Department of Civil Service

Natural and Physical Sciences

Starting Salary

$46,529

Career Ladder Information

Biologists perform professional biological conservation work to protect, manage, and restore New York State's fish, wildlife, and marine species, and these species' habitats. Employees develop scientific expertise within the covered areas; apply general theories and principles of resource management to particular situations; evaluate ecological conditions and data; make recommendations; author various written products; interact with the public; perform administrative functions related to the area of purview; and may supervise subordinate staff. All positions exist within parenthetic titles that designate specialization in a certain area. Employees within the "Ecology" parenthetic focus on reviewing, and coordinating and assessing others' review of, impact and risk assessments for various projects and disturbances impacting fish and wildlife habitats; and undertake or recommend appropriate actions, such as mitigation plans, accordingly.

Trainees will receive a combination of structured training, on-the-job training, and/or practical job performance to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to function at the full performance level.

• Department of Environmental Conservation
• Adirondack Park Agency
• Office of Renewable Energy Siting
• Office of P & R Parks and Rec

A bachelor's or higher degree including or supplemented by with 18 semester credit hours in aquatic ecosystem restoration and enhancement, behavior of fish, behavior of wildlife, behavioral ecology, biology of fish, biology of wildlife, biostatistics, biomonitoring, conservation biology, conservation ecology, community ecology, community dynamics, ecological data analysis, ecological modeling and design, ecological risk assessment, ecology, ecology and management of invasive species, ecology of fish, ecology of freshwater or marine organisms, ecology of freshwater wetlands, ecology of wildlife, ecology of plants, ecology of habitats, ecosystems, ecotoxicology, environmental contamination, environmental toxicology, endangered species, entomology, environmental impact analysis, environmental impact assessment, forest ecology, fisheries management, habitat analysis, habitat geographic information system (GIS) analysis, habitat protection, habitat quality, habitat evaluation, habitat management, habitat restoration, herpetology, hydrogeomorphology, hydrobiology, hydrology, ichthyology, limnology, mammalian ecology, mammalogy, management of habitats management of populations, marine ecology, mycorrhizal ecology, ornithology, plant ecology, population dynamics, population ecology, population management, population analysis, restoration and management, research in ecology, statistics in ecology, stream resource protection, systems ecology, urban wildlife, urban habitats, watershed-based conservation, watershed-based management, wetland resources, wetland restoration, wetland science, wetland and stream resources, or wildlife management.

Examples of Non-qualifying Courses: agriculture or domestic animal specialties, climate change, earth science, dendrology, environmental ethics, environmental planning, evolution, extinction, forest or forestry resources management, human population dynamics, human ecology, oceanography, silvicultural, taxonomy, water pollution control.

If chosen, you may, at the agency's discretion, be appointed to a higher level. You must inform the agency of any additional qualifications at your interview.

The November 2022 PCO Examination is closed, applications are no longer being accepted