Senior Wildlife Officer

Do you want to make a difference? Are you someone with the motivation and skills to take on a leadership role in a team tasked with managing and protecting Queensland’s native wildlife?

If so, we are looking for someone just like you to join our Western Downs Operations team based at Toowoomba. This is a critical blended strategic and operational leadership role that coordinates and supports the Southern Wildlife Operations unit in the delivery of compliance and wildlife management.

If this sounds like you, read on.

A job that matters. A contribution that counts.

Whatever your job with us, you will strive and innovate to achieve a better Queensland. Our role is complex, and our work can be challenging - important work usually is. But your contribution will count, and so will you.

Why work for us?

There are always opportunities for growth and professional development. Our teams and our working environments are diverse, and so are our people. We are here to enable long-term, sustainable decisions for the environment and the economy. It can be a difficult, and at times unpopular, role - think regulatory compliance. It can also mean balancing your personal ideals, with the work that must be done. But it is work that truly matters, even more so because it's hard.

Your contribution

Role

The Senior Wildlife Officer role advertised is part of the Western Downs Operations team within Southern Wildlife Operations. The team operates in South-West Queensland to deliver services to conserve and protect native and threatened wildlife and associated habitat with particular focus on:

Regulation of the Nature Conservation Act 1++2 to deliver protected wildlife compliance and enforcement.
Providing safe interaction between people and wildlife.
Working with the community to build positive interactions between community and wildlife.
Applied research to assist in the development of innovative wildlife management strategies.


Wildlife Officers in Southern Wildlife Operations, due to the higher population densities in South-East Queensland, have a strong focus on education and compliance with significant engagement with the general community on the keep of wildlife and with the agricultural and grazing sectors on the take of wildlife.

What is in it for you?

You will have the opportunity to make a real contribution to protecting Queensland's native flora and fauna.
You will be mentored by experienced leaders to continue to develop your own compliance and animal husbandry/handling skills in the classroom and on the job. In fact, we'll match your commitment to your growth and development all round.
Stakeholder engagement is a key component of the role and focus on building capacity and sharing key messages.
No two days are the same here, regulatory compliance and managing human/animal interactions are everchanging activities. The Western Downs Operations team regularly travel and work to support other wildlife team members across Southern Wildlife Operation's area of responsibility. This includes travel to remote areas in western Queensland.


About You

You are self-motivated person with enthusiasm and drive. You will be able to work within a small but very active high performing team. You will measure your own success through your team thriving and kicking goals in a dynamic and challenging environment.
You are a confident communicator able to engage with a wide range of people respectfully and confidently, sometimes under difficult circumstances. You can provide clear and concise information both verbally and written.
You have regulatory skills and experience to support compliance and enforcement operations defined under the Nature Conservation Act 1++2.
You have excellent project management and computer literacy skills and adaptability to coordinate a busy dispersed team and associated systems.
You have animal handling/husbandry skills, or the ability to quickly acquire them.


Applications will remain current for 12 months.

Job Ad Reference: QLD/616121/25

Closing Date: Monday, 10 February 2026

Occupational group Primary Industry & Environment