If you’re one of the thousands of Coloradans looking for work right now, and you have a special interest in the state’s abundance of wildlife, your search could soon end with the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
The state agency that monitors and manages the health of Colorado’s flora and fauna is looking to hire a new batch of wildlife managers.
“We’re seeing a continuing bubble of baby boomer employees retiring, and we need to keep a steady stream of well- trained employees to replace them,” agency spokesman Randy Hampton said.
That boomer factor, in combination with a recent state hiring freeze, has left the agency in need of eight new district wildlife managers — the people on the front lines of wildlife management and protection.
The Colorado DOW divides the state into districts that average 800 square miles.
“A district wildlife manager is the person responsible for managing wildlife in their district,” Hampton said. “So you’re really talking about an extensive area with a lot of wildlife issues. You go from checking on fishermen one minute to making sure a gas spill doesn’t get into a creek the next.”
The managers serve as sworn law enforcement officers and are charged with ensuring public compliance with the state’s wildlife regulations, including those related to hunting and fishing.
Windi Padia, who now works as a recruiter in DOW’s human resources department, got her start with the agency as a district wildlife manager.
“I didn’t know if I would like the law-enforcement aspect of it, but it ended up being very interesting and a really fun challenge,” Padia said.
“Most of the people our officers run into aren’t doing anything wrong. It’s only a very few people who are breaking wildlife laws. But when someone is egregiously breaking the law, it’s fun to catch those people.”
Those egregious violations include poaching wildlife, hunting without a license and illegal possession of wildlife.
“District wildlife managers become very visible in hunting season, when people see them in the traditional game-warden role. But what we do in Colorado is much more than law enforcement,” Hampton said.
During January and February, many wildlife managers fly over their districts in planes or helicopters, checking on the population dynamics of deer and elk herds.
In the spring, they deal with bears coming out of hibernation, and they make educational visits to local schools.
“Summertime is the cool time. They may be out on a horse, stocking fish in a high mountain lake, checking on beaver ponds, working with researchers trapping and transplanting bighorn sheep or turkeys,” Hampton said.
“You never know what’s coming up, but there’s always another adventure waiting,” he said.
To apply
Visit the CDOW website,
Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in biology or related field; love for wildlife; Colorado residence
Application deadline: Monday
Contact: Windi Padia, 303-291-7485
