GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT

FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION / REGION 4 / AJO, ARIZONA BASED
Duty Post: Ajo, AZ at the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge

Salary: $17.45 - $19.23 

Grade: 18

Closing Date: 6/7/2026

WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN
“Sonoran Pronghorn Technician Cabeza”
FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION / REGION 4 / AJO, ARIZONA BASED
FLSA NON-EXEMPT / SALARY GRADE 18 / HIRING HOURLY RANGE $17.45 - $19.23

Are you ready to turn your scientific passion into a lasting conservation legacy? The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking a Sonoran Pronghorn Technician to protect one of North America’s most iconic and endangered large mammals. In this role, you aren’t just monitoring animals; you are safeguarding the federally endangered Sonoran pronghorn within the rugged desert landscapes of southwestern Arizona. The Sonoran pronghorn is a sentinel of our vast arid ecosystems, and your daily presence at the captive breeding facility will bridge the gap between rigorous hands-on fieldwork and high-level recovery success. From navigating the complexities of intensive pen management and predator detection to tracking wild herds through remote terrain, your work will ensure that this protected species doesn't just survive—it thrives.

We are looking for a dedicated professional who is as comfortable compiling and analyzing field datasets as they are maintaining critical infrastructure in the field. This is your opportunity to launch your career on the front lines of wildlife biology, working alongside state and federal partners while directly influencing the future of Arizona’s landscapes. If you possess the technical grit, the adaptability, and a deep-rooted commitment to endangered wildlife conservation, we invite you to join the mission!

Why This Role Matters
This entry-level role is not simply about observation; it is about managing the delicate balance of a desert ecosystem by ensuring the success of crucial captive breeding and recruitment efforts. Your work directly impacts the survival of a federally protected species through intensive, daily husbandry and wild population monitoring. Beyond data collection, this role keeps vital field operations functioning safely and efficiently. By maintaining specialized infrastructure, managing forage enhancements, and conducting critical survival tracking, the Technician ensures that the recovery project operates with technical precision and the highest commitment to scientific integrity.

What You’ll Do
• Support Captive Breeding: Monitor the captive Sonoran pronghorn herds, observe daily behaviors, provide supplemental feed, and record crucial breeding, production, and recruitment data.
• Maintain Critical Infrastructure: Monitor, repair, and operate breeding pen infrastructure, including woven wire and electric fences, shade cloths, watering stations, and complex irrigation systems.
• Conduct Field Tracking: Use ground and aerial radio telemetry, GPS devices, and game cameras to locate, track, and monitor wild pronghorn and recently released individuals.
• Analyze and Report Data: Maintain accurate databases on weather, predator activity, and herd health to compile, organize, and summarize field findings into technical weekly and monthly reports.
• Protect and Investigate: Detect and report predator presence and implement predator management strategies, and conduct field necropsies and tissue collection during mortality investigations.
• Assist Wildlife Translocations: Help capture, move, and safely release pronghorn from the captive pen into the wild to establish additional populations within their historic habitat.
• Collaborate and Communicate: Represent the Department in multi-agency project planning meetings to share accurate data and ensure pronghorn conservation concerns are addressed.

Why AZGFD?
At Arizona Game and Fish, conservation is personal. Our employees are deeply connected to the landscapes and wildlife they protect. We value stewardship, teamwork, partnerships, and professional growth, and we support our staff with training and career development opportunities. If you’re ready to make a measurable impact on desert wildlife conservation, we encourage you to apply and become part of Arizona’s conservation mission!

The purpose of this position is to provide a human presence at the Sonoran Pronghorn captive breeding facilities during daylight hours. This position will primarily be monitoring the captive breeding facility at the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and the post of duty will be Ajo, AZ. This position will maintain the facility, maintain hog fences and electric fences, maintain and operate the irrigation system, monitor the captive pronghorn, detect predators and illegal human activity around the pen, record and document success of breeding/recruitment, and ensure the success of the captive breeding effort. This position will also assist in the monitoring and management of wild populations of Sonoran Pronghorn, including monitoring and maintaining waters, forage enhancements, camera traps, conducting ground and aerial telemetry, aerial survey, and mortality investigations.

Major duties will include:

• Monitor, maintain and repair the captive breeding pen and all related infrastructure including woven wire fences, electric fences, shade cloth, swinging gates, irrigation system, water systems, alfalfa/pellet feeding stations, and capture bomas. Irrigate the pen and fill waters as necessary.
Monitor presence of predators and implement predator management strategies. Develop recommendations, implement and assess new strategies to improve the management of the captive breeding pen.

• Monitor the Sonoran Pronghorn herds within the pen. Observe and record Sonoran Pronghorn behaviors and activities, breeding, production and recruitment, health status, mortalities, and other data. Provide supplemental feed (alfalfa hay and zoo pellets) and maintain waters as needed within the enclosure.

• Monitor, maintain, repair, irrigate, and provide supplemental feed (alfalfa hay) and water as needed at Sonoran Pronghorn recovery sites within the Cabeza Prieta NWR, surrounding areas, and Sauceda subunit.

• Maintain accurate and detailed records of irrigation, feeding, repairs, weather conditions, rainfall, predator activity, pronghorn activity at release sites, and other pen activities. Compile, organize, and analyze data. Maintain computer databases and produce reports, tables, graphs, charts, photos, and other digital data.

• Conduct radio telemetry for wild pronghorn and pronghorn released from the pen. Locate, investigate, and record pronghorn mortalities in or near the pen and in the Sauceda subunit, including performing field necropsy, and collecting tissue samples for testing. Assist in capturing, moving, and releasing pronghorn from the pen into the wild. Develop recommendations and implement strategies to reduce losses in the pen from predation and disease.

• Assist in other recovery projects such as aerial telemetry, surveys, water projects, forage enhancements, other monitoring projects, etc., as directed.

• Monitor, analyze and assess success of recovery projects. Assist with planning and implementation of establishing additional pronghorn populations within historic habitat. Participate in project planning meetings.

• Write reports such as the weekly report, monthly update, annual reports, and other documents as directed. Represent the Department in meetings and other contacts with agencies and the public to ensure that Department information and concerns regarding Sonoran Pronghorn issues are presented. Review technical and popular publications to maintain proficiency in specialty fields and in other areas of general competence and responsibility.

• Operate and maintain a variety of specialized equipment including telemetry systems, GPS, game cameras, and computer programs to collect, analyze, and summarize field data. Operates and maintains vehicles, trailers, generators, hand and power tools, irrigation systems and other equipment in the field. Enter time and mileage accurately and on time.

• Other duties as assigned, as relates to the position.

Working Conditions:
• Duty Post: Ajo, AZ at the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge captive breeding facility.
• Schedule: Variable hours including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Environment: Primitive field conditions in extreme Arizona weather and geographic terrain.
• Isolation: Extended periods of working and camping alone or with others in remote areas without cell reception.
• Physical Demands: Heavy manual labor, including hiking, backpacking, and lifting or carrying over 50 pounds for extended periods.
• Travel: Rough terrain navigation on foot or via field vehicles, ATVs, and aircraft.
• Safety Hazards: Proximity to the US border.

The position requires knowledge of: wildlife and ungulate biology and ecology, and wildlife management techniques; basic maintenance techniques such as fencing, plumbing, irrigation, or carpentry; accurate and detailed data recording practices; computer word processing, data storage, spreadsheets, and other programs and functions.

Candidates must be skilled in: basic hand and power tools; conducting radio telemetry, visual identification of individual animals (by collar, ear tag, or other markings); repairing fences and irrigation systems, and other manual labor; collecting and recording accurate and detailed notes, summarizing data, and writing reports; predator management strategies including trapping; use of game cameras, spotting scopes, binoculars, and gps devices; hiking, camping, and working alone or with others in primitive field conditions; effective verbal and written communication.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to: develop effective and positive working relationships with coworkers, supervisor, the public, and other state and federal agencies; effectively manage time, determine priorities and meet deadlines; quickly solve problems and determine maintenance needs and fixes; work irregular hours, including weekends and holidays; work outdoors in extreme heat and isolated conditions; to perform manual labor such as repairing fences, building simple irrigation systems, and stacking bales of alfalfa hay.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management, Ecology, Biology or a closely related field.
Our work environment offers training opportunities and encourages career development.

Employment is contingent upon completion of a post-offer medical/physical examination and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.

This position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The State of Arizona offers an outstanding comprehensive benefits package including:

* 13 days of vacation
* 12 sick days with accumulation benefits
* 10 paid holidays
* Participation in the nationally recognized Arizona State Retirement System
* Superior health care options
* Vision care, dental care, pharmacy benefits, and flexible spending account (options available)
* Life, long-term disability, and short-term disability insurance options are available
* Many more benefit programs are available

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Nicole Baker at nbaker@azgfd.gov for assistance.