Job Description

Requisition No: 872034

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: FISHERIES & WILDLIFE BIO SCIENTIST IV - 77000216

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 77000216

Salary: $50,584.67, annually

Posting Closing Date: 03/24/2026

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

FWRI – Center for Biostatistics and Modeling

Fisheries & Wildlife Bio Scientist IV – Career Service Position with Benefits

$1,945.56 Biweekly, $50,584.67 Annually

100 8th Ave. SE

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

FWRI – Center for Biostatistics and Modeling

Fisheries & Wildlife Biological Scientist IV (Biostatistician) - CS 770000216

St. Petersburg, Florida - $50,584.67 Annually

Our organization:

The FWC envisions a Florida where fish and wildlife are abundant and thriving in healthy and connected natural landscapes with vital working lands and waterways; where natural resources are valued and safely enjoyed by all; and wherein natural systems support vibrant human communities and a strong economy.

Our Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

Every organization has an identity that is forged not only by what it does, but by how it conducts itself. The values embedded in our mission and expressed in the vision of the FWC are to make quality decisions by being dynamic, science-informed, efficient, ethical, collaborative and committed to the vitality of the state and its environment.

Minimum Qualifications:
7 years professional experience in a closely-related biological field or laboratory program can substitute for the required bachelor’s degree is required. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course of study in one of the biological sciences and three years of professional biological experience in a field or laboratory program; or A master's degree from an accredited college or university with major course of study in one of the biological sciences and two years of professional experience as described above; or A doctorate from an accredited college or university with major course of study in one of the biological sciences and one year of professional experience as described above can substitute for the required experience.

Preferred Qualifications: Preference may be given to candidates with the following qualifications:
A master's degree from an accredited college or university with major course of study in one of the biological sciences and three years of professional experience as described above or

A doctorate from an accredited college or university with major course of study in one of the biological sciences.

Requirements:
Employment in this position is contingent upon a satisfactory Level 1 background check at no cost to the candidate.

and Responsibilities:

The candidate will work on a variety of conservation-related projects in a unique and rewarding collaborative environment. Consulting areas include general statistical advice, design of experiments and monitoring studies, data visualization, data analysis, population modeling, and manuscript preparation and review. Duties include performing quantitative analysis and modeling of scientific data using appropriate statistical methods, reviewing current wildlife research and monitoring techniques to provide advice to research staff on appropriate and efficient methodologies, generating publication-quality graphics for publication in peer-reviewed manuscripts, and training staff in modern statistical analyses and techniques. for metadata generation, data storage, project workflow documentation, software selection, and security. Follows standards, develops reusable tools, trainings, and webinars at the direction of leadership.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Must have excellent written and oral communication skills  

Must be able to understand and appreciate natural resource problems from the perspective of a biologist or resource manager  

Must be able to produce graphics and summarize analytical results in a manner that is understandable to biologists

Must have working knowledge in the areas of experimental design, linear models, generalized linear models, mixed effect (hierarchical) models, and nonparametric models

Familiarity or working knowledge in Bayesian analysis, distance sampling, capture-recapture analysis, and occupancy modeling preferred

Must be proficient at programming in either R or another modern statistical programming language

Must have experience or interest in creating and maintaining Markdown or Quarto documents and Shiny apps

Must be able to work independently to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments

Must be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with research staff, including personnel stationed at field offices throughout the state of Florida

Why should I apply?

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:
State of Florida employees enjoy top-tier benefits offerings including comprehensive health coverage to meet the needs of you and your family while maintaining low deductibles and low monthly out-of-pocket contributions. State employees also enjoy the option of selecting between the FRS Pension Plan and the FRS Investment Plan for retirement. As an additional benefit, state employment affords you the opportunity to take part in the tuition waiver program within the state university and community college systems.

Health Premiums $25.00- Single / $90.00- Family Biweekly

No Cost $25,000 Life Insurance

Nine Paid State Holidays, One Personal Holiday per year

4 hours Annual Leave and 4 hours Sick Leave accrued Biweekly

Retirement Plan Options

State University and College Tuition Waiver Program

On the Job Trainings

Support for family planning, including paid maternity leave, adoption benefits, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Family Supportive Work Program (FSWP), and paid leave for family and medical responsibilities for eligible employees.

Paid administrative leave for mentoring, volunteering, voting, and other reasons because we understand the importance of giving back to the community.

For a more complete list of benefits, visit https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.