Wildlife Studies Project Manager

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.

1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution.

DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6, employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2, square mile watershed that extends miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire an Associate Project Manager II for a position with Wildlife Studies Section, Natural Resources Division, Watershed Protection Programs Directorate, located in Valhalla, New York.

The Wildlife Studies Section implements numerous critical services within the Bureau of Water Supply to manage wildlife related impacts on water quality and water supply facilities, to ensure appropriate management of wildlife throughout the watershed.

The section is responsible for the administration and oversight of the Waterfowl Management Program Contract which includes daily pre-dawn and post dusk waterfowl and waterbird surveys, and implements dispersal and deterrent techniques to prevent contamination of water supply reservoirs from wildlife sources of fecal coliforms and pathogens.

Management of these sources of contamination allows the City to maintain compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Surface Water Treatment Rule and the Hillview Reservoir Administrative Order on Consent.

The section also monitors wildlife populations, manages nuisance species as needed, and reviews construction, forest management other projects to ensure that wildlife impacts are minimized and compliance with endangered species regulations is maintained.

Under general direction, of the Wildlife Studies Section Chief, the Associate Project Manager II will serve as Wildlife Studies Program Manager and will be responsible for assisting in the planning and implementation of a comprehensive program to assess and mitigate pollutant effects from wildlife to the NYC drinking water supply, perform wildlife field investigations, and conduct nuisance species management field activities.

Responsibilities also include working with the Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis and other directorates to review proposed construction, forestry, and land use projects to ensure minimization of impacts to and from wildlife and compliance with threatened and endangered species regulations. Specific duties include :

Assisting in the management and oversight of the Waterfowl Management Program Contract, including daily travel to different work locations throughout the New York City Watershed and the Bronx to conduct diurnal and nocturnal surveys and oversee and audit contractor field work.

The Wildlife Studies Project Manager will also direct the implementation of the WMP contract schedules, evaluate performance, and design systems to maximize program effectiveness and efficiency.

In that capacity, the Wildlife Studies Project Manager will meet routinely with contractors and support the administration of contract payments and development of new contracts.

Maintaining compliance with the Hillview Administrative Order Enhanced Wildlife Management program. This includes oversight of daily bird census and dispersal efforts including data management, mammal trapping, and targeted wildlife management programs as needed.

Will also include familiarity with using standard practices to conduct euthanasia for wildlife. Prepare monthly reports on Administrative Order and Filtration Avoidance Determination activities.

• Preparing documentation to support various procurements for the Wildlife Section. This will include gathering quotes, justification letters, and support the workflow of documentation once there is a notice of award.
• Assisting with the oversight of the wildlife database and Wildlife Application systems including proposing upgrades as needed, ensuring quality control of data, and interfacing with contractors for App system troubleshooting.
• Assisting with SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Act) and CEQR (City Environmental Quality Review) reviews of proposed construction, forestry, and other agency project plans to ensure minimization of impacts to and from wildlife and compliance with threatened and endangered species regulations.
• In addition to performing routine waterbird surveys, conducting surveys and special investigations as needed when water quality issues develop, documenting presence of wildlife species to determine impacts.
• Conducting nuisance wildlife investigations. Planning and implementing solutions for reducing the impact of the nuisance wildlife on agency resources or public health.
• Conducting endangered and threatened species surveys and investigations. Assisting with presence & absence studies for federally protected bat species to support agency project design and scheduling.

Maintaining database of bald eagle and bat resources to inform regulatory agencies charged with species conservation.

• Participating with external ornithological data collection initiatives such as NYS Breeding Bird, Nationwide Mid Winter Eagle, NYS Mute Swan management, NYS Christmas Bird Count, and NYS Winter Waterfowl Surveys.
• Providing contract staff training and oversight per DEP EHS policies.

This is a brief description of what you might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position.)

Some of the physical activities performed by Associate Project Managers and environmental conditions experienced are : walking to and from inspection sites and during the course of inspections, climbing and descending ladders or stairs to get to areas to be inspected, including exposed heights and confined spaces, standing for extended periods of time, distinguishing colors, bending, stretching, and stooping during inspections, communicating orally, climbing over and around various objects, walking in areas that may be damp, moldy, dark, dusty, smoky, vermin infested, noisy, acrid, or containing fumes, emissions, extreme heat and cold, lead dust, asbestos, or other potentially hazardous material, and working outdoors in all kinds of weather.

Special Working Conditions : Associate Project Managers may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Preferred Skills :

• Driver’s license valid in the State of New York
• Ability to travel to meetings, work facilities, and field locations, utilizing a New York City vehicle
• Must be able to use laptops and desktop computers
• Knowledge and proficient use of Microsoft Office products such as Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience with DEP’s Wildlife Application
• Strong familiarity with electronic data collection, web or app based, such as eBird or Survey 1 2 3
• Experience in managing wildlife for source water protection is preferred
• Must possess strong skills in field identification, biology, and behavior of avian, mammal, reptile and amphibian species found in the northeast US
• Must possess comprehensive knowledge of federal and New York State wildlife regulations, including those regulating endangered and threatened species.

Must have experience utilizing tools for developing regulatory review consultation packages, including Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) and New York Natural Heritage Program data and guidance.

• Experience reviewing construction, forest management, and other land use plans to assess and minimize impacts to endangered and threatened species
• Must possess experience in safely operating watercraft including launching and trailering
• Must possess NYSDEC trapping license and experience with experience in wildlife trapping for nuisance species control
• Must possess wildlife handling experience for live and deceased avian, mammal and herptile species in the NYC Watersheds
• Experience conducting wildlife dissections to collect samples for bacterial and human pathogenic analysis
• Must be skilled at watercraft operations including motorboats and airboats and possess USCG or NASBLA boater safety training
• Experience with operation and maintenance of remote controlled boats
• Experience with handheld GPS units such as Trimble or Garmin products including on watercraft
• Experience with various field equipment such as handheld computers and tablets
• Experience with biological monitoring equipment such as binoculars, spotting scopes, and remotely deployed instruments such as motion activated cameras.
• Ability to manipulate and analyze spatial and non spatial data and synthesize into clear concise graphics, reports and presentations
• Ability to use independent judgement to make decisions
• Ability to use best available information to make actionable recommendations
• Ability to effectively communicate to a variety of audiences in oral and written formats

Hours and Shift :

35 Hours per week. May be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Residency Requirement : New York City residency is not required for this position.

Work Location : Columbus Avenue

Columbus Avenue

Valhalla, NY

Valhalla is a hamlet in the Town of Mount Pleasant, Westchester County, NY approximately 28 miles from mid-town Manhattan.

Minimum Qualifications

One year of full-time satisfactory experience in supervising employees performing project management work, such as planning, administering, managing, coordinating, or expediting, on engineering and / or architectural and / or landscape architectural projects, or supervising a construction project with a value of $1,, or more, and either :

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, engineering technology, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural technology, construction, construction management, construction technology, sustainable design, urban planning, urban studies, city planning, transportation planning, business administration, or public administration, and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in project management work, such as planning, administering, managing, coordinating, or expediting, for engineering and / or architectural and / or landscape architectural projects; or

2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and five years of experience as described in "1" above; or

3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent plus any combination of college or university education and / or experience described in "1" above to make up the equivalent of five years of education and experience.

One year of experience credit will be given for : (a) each 30 semester credits of college or university education leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, engineering technology, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural technology, construction, construction management, construction technology, sustainable design, urban planning, urban studies, city planning, transportation planning, business administration, or public administration;

b) a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in one of the disciplines described in "1" above; (c) a Juris Doctor degree, or (d) a valid New York State license as a Professional Engineer, Registered Architect or Registered Landscape Architect.

Where experience which is primarily of a design nature is not acceptable towards meeting the qualification requirements.

In addition to meeting the qualification requirements for Assignment Level I, candidates must have at least one additional year of experience as described in "1" above in a supervisory capacity or have served for at least one year as a project manager for a large and / or complex construction project.

In addition to meeting the qualification requirements for Assignment Level I, candidates must have at least two additional years of experience as described in "1" above in a supervisory capacity or have served for at least two additional years as a project manager for a large and / or complex construction project.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at class "jobad-residencyRequirement">

Residency RequirementNew York City Residency is not required for this position