Wildlife Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

THE OUTSIDE IS IN US ALL.

Announcement:

Please remember to attach the required documents listed in this announcement.

Cover Letter, Resume

Applications missing the requested documents will be considered incomplete and may not progress further in the process. Documents not requested will not be considered in the recruitment process. The State Application is not a substitute for a Resume. This position closes at 11:59 PM Mountain Time on May 23, 2026. You must apply through the State of Montana Career site.

Special Information:

This position may be eligible for a statutory base pay increase of $1.00 an hour effective July 1, 2026.

Identity of applicants who become finalists may be released to the public if the Department deems it necessary. Employees who exceed 1,040 hours in a calendar year are also provided health, dental and life insurance. Other benefits include retirement, paid vacation, sick and holidays. This position may be covered by a VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association).

A successful applicant will be subject to a background investigation.

Women and minorities are under-represented in this job category and are encouraged to apply.

Specific Job Information:

The Wildlife Manager position is primarily office-based and deadline-driven, with periodic fieldwork. Field duties may require hiking across varied terrain; carrying equipment; working from aircraft; operating offroad and passenger vehicles, including trailering OHVs; and working in all weather conditions year-round.

This is a full-time, 40hour-perweek role, Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend meetings or field work are required. Some office tasks and seasonal fieldwork may extend beyond an eight-hour day, and occasional overnight travel may be necessary.

Applicants must complete the Montana State Job Application and submit a cover letter outlining their interest in the Region 5 Wildlife Manager position and their qualifications, making them best candidate for the position, not to exceed 2 pages.

The position is based in Billings, Montana, with Region 5 headquarters located adjacent to Lake Elmo State Park. Billings is the state's largest city, offering major medical facilities, two colleges, an international airport, and a wide range of cultural and recreational activities. Region 5 includes a large portion of the Yellowstone River, Granite Peak, the AbsarokaBeartooth Wilderness, the Pryor Mountains, and lies near Yellowstone National Park and Bighorn Canyon. The area offers extensive opportunities for hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, and visiting historic sites and local attractions.

Job Duties:

The Wildlife Manager, as part of the Wildlife Division is responsible for the conservation and management of Montana's 600 species of wild animals and their habitat.  The Wildlife Division manages animals legislatively categorized as big game, non-game, migratory game birds, upland game, furbearers, and threatened and endangered species. Responsibilities within the Wildlife Division fall into four major themes: Wildlife Management, Habitat, Access, and Wildlife Conflict Prevention.  Program staff in Helena develops program priorities in conjunction with Regional staff in seven administrative regions, who then implement the program at the field level.  The wildlife manager based in Billings for Region 5 is responsible for the supervision, administration, implementation and evaluation of the wildlife management program at the regional level and collaborating with all regional staff to meet regional objectives.  The region encompasses all or portions of the following counties: Petroleum, Fergus, Musselshell, Golden Valley, Wheatland, Meagher, Yellowstone, Bighorn, Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, and Park.  The manager directly supervises four area biologists, a bear specialist, and a wildlife technician, with indirect supervision of a bear technician and a non-game technician.

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

The knowledge, skills and abilities of this position are normally attained through combination of education and experience equivalent to a Master's degree in Wildlife Biology, Wildlife Management, Biology, Zoology, Ecology, Natural Resources Management, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university and at least 5 years of job-related experience. Other combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.