Natural Resource Officer I

~ The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWP) is a cabinet-level agency with a Secretary appointed by the Governor. A seven-member, bipartisan commission, also appointed by the Governor, advises the Secretary and approves regulations governing outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife resources in Kansas. The commission conducts business during regular public sessions. ~

KDWPT employs approximately 460 full-time employees in five divisions: Executive Services, Administrative Services, Fisheries and Wildlife, Law Enforcement, Parks and Tourism. Find out more about us at our website. 

Position Oveview

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism will be accepting applications for the testing and assessment of individuals for entry level Natural Resource Officer Position within the Law Enforcement Division. Successful applicants will become part of a pool of eligible applicants that may receive offers for employment as a Natural Resource Officer I, commonly referred to as a Game Warden, or Conservation Officer. Interested individuals are required to have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college. Preference given to individuals with coursework pertinent to the Game Warden profession.

Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications for the position will be screened, tested, and assessed for entry into the pool of qualified applicants. All qualified applicants will be ranked in accordance to their performance during the testing and assessment process. Deadline to apply is Friday March 16th, 2018 Applications with a postmark after Friday, March 16th, 2018 will not be considered.

Testing will occur at the Crisis City complex located south and west of Salina, Kansas. More detailed information will be provided to those applicants that meet the minimum qualifications and are selected for testing.

This applicant pool will be used to fill permanent, full-time positions located in the Law Enforcement Division. The positions are directly supervised by an assigned district Lieutenant and the officer will normally work within the assigned district. The successful candidate will be required to live within their assigned district and in a location having adequate cell phone and internet service from within the officer’s residence.

Responsibilities

• Kansas Game Wardens have state wide jurisdiction, enforce state and federal wildlife law and regulation along with criminal and traffic law within the state of Kansas.
• A Kansas Game Warden is tasked with protecting Kansas natural resources for its benefit to the economy as well as the quality of life for the citizens of Kansas.
• This includes patrol and enforcing law on private property, as well as approximately 400,000 acres of public hunting areas, and one million acres of leased hunting and fishing acres enrolled in the WIHA and FISH programs.
• Game Wardens are the primary provider of boating and water safety law enforcement in Kansas and are the reporting agency for all boating accidents to the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Game Wardens respond to water emergency’s providing expertise and specialized equipment that aid in the search, rescue, and recovery of person’s and property.
• Kansas Game Wardens assist local, state, and federal law enforcement officers when needed, including search and rescue, executing search warrants, response to emergency events including natural and man made disasters and requests for assistance by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.
• Game Wardens initiate investigations, covering multiple jurisdictions and are required to work directly with other jurisdiction in collecting evidence, preparing cases for prosecution, and testifying in court at the state or federal level.
• A Kansas Game Warden is provided with a wide array of specialized equipment including patrol truck, firearms, patrol boat, rescue airboat, personal watercraft, thermal imaging, night vision, and numerous other items.
• These items are required to be maintained and be ready to use night or day if needed for an emergency.
• Along with maintaining state issued property Game Wardens are required to complete enforcement reports, provide public relations programs and public instruction and instruct boating safety, furharvester, hunter education and wildlife education programs and provide technical and biological assistance to citizens, sports persons, landowners and other agencies.
• A Kansas Game Warden also completes wildlife surveys and general maintenance on department lands and assists in other department programs as needed.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and a valid driver’s license.
• Preferred degrees include but are not limited to: Fisheries, Wildlife, Conservation Ecology/Management/Biology, Biology with Field Coursework emphasis, Environmental Ecology, Wildlife Range Management, Wildlife, Outdoor Enterprise Management and Criminal Justice. Applicants receiving a Bachelor's degree by June 1st, 2018 will be considered for the current hiring announcement.
• The preferred Natural Resources classwork is interpreted to include but not limited to: fisheries management; fisheries science; ichthyology; limnology; aquaculture; mariculture; fish culture; aquatic ecology; ecology; biostatistics; population biology; game management; wildlife management; wildlife conservation; wildlife statistics; wildlife science; animal ecology; plant ecology; ecology; zoology; mammalogy; ornithology; animal taxonomy; herpetology; plant taxonomy; range management; conservation biology; biostatistics; population biology; watershed management; botany; environmental studies; field biology; entomology, etc.
• The successful candidate must pass a background check, truth verification examination, background investigation, drug screen, and must be a credible witness in court.

Necessary Special Requirements:

• This class requires the employee to be certified as a law enforcement officer by the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Commission. Certification must be obtained before the employee is given permanent status.
• The employee must complete a basic law enforcement training program recognized by the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Commission and annual training as required by K.S.A. 74-5607a.
• This class requires the use of a firearm for law enforcement duties; therefore, to be eligible for appointment to a position in this class, candidates cannot have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor domestic violence crime as set forth in 18 U.S.C.§ 992 (g) (8) and (9).
• To be eligible for certification in the state of Kansas, one must also be free of any diversions from a felony or misdemeanor domestic violence crime as set forth by the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Act.

Compensation: Beginning hourly salary, $19.16; group health and life insurance; retirement; holidays; sick and vacation leave; and optional programs such as deferred compensation, and FSA and HSA accounts.

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to upload your complete application. Applicants are responsible for submitting their certificate with all other application materials to the hiring agency. This is in accordance with Executive Order 2004-03.

Qualified applicants must register with the State of Kansas by completing the personal information registration form to obtain their State of Kansas Applicant ID Number. This form may be completed online here.

Qualified applicants may apply by submitting ALL of the following items:

• A letter of interest, which includes your State of Kansas ID Number;
• A detailed resume, including a valid email address;
• Transcript material (copies of official transcripts or unofficial student copies are acceptable as long as the degree is conferred);
• KDWPT employment application located here;
• An authorization to release information form** located here.
• Please note: This form must either be witnessed and signed by a Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism employee or signed in front of and notarized by a notary public. We reserve the right to conduct a background check on all qualified applicants.
• A Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate.

Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate:

• Each applicant applying for a State of Kansas job vacancy must obtain a State Tax Clearance Certificate by accessing the Kansas Department of Revenue’s website.
• A Tax Clearance is a comprehensive tax account review to determine and ensure that an individual’s account is compliant with all primary Kansas Tax Laws.