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The Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game works to preserve the state's natural resources and people's right to conservation of those resources, as protected by Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution. To carry out this mission, the Department exercises responsibility over the Commonwealth's marine and freshwater fisheries, wildlife species, plants, and natural communities, as well as the habitats that support them. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is responsible for the conservation - including restoration, protection, and management - of fish and wildlife resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the public. MassWildlife is in the process of developing MassWildlife Health, a formal statewide wildlife health program in a One Health framework, as part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services’ Zoonotic Disease Initiative. The Wildlife Health Communication & Data Management Specialist (Contracted Scientist) will work closely with the MassWildlife Assistant Director of Wildlife Research and the Deer & Moose Project Leader to assist with the development of the program and implement the program objectives. MassWildlife Health is a whole agency effort, and the Specialist will coordinate with biologists from all taxa groups and various agency sections. The specialist will be an integral part of this process developing communication strategies for staff, coordinating the development of interagency communication strategies, and implementing public communication and education programing focused on wildlife health. These efforts will be developed and implemented in coordination with the MassWildlife Outreach and Education section. There will be coordination with the MassWildlife Human Dimensions Project Leader and Community Engagement Biologist to specifically engage underrepresented communities that are disproportionately impacted by zoonotic disease threats. The specialist will lead the development of data sharing agreements between coordinating diagnostic and pathology labs including but not limited to the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University (AHDC), the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and the Lab of Medical Zoology at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Subject matter experts at the AHDC are contracted under this initiative to help guide the development of MassWildlife Health. The Specialist will work closely with AHDC to develop flow charts that MassWildlife staff will use that dictate for various wildlife species and inflictions what tissues or testing must occur based on various afflictions, where they should be sent, what documentation is required, and then how the data and results should be stored. They will also lead the development of an organized data storage and sharing system for agency biologists that allows for cross-taxa tracking of emerging threats such as HPAI or rabies. This process will require addressing requirements for maintaining confidentiality of diagnostic & pathology results particularly around state and federally threatened/endangered species. As part of the MassWildlife Health program, the specialist will be part of the species biologist team, the program steering committee, and the interagency task force that are in development. There will be other involved duties including working with agency biologists to develop additional disease surveillance strategies and potentially some field work associated with the implementation of these strategies. The specialist will also work with MassWildlife biologists and collaborating researchers on related academic publications. This is a full-time (40 hrs/week) contractor position that is expected to be renewed annually for a total of 3 years based on the satisfactory performance of the Specialist. Contract terms: $46.28 per hour (including $2.68 Payment In Lieu of Benefits). 40 hours/week (1880 annually). Duties include: 1. Assist the Deer & Moose Project Leader in the development of MassWildlife Health, including meeting coordination, assisting with federal aid reporting, and coordination with collaborating institutions. 2. Develop and implement communication strategies for wildlife health issues in coordination with the MassWildlife Outreach & Education section. 3. Coordinate the development of interagency communication strategies around preventative and reactive response to wildlife health issues in Massachusetts. 4. Develop communication strategies designed to engage underrepresented groups that are disproportionately impacted by zoonotic disease threats. 5. In coordination with MassWildlife Outreach and Education staff, develop online and print communication materials of wildlife health topics including web pages, fact sheets, interactive media, and related social media posts. 6. Develop data sharing agreements with partnering institutions for both submitting data and receiving results in a format that can be easily stored and shared amongst MassWildlife biologists in an organized fashion. 7. Develop data storage requirements for results at MassWildlife to allow cross taxa data sharing amongst staff with the purpose of detecting emerging threats at targeted hot spots. This will require working through confidentiality requirements for threatened and endangered species. 8. Coordinate with contracted consultants at the AHDC to develop sampling, shipping, and data protocols that will be used by MassWildlife biologists and district staff to conduct regular and targeted disease surveillance. 9. Assist with wildlife handling and carcass/sample collection for diagnostic and pathology testing. 10.Assist with data dissemination and interpretation of diagnostic results based on qualifications. 11.Work with MassWildlife biologists to develop and expand existing disease surveillance programs and assist with the implementation in the field. 12.Assist with the purchasing of required equipment for conducting program objectives. 13.Work with the PhD student advised by the Wildlife Health Specialist and collaborating researchers to conduct research within the agency and focused research on the implementation of One Health programs. 14.Collaborate with program researchers on publishing papers in peer-reviewed academic journals and writing/applying for related grants. 15.Assist with MassWildlife regular staff programming requirements such as biological deer check including disease surveillance. 16.Perform other duties, as assigned. A cover letter must be submitted as part of the application process and attached “as relevant” to the requisition. Qualifications Required at Hire: First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days. 1. Extensive knowledge of biology, mammalogy, ornithology, ecology, and related sciences. 2. Extensive experience in either public health or wildlife health that includes conducting disease surveillance, analysis of results, and communicating the results to staff or partners. 3. Expertise in scientific communication, preferably around wildlife health, that would prepare you for developing online and print resources and leading the development of communication strategies. 4. Extensive experience using computer programs for organizing and communicating wildlife-related data (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Teams). 5. Experience using statistical and GIS platforms including R Statistic and ArcGIS for conducting statistical analysis. 6. Experience with scientific publication to peer-reviewed journals. 7. Experience working data or lab results management in a research or clinical setting. 8. Experience implementing personal protective equipment requirements for disease transmission prevention. 9. Must be able and willing to spend time in the field collecting samples and handling carcasses. Preferred qualifications: 1. An existing publishing record in peer-reviewed journals. 2. Existing knowledge that could be drawn on to interpret diagnostic and pathology results. 3. Existing experience working with a formal wildlife health program. 4. Experience with grant writing, particularly federal grants. 5. Experience with wildlife health subject matter that is consistent or similar to those that could be gained during a graduate wildlife/disease research, veterinary, or public health program. 6. Experience with wildlife health subject matter that is consistent or similar to those that could be gained during a graduate wildlife/disease research, veterinary, or public health program. *Comprehensive Benefits* When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future. Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards! An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role. Job: Science* *Organization: Department of Fish And Game *Title: *Wildlife Health Communication & Data Management Specialist Location: Massachusetts-Westborough-Rabbit Hill Road Requisition ID: 2400060U