Landscape Ecologist (2 positions)

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Senior Landscape Ecologist in Lands Delivery and Coordination North, the Landscape Ecologist assists in developing and implementing the delivery of various monitoring, evaluation, and planning projects across Crown Lands, to ensure and improve the long-term sustainability of Alberta’s natural resources

This position tackles a range of activities from landscape scale conservation challenges to smaller scale site-specific issues. The diversity of work could include multi-year landscape level research projects involving many stakeholders; determination of suitable mitigations for impacts to biodiversity (e.g., creating a study design for a watercourse crossing remediation or trail upgrade); creating or implementing biodiversity objectives and strategies; implementing cumulative effects modeling/monitoring; implementing species recovery plans or initiatives on a complex and multi-user landscape.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the department is meeting conservation and ecological management objectives (e.g., biodiversity conservation, connectivity, rehabilitation) as required to maintain or improve ecosystem integrity.
• Analyzing and implementing actions/recommendations to address ecological and land management problems, issues, or concerns.
• Coordinating and delivering landscape management plans, and/or other local planning initiatives, which will involve the broad involvement of internal and external stakeholders, municipalities, and Indigenous and Metis Peoples.
• Managing program activities by identifying and purchasing equipment and supplies and managing contracts and supervising volunteers in the collection of natural resource inventory data and on management projects.
• Developing strategic and operational working relationships with regional personnel, other departments, municipalities, public and industry stakeholder groups, and academic and research institutes to create an extensive network of expertise, background, and collaborative partners.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf

How Competencies will apply to this role:

BUILDING COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTS: Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.

DEVELOP NETWORKS: Proactively building networks, connecting, and building trust in relationships with different stakeholders.

AGILITY: Ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: Ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

SYSTEMS THINKING: The work done within the Alberta Public Service (APS) is part of a larger integrated and inter-related environment. It is important to know that work done in one part of the APS impacts a variety of other groups/projects inside and outside the APS. Systems Thinking allows us to keep broader impacts and connections in mind.

Qualifications

Requirements: 

• University Degree in natural sciences, ecological, environmental and/or social sciences,
• 4 years of work experience in a related field such as land, forestry, fisheries, wildlife, species at risk, biodiversity, planning, natural resource management and/or human dimensions and wildlife.
• A valid Class 5 Driver’s License or equivalent.

Assets include: 

• A strong understanding of principles and practices related to biodiversity conservation (e.g., management of fish, wildlife, species at risk, vegetation, fungi, or landscape/habitat values), including an understanding of how development activities can affect these values.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of planning principles and their application at various scales (project-level to large landscape), including recreation and other land uses.
• Good working knowledge of protected areas management and resource management techniques; capable of conducting ecological risk assessments.
• Advanced working knowledge of remote sensing, ArcGIS, Marxan and/or other conservation planning software tools.
• Knowledge and understanding of the following legislation, policy and guidelines including but not limited to the Public Lands Act, Trails Act,  Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Forests Act, Alberta Land Stewardship Act, Federal Fisheries Act, Wildlife Act, Fisheries (Alberta) Act, Migratory Bird Act, Historical Resources Act, Water Act, Provincial Parks Act, Willmore Wilderness Act, their associated regulations, guidelines and policies, and knowledge of relevant federal legislation (e.g. Species at Risk Act).

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards

Notes

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours of work per week, Monday to Friday

1 permanent position in Hinton, Whitecourt or Grande Cache 

1 Permanent position in Grande Prairie

1 position will be based in Grande Prairie. For those not familiar with Grande Prairie, Alberta’s Northwestern hub of Grande Prairie, offers something for everyone including stunning natural landscapes and outdoor adventures. Learn more about the City of Grande Prairie at:
GP Guide - English 2023 - WEB.pdf (cityofgp.com)


The resume should provide specific examples that demonstrate how your qualifications meet the advertised requirements and competencies. Your resume must include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Please also indicate if your work was full-time, part-time, or contract.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.

Working and Living in Grande Prairie: 55th to 57th parallels retention allowance: Eligible employees (salary, temporary salary, contract of employment) who work and reside in locations between the 55th and 57th parallels (excluding those eligible for the Fort McMurray Allowance) shall be paid an annual retention bonus of $6,000.00, less all lawful deductions.

Relocation Allowances: Are available for those that will relocate to Grande Prairie for this position.