GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT

Address:  5000 West Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086

Hiring hourly range: $17.1820 

Grade: 18

Closing Date: 04/12/2026  

WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN (4 positions)
“Flat-tail Technician - temporary”
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DIVISION / WILDLIFE CONTRACTS / PHOENIX, AZ BASED
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT / Full Time / End by 11/13/2026
FLSA-Non-Exempt / GRADE 18 / Hourly Rate $17.1820
CLOSING DATE: 04/12/2026

Flat-tailed Horned Lizard (FTHL) wildlife technician(s) will be conducting occupancy and demography monitoring for the FTHL. Monitoring requires field experience or the ability to conduct arduous field surveys by hiking in extremely hot, dry conditions in the Sonoran Desert. Experience with GPS, OHV, back country navigation, and handling herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) are highly recommended. Monitoring involves finding lizards through tracking or visual encounters, and processing (weighing, measuring, sexing) upon capture. For each survey session, crew members will survey plots across 130,000 acres of the Barry M. Goldwater Range and Bureau of Reclamation Lands in teams of two or more. Completion of this task involves extensive off-road driving on sandy roads and back road navigation to each of the plots. Surveys start at or prior to sunrise and continue through FTHL activity periods (ending when temperatures reach >45ºC). Daily office duties after field work include data entry, data organization, creating/preparing maps, field/gear preparation and organization, and determining logistics for the following day. The technician will work in an 8-day-on, 6-day-off schedule for 6 survey sessions near Yuma, Arizona, with the potential for 5-day work weeks towards the end of the season. The positions can be either Phoenix or Yuma based, with available housing in/near Yuma through the field season for Phoenix based interns. Training will be conducted at the beginning of the employment in order to learn tracking and survey skills before surveys begin. Participation in other Wildlife Contracts Branch projects are possible at the beginning and end of the FTHL field season, depending on start and end availability.

Under general supervision, duties will include performing a variety of technical and entry level professional wildlife fieldwork. Primary duties will assist with the field data collection, project implementation, and data entry for flat-tail horned lizard (FTHL) projects. Provide field support to include conducting FTHL surveys, observing and identifying wildlife species, collecting and summarizing data, wildlife capture. Other projects vary in type of wildlife and/or habitat but may include amphibians, reptiles, and/or small mammals. Assignments may require extended periods working and residing in primitive field conditions and operating 4x4 vehicles. The project timeline is late May (or early June) 2026 to end by November 13, 2026.

The candidate will have knowledge of/in: federal, state, and agency laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures appropriate to assignment; wildlife and basic wildlife management techniques sufficient to perform the duties assigned; proper operation, maintenance and basic repair of field equipment and vehicles; problem solving techniques.

The candidate will have the ability to: interact with the public and apply public relations; work alone and as part of a team; able to work outdoors in primitive field conditions; hike, backpack and/or camp overnight for extended periods of time in hot environments.

The preferred candidate will be skilled in applying basic wildlife management techniques, including knowledge of species identification and habitat requirements, types of flora and fauna and their ecological support systems and disease recognition sufficient to perform duties. The ideal candidate will have the skills to learn and apply more specific and/or advanced policies, procedures, and techniques, basic professional standard data collection, analysis, mathematics, basic report preparation methods, and communicate verbally and in writing.

The preferred candidate will have experience conducting field work in extreme conditions. They will also have knowledge of identification, behavior and habitat preferences of amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals.

Employment is also 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, then the following requirements apply. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked or suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).

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).

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Milani Barron at mbarron@azgfd.gov for assistance. The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.