Wildlife Officer Cadet 12 Positions Located Throughout the State at State of Ohio

At the State of Ohio we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits visit ourTotal Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:Medical CoverageFree Dental Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility periodPaid time off including vacation personal sick leave and 11 paid holidays per yearChildbirth Adoption and Foster Care leaveEducation and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds Public Service Loan Forgiveness and more)Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS STRS SERS and HPRS)&Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.We are seeking energetic passionate people who are interested in wildlife conservation law enforcement and want to play a key role for the position of Wildlife Officer Cadet (12 positions) within the Division of Wildlife. To learn more about becoming a WildlifeOfficerincludingautomatic disqualifiers training requirements & interview & selection proceduresplease visitBecoming an Ohio Wildlife Officer. Click here to listen to the WilldOhio Podcast about becoming a State of Ohio Wildlife Officer.Upon successful completion of training cadets are placed into a WildlifeOfficer position starting at $29.87/hr (with multiple increases over 5.5 years of service with an end salary of $39.62/hr) headquartered in an assigned county to be determined after hire.Any applicant accepting an offer to this position will be required to physically reside in the assigned county.What you will doWildlife Officer Cadets receive extensive trainingto prepare them for a career as a WildlifeOfficer.Attend an in-residence training academy for approximately 7 monthsto receive instruction on organization and function of agency and Division of Wildlife andlaw enforcement techniques (e.g. purpose andresponsibility of wildlife officer; standards of ethics; law enforcement techniques; laws of arrest court procedures; peace officer basic training instruction firearms all-terrain vehicle ATV andpatrol truck operations water survival and related responsibilities);Upon graduation andsuccessfully completing the Wildlife Officer Cadet AcademyWildlife Officers have statewide authority to enforce wildlife regulations protect ODNR lands and waters and are the visible face of the division;State wildlife officers contact thousands of people in the field perform fish and wildlife surveys speak about conservation programs and provide technical advice and instruction about wildlife management issues hunting fishing and shooting sports;As state law enforcement officers they contribute to public safety in their local areas and Ohios great outdoors;Receives instruction andis tested on fish andwildlife management techniques (e.g. ecology; research; creel & bag checks; habitat management; specimen collection;Surveys andsampling techniques fish andwildlife identification public relations hunter safety first aid self-defense anddriving skills.Whats in it for youThe starting pay for cadets in the academy is $25.44/hr without any prior state service. Effective July 1 2026 the starting pay is $26.20/hr without any prior state service.Upon successful completion andgraduation from the academy cadets are promoted to WildlifeOfficerswith a starting salary range of$62130 up to $82410/year (increases yearly after step 1) excluding supplements and overtime. Effective July 1 2026 the starting salary range of $64002 up to $84885/year.Medical insurance within 30 days including wellness incentives plus Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) options.Employer paid dental vision andlife insurance coverage after one year of service.Additional benefits include: fitness payshift differential uniform allowance 22 days of paid military leave per year vacation sick andpersonal leave.Education benefits up to $5000 annually for tuition workshops andseminars.Members of the Law Enforcement Public Employees Retirement System.Advancement opportunities to investigator andadministrative ranks.Additional duty opportunities such as instructor field training officer canine handler andhonor guard team member.Additional benefits can be found atWe are ready for you!Were glad youre interested in pursuing a rewarding career with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources! Exploring and protecting the natural beauty of Ohio will prove to be the most enjoyable career opportunity you will ever find.To learn more about the Division of Wildlife please visit the Division of Wildlife.** BOTH OHIO PEACE OFFICER CERTIFIED AND NON-CERTIFIED APPLICANTS WILL BE ACCEPTED**Are you qualifiedAssociates degree or completion of undergraduate core program in certain areasDo you have 18 months training or 18 months experience in any of the following:A natural resource area (e.g. fish and/or wildlife management)Criminal justice/law enforcement (i.e. police/corrections officer/environmental law enforcement)Military (e.g. military police security forces investigative services intelligence)Or related fields to fish and/or wildlife management criminal justice environmental law enforcementMust be able to pass fitness (push ups in 1 minute sit ups in 1 minute 1.5 miled timed run) and swim test (swim 100 yards in 5 minutes or less and tread water for a miniumum of 5 minutes)Vision requirements Must have vision correctable to 20/20 binocular vision and moderate color vision is requiredHearing requirements Must have hearing correctable so as not to exceed 30 decibels of loss in each earValid drivers licenseMust be at least 21 years of age upon completing the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Course (completion is tentatively scheduled for January 2027)Must be a U.S. CitizenTRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN THE CLASSIFICATIONAFTER EMPLOYMENT:Incumbent must serve as Wildlife Officer Cadet 22290 for at least six months and graduate from Wildlife OfficerTrainingAcademy; mustpossessOhiopeaceofficerstraining certificateandWildlifeCommissionfor consideration for reassignment to Wildlife Officer Article 31.05 of Unit 2 Contract must maintain agency required physical condition as outlined by department directive andpass any required medical examinations; must maintain OPOTC certification; must qualify for $1000 surety bond if acts as agent of state in collecting of money;must qualify annually with firearms and related equipment.UNUSUAL WORKING CONDITIONS:May be on call 24 hours a day 7 days per week 365 days per year; exposed to inclement weather search andrescue floods andenvironmental hazards/wastes law enforcement violators andtraining which may cause substantial physical harm or death; exposed to forest fires; exposed to violent situations.Special Note:The Division of Wildlifehas specific direction on tattoos andother body art or body modifications.Tattoos body art or branding may not be visible while in uniform outside training functions. WildlifeOfficer Cadet candidates who have body art tattoos or branding will need to have it/themreviewed by the law enforcement section prior to receiving a conditional offer of employment. Non-offensive tattoos may be approved if they can becovered but offensive tattoos are not allowed at all anywhere nor are tattoos below the wrist area including the hands fingers (except for a single small ring or similar design on one finger per hand) or from the neck area and above. The applicant will not receive an offer of may receive consideration for hire upon agreement to remove tattoos body art or branding prior to receiving a conditional offer of employment. Intentional body modification to any area visible in any uniform or attire while on duty is modifications could includebut are not limited to: tongue splitting or bifurcation; abnormal shaping of the ears eyes or nose; abnormal filing of the teeth; branding or scarification.**ProficiencyTestAdministration:Applicants determined to meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to take a written proficiency test administrated by the Department of Natural Resources in February 2026. This test will cover areas of basic law enforcement (scope and authority constitution criminal code); biological sciences dealing with the studies of fish and wildlife and the associated management practices hunting and fishing techniques and the rules and regulations associated with the same; hunter safety; the ability to read comprehend and write responses to situations. The highest scoring applicants will be invited to participate in a structured oral interview which will be tentatively conducted in March/April 2026. Physical fitness and swim testing is tentatively scheduled in April 2026. In order to successfully pass the physical fitness and swim testing applicants must meet the 30th percentile of the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program (OPOTC) Fitness Testing Entry Standards.In order for applicants (both Ohio peace officer certified and non-certified)to be considered for the WildlifeOfficer Cadet position they must meet the30th percentile or higher of the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program (OPOTC) Physical Fitness Standards in the three fitness events (sit-ups in 1 minute push-ups in 1 minute 1.5-mile run).Testing is tentatively scheduled forApril 2026. To learn more about thefitness standards and testingproceduresplease visitBecoming an Ohio Wildlife Officer.Offer/hire dates are tentatively set forAugust 2026.Successful applicants will undergo an internal investigation which consists of background checks of schools employers creditors and references. A physical examination drug test and psychological evaluation will be administered. Candidates that do not hold an OPOTA certification will be required to participate in an in-residence (Monday through Friday) training academy for approximately 22weeks tentatively beginning August/September 2026. Candidates that hold an OPOTA certification will report to an assigned wildlife district office for duties involving all Division of Wildlife operations. All cadets will complete an in-residence wildlife officer pre-service training program specific to the Division of Wildlife for approximately 9 weeks tentatively beginning in January/February 2027.Recruitment Timeline*Job Posting Closes: January 11 2026Proficiency Exam: mid-February late-February 2026Interviews: late-March early-April 2026Swim Test: mid-April 2026Background Psychological and Medical Processes: late-May mid-June 2026Offer: July 2026Hire Date: August 2026*Recruitment Timeline is approximate and dates can changeAll final applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to appointments. An applicant with a positive test shall not be offered employment. This position is also subject to Federal Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) regulations that prohibit someone to carry transport or otherwise possess firearm(s) and/or ammunition from consuming marijuana including medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is prohibited as a valid medical explanation for a positive drug test for final applicants in this position.STATUS OF POSTED POSITIONS: Applicants can view the status of this position by logging into their Ohio Hiring Management System OHMS user profile at and selecting My Profile.Who we are:Did you know Ohio operates 76 state parks manages over 750000 acres of diverse wildlife land and more than 2 million acres of water Thats just the tip of the iceberg of what we do at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) as we seek to ensure a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all!Across our 12 divisions and support services we employ office staff law enforcement officers geologists biologists engineers attorneys communicators managers and so much more. Whatever your passion we likely have a position to fit it and pathways for advancement!Working at ODNR is a special experience. Our employees are afforded opportunities to participate in public events at parks nature preserves wildlife areas and annually at the Natural Resources Park at the Ohio State Fair! We routinely have Lunch and Learn events at our Assembly Center which are streamed on Teams Live as are monthly updates with our Director.Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services activities programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.18 mos. trg. or 18 mos. exp. (e.g. military occupational specialty &/or duty assignments) in the United States military (e.g. US Army Military Police (Provost Marshal) or Criminal Investigation Division US Air Force Security Forces or Office of Special Investigations US Navy Master-at-Arms or Naval Criminal Investigative Service; US Marine Corps Military Police or Criminal Investigation Division Army Counter Intelligence US Coast Guard Investigative Services); must be able to swim 100 yards in 5 minutes or less; tread water for a minimum of 5 minutes; valid drivers license; must be 21 years of age upon completion of Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Course per Section 124.41 Ohio Revised Code.-Or 18 mos. trg. or 18 mos. exp. natural science (e.g. fish &/or wildlife management) or criminal justice environmental law enforcement or related fields; must be able to swim 100 yards in 5 minutes or less; tread water for a minimum of 5 minutes; valid drivers license; must be 21 years of age upon completion of Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Course per Section 124.41 Ohio Revised Code.-Or completion of associates core program in natural science (e.g. fish &/or wildlife management) or criminal justice environmental law enforcement or related fields; must be able to swim 100 yards in 5 minutes or less; tread water for a minimum of 5 minutes; valid drivers license; must be 21 years of age upon completion of Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Course per Section 124.41 Ohio Revised Code.-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications For Employment noted above. NOTE: Applicant must successfully pass background check by appointing authority which includes polygraph psychological & medical examination. Per Article 31.05 of Unit 2 Contract applicant must be able to perform the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program (OPOTC) Fitness Testing Entry Standards Per Ohio Department of Natural Resources Directive. The final applicant accepted for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to appointment. An applicant with positive test results will not be offered employment per Section 123:Ohio Administrative Code.Job Skills: Law EnforcementTranscripts are required for all coursework degrees or educational accomplishments claimed on the application. Applicants must submit a transcript (can be unofficial until point of selection) by the posting deadline (attach in the Additional Attachments section of the application submission Step 6). Should you have issues attaching please email to: . See resume is not a substitution for completing supplemental questions. Answers to the supplemental questions must be supported by the work experience/education sections of the application. Applications that fail to demonstrate how they meet minimum qualifications will not be considered.To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability please contact Mohammad Yakubu EEO Regional/Program Administrator at or .Effective July 1 2015 applicants must apply online for positions at all state agencies except the Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD).The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39) and as outlined in the posting.Required Experience:Unclear Seniority Key Skills Access,Analysis,Business Travel,Laboratory,LNG,Com Com Plus Dcom Employment Type : Full-Time Experience: years Vacancy: 1