Planning a Wildlife Career:
Information & Education
Wildlife Communication Specialist
Public Information Officer
Wildlife Education Officer
Audio/Visual Production Specialist
Publications Editor
Electronic Design Coordinator
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Wildlife Communication Specialist
Conducts wildlife education programs on fisheries management, hunting, fishing, trapping & wildlife identification (e.g., assists in development of wildlife curriculum for use by educators; presents educational wildlife programs & clinics; develops & presents educational displays, materials, programs & speeches & provides preliminary contact with public in person & through educational organizations; writes processes, edits & performs computer layout work on articles & educational publications; communicates with & coordinates volunteer wildlife educators).
Consults with division personnel concerning need for educational materials; schedules & conducts educational programs; meets with other government organizations, boards of education, school district representatives, educational institutions & conservation groups.
Responds to telephone or written inquiries, takes orders for materials; maintains files & records of past work & current & future projects.
Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment
Completion of undergraduate core program in wildlife education or fish &/or wildlife management; 6 months training or 6 months experience in wildlife education or fish &/or wildlife management; 1 course or 3 months experience in public relations.
-Or 24 months training or 24 months experience in wildlife education or fish &/or wildlife management; 1 course or 3 months experience in public relations.
-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications For Employment noted above.
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Public Information Officer
Plans & directs one segment of assigned department's overall public information program (hunter safety, aquatic education, classroom education), oversees activities of personnel involved in preparation & dissemination of educational & informational material reflecting agency activities & performs related program activities (e.g., develops, prepares, types, proofs & issues news releases &/or public advisory group announcements & meeting minutes &/or speeches to media &/or public advisory groups; develops public advisory groups & statute mandated task forces or councils; coordinates agency program in rule making & permit public information meetings & hearings; develops & presents information & educational displays, programs, materials &/or speeches to media; writes, types, edits & performs lay-out work on publications, articles &/or newsletters; assists with budget preparation & coordination of special projects).
Advises & consults with agency director & staff regarding public relations aspects; serves as resource person for information on positive public presentation of agency programs & activities; responds to written &/or telephone requests for speeches &/or presentation; delivers speeches & gives presentations; supervises assigned personnel (e.g., secretary, layout design artist, public information specialist, college co-op).
Sets up conferences & coordinates arrangements with media; evaluates development, preparation & dissemination of public information.
Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment
Completion of undergraduate core program in journalism or communication; 6 mos. exp. in public multi-media techniques & relations in field of journalism or communication; valid driver's license.
-Or 30 mos. exp. in field of journalism or communication dealing in public multi-media techniques & relations, public speaking, news writing, reporting & editing or technical report translation & communication dealing in public meetings; valid driver's license.
-Or 12 mos. exp. as Public Information Specialist, 64420; valid driver's license.
-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications For Employment noted above.
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Wildlife Education Officer
Plans, conducts & coordinates wildlife educational programs, training sessions & clinics (e.g., wildlife management, conservation, hunting, trapping, fishing, environment) & participates in development of educational video tapes, films, pamphlets, programs & in service training for statewide use. Promotes division programs through public relations activities (e.g., television appearances; attending various meetings, coordinating wildlife programs with schools, camps, clubs & organizations; preparing & manning displays at fairs & festivals); answers inquiries, coordinates outdoor educational programs for schools & trains teachers in outdoor recreation. Participates in game protection & law enforcement activities to assist regularly assigned game protector or wildlife investigator as assigned by supervisor (e.g., checks nets, wood duck boxes, fishing & hunting licenses & hunters' bags; makes arrests; appears in court; investigates pollution; responds to landowner complaints concerning trespassers & hunters; investigates pollution & fish kills).
Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment
Commissioned as Wildlife Officer by Ohio Department of Natural Resources & Ohio Peace Officer Training Council Course; undergraduate core wildlife oriented program (e.g., zoology, natural resources, ecology, biology); 12 mos. trg. or 12 mos. exp. in employee training & development. Probationary period is one year.
-Or commissioned as Wildlife Officer by Ohio Department of Natural Resources & Ohio Peace Officer Training Council Course; 24 mos. trg. or 24 mos. exp. in game protection or wildlife education &/or management; 12 mos. trg. or 12 mos. exp. in employee training & development. Probationary period is one year.
-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.
Audio/Visual Production Specialist
Plans, directs, develops & produces audio/visual (i.e., a/v) productions for training, educational or informational purposes, researches resource materials, writes scripts & story boards, coordinates production activities (e.g., scheduling of materials, programs, studio preparation), operates a/v & related equipment (e.g., t. v. cameras, video cameras, recorders, lighting equipment, microphones, metering & test equipment) & utilizes light & sound filtration materials & techniques & participates in development of other media productions (e.g., slide exhibits, still art, motion photography projects).
Advises technical & professional personnel, facility &/or other project participants on status of project planning, research & production; analyzes & evaluates training needs & In-service training &/or special project requests; assists in organization of training workshops; conducts training sessions; maintains quality control standards; maintains inventory control; assists in preparation of budgetary recommendations; sorts & files resource materials (e.g., books, newsletters, a/v programs).
Performs preventative maintenance & assesses needed repairs; writes specifications & makes recommendations for new equipment; maintains records & reports.
Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment
Completion of undergraduate core program in communication which included training in
video production.
-or 2 yrs. experience in planning, directing, developing & producing audio/visual productions.
-or alternative, equivalent evidence of the major worker characteristics noted above.
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Publications Editor
Plans & coordinates schedule of graphic, typesetting, printing & editorial services, determines content of informational materials, provides consultation&/or instruction to authors of materials, assigns stories/ articles & materials & edits & revises all materials prior to publication or release.
Researches, writes & edits informational materials &/or news releases which may include interviewing sources, photography, layout & design or preparing orders for & coordinating duplication, printing & graphic services; plans, directs & produces audio-visual presentations & coordinates production activity.
Carries out special projects; maintains files & records; responds to correspondence &/or telephoned inquiries/requests for printed information; develops film & makes prints.
Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment
12 mos. exp. as Information Writer 2, 64412.
-Or completion of undergraduate program core coursework in journalism, communication or English; 12 mos. exp. in writing informational materials to include editing, photography, layout & design; 1 course or 3 mos. exp. in typing or word processing.
-Or 3 yrs. exp. in writing informational materials to include editing, photography, layout & design; 1 course or 3 mos. exp. in typing or word processing.
-Or alternative, equivalent evidence of the Major Worker Characteristics noted above.
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Electronic Design Coordinator
Electronically designs (e.g., operates computer hardware & uses appropriate software to manipulate images & combine photographic images with computer-generated images to communicate messages/information) & coordinates (e.g., contacts writers, photographers & management & establishes deadlines to ensure timely publication; identifies amount of copy for allocated space in publication; ensures product quality & timeliness) & printed communication materials (e.g., training materials; promotional materials; maps; displays; posters) & publications (e.g., publications; brochures; newsletters; magazines), to design publications & reviews final draft before printing, evaluates finished product & analyzes success of print media, works with editorial team, other departmental personnel &/or external consultants &/or advertisement agents to develop creative concepts, & directs & locates available graphic support materials.
Coordinates purchases of materials with print vendors or performs such in absence of immediate supervisor; ensures support files are formatted in accordance with printer stipulations; scans & electronically manipulates photographs at high resolution; ensures support files are included & formatted in accordance with printer stipulations; combines images to create original illustrations & incorporates other design contributions into final version of materials &/or publications. researches cd rom stock photography; works with photographer & creates/designs visual elements for print materials (e.g., publications, fact sheets &/or promotions).
Develops & prepares communications/promotions for internal & external audiences (e.g.,brochures; publications; educational opportunities; information materials; fact sheets; seminar announcements; executive advisories); creates new electronic graphics & converts existing graphics between computer platforms using thorough knowledge of agency computer environment (e.g., freehand, pagemaker, photoshop, powerpoint, image editor, pagemill).
Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment
Completion of undergraduate core program in visual communications with emphasis on
graphic design/indus trial design, &/or fine arts with emphasis on graphic design; 12 mos. trg. or 12 mos. exp. in visual communications design &/or electronic design.
-or completion of associate core program in visual communication technology or
industrial design technology; 24 mos. trg. or 24 mos. exp. in visual communication design &/or electronic design.
-or 24 mos. trg. or 24 mos. exp. in use of electronic graphic equipment & available software; 24 mos. trg. or 24 mos. exp. in visual communications design &/or electronic design.
-or equivalent of minimum class qualifications for employment noted above.
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