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 "Wildlife" parenthetic evaluate the health and status of wildlife populations; investigate and document the condition of wildlife habitats; promote public appreciation of wildlife resources; develop and implement sportsman education programs; and recommend regulations and actions within areas of purview.

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
• Office of P & R Parks and Rec

A bachelor's or higher degree including or supplemented by 18 semester credit hours in advanced big game management, advanced wildlife management, agriculture and wildlife, animal behavior, animal physiology, animal population modeling, behavioral and physiological ecology of wildlife, behavioral ecology, biology and management of waterfowl, biology of birds and mammals, biology of the vertebrates, bird biology and conservation, conservation biology (wildlife), concepts in habitat selection and foraging behavior, dynamics of animal populations, ecology of animal populations, ecology of freshwater mussels, ecology of freshwater wetlands, endangered species, entomology (insects), environmental and natural resources policies, environmental conflict and citizens participation, environmental law and policy, ethology, field biology, field natural history, field ornithology, forest entomology, forest ecology or silvics, forest wildlife ecology, forest wildlife management, freshwater mussels biology, freshwater mussel identification, freshwater wetland ecosystems, game birds and mammals, habitat analysis, habitat ecology, habitat inventory and evaluation, herpetology (amphibians, reptiles), introduction to quantitative and population genetics, introduction to wildlife biology, invertebrate zoology, management of wildlife habitats and populations, management of wildlife populations, mammalogy, mammalian ecology, natural resources management, natural resources policy, planning and administration, ornithology, plant and herbivore interactions, population dynamics and introductory modeling for biologists, population ecology, population genetics, population evolution, predator ecology and management, principles of conservation, principles of fish and wildlife management, principles of wildlife management, radio telemetry in fisheries and wildlife research, research in wildlife science, terrestrial community ecology, upland wildlife ecology, urban fish and wildlife management, urban wildlife, vertebrate ecology, vertebrate zoology, waterfowl and wetlands seminar, waterfowl biology and management, wetland ecology, wetland resources, wildlife, wildlife biology, wildlife conservation, wildlife ecology, wildlife ecology and management, wildlife habitat analysis, wildlife habitats and populations, wildlife habitat management, wildlife management, wildlife management internship, wildlife management laboratory, wildlife philosophy, policy and public relations, wildlife policy, wildlife population, wildlife health, wildlife population dynamics, wildlife problems, wildlife techniques, world wildlife, wilderness wildlife management.

Examples of Non-Qualifying Courses: animal histology; comparative anatomy and physiology; principles of evolution; zoology; introductory or survey courses such as general biology; general zoology; courses that focus on farm, non-native captive or zoo animals; population demographics or dynamics of people; or horticultural/landscape architecture.

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