Conservation Officer

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The Job
Our Enforcement Branch is looking for motivated individuals to apply their passion for the outdoors, natural resources protection and ensuring public safety to fill the role of Conservation Officer. If you're a service-focused and team-oriented professional who is eager to advance your career in natural resource conservation, consider joining our team!
Click here for additional information about the Conservation Officer role.

The Ministry
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry oversees the Province's natural resources and works to safeguard Ontario's forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates, Crown lands and waters. We are committed to protecting and managing these natural resources for present and future generations of Ontarians. For more information about our ministry, please click on the following link: Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

The Ontario Public Service (OPS) is committed to being an employer of first choice, creating a positive and inclusive work environment.

We offer:
• a defined benefit pension plan
• maternity and parental leave top-up benefits which includes adoptive parents
• comprehensive health plan
• life and disability insurance
• flexible work arrangements
• collegial and professional work culture
• career growth and development opportunities across multiple business areas
• on-the-job training to support your success in the role

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About the job

As a member of our enforcement team, you will participate in the delivery of a multi-service integrated compliance program by:

• conducting investigations, gathering evidence, completing legal documents, acting as an agent on behalf of the Crown for court prosecutions, and providing testimony in court;
• participating in undercover and special investigations and conducting regular audits/inspections of resource users, licence issuers, commercial operators (e.g. trappers, aggregates companies), identifying, investigating, and reporting on instances of non-compliance (e.g. use of illegal fish nets), apprehending violators (e.g. night hunters and/or careless hunters), and laying charges as appropriate;
• providing education and information related to natural resource management and protection to various client groups.

Note that the positions will require the incumbents to:
• work shifts, weekends and holidays
• travel for extended periods of time
• work in remote and isolated locations

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What you bring to the team

Mandatory:

• The position requires the successful candidates to have a valid class G driver's license or equivalent. The offer of employment is conditional upon the successful candidate providing proof that they have a valid driver's license upon being hired.
• You either possess or have the ability to obtain a valid Standard First Aid and CPR certificate.
• You either possess or have the ability to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator's Card.
• You either possess or have the ability to obtain proof of having passed the Ontario Hunting License Examination or equivalent.
• You either possess or have the ability to obtain proof of having passed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course or possess a Possession and Acquisition Firearms Licence.
• You have the ability to pass a psychological assessment.
• You have the ability to successfully complete the PARE, PREP or ESAP-ENPQ Police 2017 physical assessment to determine fitness for the position.
• You have the ability to qualify as a Conservation Officer, which includes the ability to successfully complete Basic Constable Training at the Ontario Police College or enforcement branch approved equivalent.

For additional details on training and testing, see below.

Specialized technical expertise:

• knowledge of natural resource management principles, including: areas of commercial/sport fisheries, game/non-game species of wildlife, wildlife in captivity, aggregates resource management, and public land usage
• proficiency in the sports of hunting and fishing, handling firearms and other sporting equipment
• proficiency in the operation of related recreation vehicles (eg. watercraft, snowmobiles, ATV's, etc.)

Problem-solving and situational judgment:

• ability to exercise sound judgment in stressful and potentially threatening situations
• strong problem-solving skills to identify underlying issues, link issues with regulatory requirements and recommend appropriate corrective measures to address challenging situations
• identify, and take necessary, appropriate and timely action in response to, complex and/or critical issues
• sound judgement to evaluate and consider situational factors to make independent, timely decisions that align with policies, procedures and legislation
• organizational skills to effectively manage multiple tasks, schedule workload and meet specific deadlines/timeframes

Conflict resolution and relationship building skills:

• experience developing and maintaining harmonious relationships, responding appropriately and providing direction to diverse internal and external clients in a professional manner
• ability to influence and persuade others to adopt a specific course of action
• ability to identify potential conflicts, facilitate open and constructive dialogue, and proactively address and help defuse potential issues, reaching peaceful solutions in volatile situations

Communication skills:

• oral communication and active listening skills to tactfully explain complex policies, procedures and techniques, and to help ensure information is understood
• presentation skills to prepare and deliver presentations to public interest groups (eg. fish and game clubs, naturalist groups, public schools, etc.)
• written communication skills to accurately document information and prepare reports and court documents
• proficiency with common office software applications (email, word processing, spreadsheets, internet, data entry)

Enforcement and compliance expertise:

• experience identifying situations of non-compliance and assessing the associated level of risk to determine appropriate corrective actions to achieve outcomes
• proven ability to accurately interpret, apply and enforce policies, procedures and legislation, and relay compliance-related information to others
• experience applying knowledge of enforcement and investigation techniques, methods and procedures, rules of evidence, lawful searches and seizures

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Don't meet every qualification?

If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!

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How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer  accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please  contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

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Additional information:

Note:

• About security checks:
  A criminal or other federal offence record does not automatically disqualify you from the position. We consider each situation based on the position's responsibilities.
  If a check is needed and you've lived outside of Canada in the past 5 years for 6 or more months in a row, or if you are not a Canadian resident, you'll need to provide an out-of-country police clearance certificate from the country you lived in.
  Employment screening checks are only reviewed and evaluated by the Transition and Security Office, which also maintains them and keeps them strictly confidential.
• N-NR-232882/25(18)

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Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.