Wildlife biology, co-management, environmental stewardship

North Slave Metis Alliance (NSMA)
JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Junior Wildlife Biologist
Organization: North Slave Métis Alliance
Location: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Department: Environment
Reports To: Environment Manager, Environment Department
Employment Type: Full-Time, TERM
Wage Scale: $40.15/hr-$46.15/hr ($78,292.50 - $ 89,992.50 per annum)

The North Slave Métis Alliance (NSMA) is a non-profit society and Indigenous Government Organization headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. NSMA was founded in 1996 and represents s. 35 Aboriginal rights-bearing Indigenous Métis people of the Great Slave region of the Northwest Territories. NSMA’s mandate is 1) the assertion, protection, and implementation of the Aboriginal rights of Métis people, and 2) the exercise of Métis responsibility to protect the environment and to promote and enhance Métis education, economic, social, political, and cultural development. The Environment Department is a unit within NSMA that is responsible for a variety of activities relating to consultation and co-management of natural resources, conducting environmental monitoring and research programs, and assisting community cultural activities.

The Junior Wildlife Biologist supports NSMA’s wildlife co-management, monitoring, Guardian, regulatory, and environmental stewardship files. Working under the direction of the Senior Wildlife Biologist and Environment Department leadership, this position assists with wildlife field programs, data collection, reporting, community engagement, and regulatory review to support the protection of North Slave Métis rights, lands, waters, wildlife, and harvesting interests.

Summary

Below are the details of your pending employment contract:

• Job Type: Full-time, permanent
• Rate of Pay: $40.15/hr-$46.15/hr ($78,292.50 - $ 89,992.50 per annum)
• Benefits: Heath and Pension Plan
• Hours of Work. Default Office Hours are Monday to Friday at 7.5 hours per day (includes 30 minutes of paid break and 1-hour unpaid break) from 8:30 am to 5:00pm. This is a fieldwork-focused position, and workers may be required to work adjusted hours (including earlier starts and/or overtime/or weekends) in accordance with weather, safety, and operational requirements.

• Work Location: NSMA’s offices are located at 32 Melville Drive in Yellowknife, NWT. Work will take place at NSMA office locations and various field sites within the North Slave Region. Ability to travel extensively and work in remote sites.

• Benefits: Health and pension benefits will be available to you after your 3-month probationary period.
• Protective Clothing, PPE, and other gear issuances: The employer will provide the employee with any personal protective equipment (PPE) required to safely perform the job including steel-toed boots, eye protection, and reflective vest. The employer may provide protective field clothing including: field pants, long-sleeved field shirts, and a backpack. Other equipment such as a laptop, radio, multitool, InReach, and other devices required to perform the duties of the job may individually assigned to the employee for their use while continuously employed with NSMA. Any assigned PPE, clothing, or equipment remains property of the employer and must be returned to the employer upon cessation of employment.

Responsibilities

• Support wildlife monitoring, habitat assessments, field surveys, environmental monitoring, and research projects.
• Assist with files related to Bathurst caribou, boreal caribou, bison, barren-ground caribou, moose, wolves, fish/wildlife interactions, species at risk, and cumulative effects.
• Collect, enter, organize, and quality-check field data from a variety of sources (GPS, game cameras, ARUs, YSI sonde etc.).
• Assist with technical reviews of wildlife research permits, recovery strategies, habitat/range planning documents, land use permits, water licences, environmental assessments, mining-related documents, and wildlife management plans.
• Prepare draft field notes, maps, briefing notes, correspondence, meeting summaries, plain-language materials, and technical report sections.
• Assist with Indigenous Knowledge and western science integration under the direction of senior staff, Elders, harvesters, Guardians, and knowledge holders.
• Participate in community events, on-the-land programs, mine/contaminated site visits, and environmental monitoring programs.
• Maintain organized project files, field records, photos, datasets, safety forms, and reporting materials.
• Support funding applications, project reporting, budgets, procurement, travel planning, and field logistics as required.
• Follow all field safety protocols, including remote work safety, lone-worker procedures, wildlife deterrence procedures, incident reporting, and field risk assessments.
• Contribute to the planning and operation of NSMA’s Guardianship program.
• Maintain internal Guardianship database.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Diploma or bachelor’s degree in biology, wildlife biology, ecology, environmental science, natural resources management, Indigenous environmental stewardship, or a related field.

Typically, 1-3 years of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the following:

• wildlife biology
• field biology
• environmental monitoring
• Indigenous stewardship
• Guardian programs
• regulatory review
• northern fieldwork

Technical Knowledge

Candidates should demonstrate knowledge of:

• Northern ecosystems and wildlife species
• Wildlife survey techniques
• Species at risk
• Habitat management
• GIS and GPS technologies (proficiency in ArcGIS is an asset)
• Data analysis and technical report writing (proficiency in performing statistical analysis in R is an asset)
• Northern environmental legislation and regulatory processes
• Cumulative effects assessment

Indigenous Government Experience

• Working respectfully with Indigenous governments and communities
• Integrating Indigenous Knowledge with western science
• Supporting Indigenous-led environmental stewardship
• Engaging Elders, harvesters, and knowledge holders
• Understanding the importance of Section 35 Aboriginal and Treaty rights in environmental decision-making
• Relationship-building with community members

Professional Skills

• Project management
• Funding and proposal writing
• Technical writing
• Public speaking
• Stakeholder engagement
• Conflict resolution
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Certifications

Please confirm if the following certifications have been acquired.

• Wilderness or Standard First Aid/CPR/AED.

• Remote work safety training and lone-worker protocols.
• Wildlife deterrence training.
• Firearms possession and licensing /PAL where required.
• ATV, snowmobile, and boat operation/safety experience.
• Field risk assessments and incident reporting
• Valid Class 5 driver's licence.

Application Instructions:

Please apply by emailing a resume and cover letter to lands@nsma.net with the subject "Junior Wildlife Biologist".

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