initial employment or re-employment must submit to a drug screen following offer of employment. All persons employed with the state of Missouri shall file all state income tax forms and pay all state income taxes owed.

Last updated : 2024-07-13