FIELD ASSISTANT - MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WAIVED

Posting number: 2026-03158

Department: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Job classification: FIELD ASSISTANT

Posting type: Open Competitive

Categories: Agriculture

Summary

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), Division of Animal Industry, is seeking to fill one vacant Field Assistant position in Elko. Field Assistants within the Predatory Animal and Rodent Control (PARC) program utilize wildlife damage management techniques such as surveying, documenting, tracking, trapping and/or eradicating of preparatory animals, property destroying birds, nuisance animals, and rodents in order to protect livestock, wildlife, and to reduce the economic losses caused by these predators to livestock producers and the citizens of the state, utilizing firearms, and pesticide application to protect livestock, agriculture, game, and the economic interests of ranchers, wool growers, agriculture producers, industry, and homeowners.

The role requires knowledge in pesticides and obtaining a Nevada Restricted Use Pesticide Certification, disease sampling, identifying and reporting and successful completion of firearms training for safe usage during the course of their duties.

Examples of duties

PER EXECUTIVE ORDER 2026-002, ALL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN WAIVED FOR THIS POSITION UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2026. Please refer to the link for more information:https://gov.nv.gov/Newsroom/ExecOrders/Executive-Orders/

One year of applicable experience as described in the job duties and graduation from high school or equivalent education.

Qualifications

1. Track, locate, and identify predators or rodent species in rural and urban areas, evaluating the type of depredation or damage, and compiling related data.
2. Respond to requests from livestock and agriculture producers, wildlife managers, industry, and the public to resolve wildlife and rodent damage to livestock, agriculture, wildlife, and control of nuisance animals in urban and rural areas.
3. Verify losses to livestock and agriculture, determine the depredating species, and implement efficient and effective damage management methods, such as firearm application, trapping, snaring, and pesticide use. 
4. Check for and report evidence of animal-borne disease.
5. Meet with grazing boards, livestock and agriculture producers, and concerned citizens to discuss strategies for protecting livestock, agriculture, economic interests of ranchers, wool growers, and homeowners.
6. Operate, maintain, and safeguard a variety of equipment and chemicals, including firearms, vehicles, ATVs, trailers (including utility and sheep camps), traps, snares, pyrotechnics, and pesticides in local and remote locations in Nevada throughout the year.
7. Manage damage caused by wildlife and rodents through surveys and application of firearms, traps, snares, and pesticides in accordance with established guidelines. 
8. Utilize various electronic mapping programs and devices to record locations of damage management equipment and areas with current and historic loss to determine patterns and corresponding solutions.
9. Maintain records related to surveys, travel time/mileage, equipment usage, wildlife and rodent species removed, capture activities, and other events for compiling information for statistical and narrative reports.
10. Provide information to ranchers, agriculture producers, woolgrowers, homeowners, industry, and interested citizens. 
11. Demonstrate wildlife and rodent damage management techniques, device usage, and identification techniques. 
12. Ground crew and/or utilize firearms in fixed-wing and rotary-wing aerial operations.
13. Offer technical assistance in wildlife and rodent damage management to increase public understanding.
14. Follow disease sampling and reporting protocols.
15. Perform related duties as assigned.

Supplemental information

Knowledge of:

• Predatory and depredating wildlife and rodent species, including characteristics and diseases, as well as familiarity with local, federal, State and local laws and regulations governing wildlife/rodent damage management.
• North American wildlife species, their behavior and habitats, especially those that may threaten economic interests or human health and safety.
• Lethal and non-lethal wildlife and rodent damage management techniques.

Skill in: 

• Math and recordkeeping of daily activities and observations.
• Tool maintenance, trap construction, firearm handling, and utilizing working animals in rough terrain.
• Strong interpersonal and communication sk