What are the responsibilities and job description for the SEASONAL NATURAL RESOURCES TECHNICIAN IV Avian Survey Technician position at State of Maryland?
Introduction
Seasonal Contractual
One vacancy – Full Time
March 26, 2025 – January 13, 2026
GRADE
9998
LOCATION OF POSITION
580 Taylor Ave, Annapolis
Main Purpose of Job
The Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife & Heritage Service in Annapolis, Maryland is currently accepting applications for one Seasonal Contractual position (Natural Resources Technician IV). The Department seeks a highly motivated individual to conduct avian monitoring activities including assisting with the planning, implementation, data analysis, and report writing for a project surveying Black Rails throughout coastal areas in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Bays regions. Job duties will include: (1) assistance with planning, scheduling and conducting early evening and night time roadside surveys of Black Rails using a standardized audio lure point count survey based on the Black Rail Working Group standardized North American Black Rail Monitoring Protocol; (2) maintain and deploy automated recording units (ARU’s) at roadside survey locations to estimate species detection probability (3) oversight and assistance with data entry and management, private landowner contacts and coordination, as needed, with other state and federal agencies; and (4) assistance with data analysis and report writing. Monitoring will also include field surveys for other species of conservation concern in western Maryland. The work will require early evening and nighttime surveys, occasional weekend work, and possibly some overnight travel.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Five years of experience, three years of experience in technical biological work in the field of natural resources management and an additional two years of experience performing technical biological work in the field of forestry, arboriculture, wildlife, aquaculture, natural resources management, or fisheries.
Notes
Persons in this position may be assigned duties which require the operation of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess the appropriate operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.
SELECTION PROCESS
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be considered for this position. Therefore, it is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Report all education and experience related to the essential functions of this position.
For education obtained outside the U.S., a copy of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service must be provided prior to hire.
Benefits
Contractual employees who work for an agency covered under the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program, have a current employment contract and work 30 or more hours a week (or on average 130 hours per month) may be eligible for subsidized health benefits coverage for themselves and their dependents. As a contractual employee, you will be responsible for paying 25% of the premiums for your medical and prescription coverage, including any eligible dependents you have enrolled. The State of Maryland will subsidize the remaining 75% of the cost for these benefits. You can also elect to enroll in dental coverage, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and life insurance, but will be responsible to pay the full premium for these benefits.
Leave may be granted to a contractual employee who has worked 120 days in a 12 month period. This leave accrues at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 40 hours per calendar year.
The online application is strongly preferred. If you are unable to apply online, you may submit a paper application and supplemental questionnaire to: Department of Natural Resources, Human Resources, 580 Taylor Avenue, C-3 Annapolis, MD 21401. The Human Resources unit is not responsible for applications sent to any other address.
Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing the application.
If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about the online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management at Application.Help@maryland.gov ; ATTN: Recruitment and Examination Division. Please note, standard business hours for the help desk are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Inquiries made after hours will be reviewed the following business day.
If you need to make adjustments to a submitted application or if you have general inquiries regarding this recruitment, please contact hrsrecruitment.dnr@maryland.gov .
Please provide ample time to complete the application template. If you are having technical difficulties submitting an application on the day of the deadline, it is strongly advised that you complete the JobAps physical application template and hand deliver to DNR - HRS at 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401 before 4:30 p.m. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources cannot guarantee that late submissions, as a result of technical difficulties, will be accepted.
TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay
Candidates with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. We thank our Veterans for their service to our country, and encourage them to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity.
Seasonal Contractual
One vacancy – Full Time
March 26, 2025 – January 13, 2026
GRADE
9998
LOCATION OF POSITION
580 Taylor Ave, Annapolis
Main Purpose of Job
The Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife & Heritage Service in Annapolis, Maryland is currently accepting applications for one Seasonal Contractual position (Natural Resources Technician IV). The Department seeks a highly motivated individual to conduct avian monitoring activities including assisting with the planning, implementation, data analysis, and report writing for a project surveying Black Rails throughout coastal areas in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Bays regions. Job duties will include: (1) assistance with planning, scheduling and conducting early evening and night time roadside surveys of Black Rails using a standardized audio lure point count survey based on the Black Rail Working Group standardized North American Black Rail Monitoring Protocol; (2) maintain and deploy automated recording units (ARU’s) at roadside survey locations to estimate species detection probability (3) oversight and assistance with data entry and management, private landowner contacts and coordination, as needed, with other state and federal agencies; and (4) assistance with data analysis and report writing. Monitoring will also include field surveys for other species of conservation concern in western Maryland. The work will require early evening and nighttime surveys, occasional weekend work, and possibly some overnight travel.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Five years of experience, three years of experience in technical biological work in the field of natural resources management and an additional two years of experience performing technical biological work in the field of forestry, arboriculture, wildlife, aquaculture, natural resources management, or fisheries.
Notes
- Candidates may substitute the completion of 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university, 18 credit hours must be in biology, biochemistry, environmental science, forest technology, arboriculture, aquaculture, natural science, natural resources management, botany, marine biology, marine ecology, physical oceanography, ichthyology, fisheries management, wildlife management, zoology, or a natural resources management related field of study and three years of experience in technical biological work in the field of natural resources management for the required experience.
- Candidates may substitute additional education beyond the 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university in a natural resources related field of study on a year-for-year basis for up to two years of the required experience.
- Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in the natural resources management and biological sciences classifications or natural resources management and biological sciences specialty codes in the biological science technician field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
- Excellent bird identification skills and the ability to identify all potentially occurring marshbirds in Maryland, especially secretive species by call.
- Prior bird survey experience in wetland environments.
- Good technical writing skills and experience in statistical analysis (e.g., univariate statistics), Arcmap, Microsoft Access, and Excel, and the use of GPS units.
- Experience with R statistical software and the use of Survey123 and eBird data collection platforms.
- Experience with Automated Recording Units, including set-up, maintenance, data management, and use of software (Raven Pro, Birdnet) for call screening and identification.
- A strong work ethic, good organizational and leadership skills, and the ability to work well both independently and in small teams in remote areas at night with minimal supervision.
Persons in this position may be assigned duties which require the operation of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess the appropriate operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.
SELECTION PROCESS
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be considered for this position. Therefore, it is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Report all education and experience related to the essential functions of this position.
For education obtained outside the U.S., a copy of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service must be provided prior to hire.
Benefits
Contractual employees who work for an agency covered under the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program, have a current employment contract and work 30 or more hours a week (or on average 130 hours per month) may be eligible for subsidized health benefits coverage for themselves and their dependents. As a contractual employee, you will be responsible for paying 25% of the premiums for your medical and prescription coverage, including any eligible dependents you have enrolled. The State of Maryland will subsidize the remaining 75% of the cost for these benefits. You can also elect to enroll in dental coverage, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and life insurance, but will be responsible to pay the full premium for these benefits.
Leave may be granted to a contractual employee who has worked 120 days in a 12 month period. This leave accrues at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 40 hours per calendar year.
- Should benefits be available, this information will be discussed at the time of hire
The online application is strongly preferred. If you are unable to apply online, you may submit a paper application and supplemental questionnaire to: Department of Natural Resources, Human Resources, 580 Taylor Avenue, C-3 Annapolis, MD 21401. The Human Resources unit is not responsible for applications sent to any other address.
Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing the application.
If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about the online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management at Application.Help@maryland.gov ; ATTN: Recruitment and Examination Division. Please note, standard business hours for the help desk are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Inquiries made after hours will be reviewed the following business day.
If you need to make adjustments to a submitted application or if you have general inquiries regarding this recruitment, please contact hrsrecruitment.dnr@maryland.gov .
Please provide ample time to complete the application template. If you are having technical difficulties submitting an application on the day of the deadline, it is strongly advised that you complete the JobAps physical application template and hand deliver to DNR - HRS at 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401 before 4:30 p.m. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources cannot guarantee that late submissions, as a result of technical difficulties, will be accepted.
TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay
Candidates with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. We thank our Veterans for their service to our country, and encourage them to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity.
