Students and early-career natural-resources workers in Decorah have a chance to spend the 2027 summer working in wildlife management. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking a temporary Wildlife Worker for its Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit in Decorah, with applications due Nov. 30, 2026.
The position is part of the DNR’s 2027 summer field season and pays $15.25 per hour. The scheduled work period runs from May through August 2027, although the agency says flexible start and end dates may be considered based on an applicant’s availability.
What the Decorah-area job involves
Under the direction of DNR staff, the worker will perform technical tasks throughout a wildlife management unit. The work is centered on restoring and maintaining habitat, including wetlands, prairies and woodlands. Duties may include native prairie seeding, food-plot development, tree and brush removal, mowing, disking, spraying, fence work, sign posting and noxious-weed control.
The position also includes helping with prescribed burns. That can involve building fire lines, holding areas during a burn and completing mop-up afterward. The DNR notes that some of the work may take place in physically stressful or otherwise adverse conditions.
Wildlife-monitoring duties may include waterfowl banding, deer spotlight routes, August roadside surveys, spring bird point counts and chronic wasting disease sampling. The job may also require the use of large farm machinery, chainsaws and hand tools, as well as simple power equipment.
Who can apply
Applicants must have graduated from college, be currently enrolled or be on a break between semesters. Students entering college from high school may also qualify. The DNR requires a major in wildlife ecology, biology or a closely related natural-resources field.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a valid motor-vehicle operator’s license. They must be able to work independently, with a team and with the public in all weather conditions. The agency says the position requires physically demanding tasks such as lifting, bending and hauling, and may include evening, weekend and holiday work.
Application deadline and materials
To receive full consideration, applicants must submit a resume, cover letter and contact information for three professional references by Nov. 30, 2026. Materials should be emailed to [email protected].
The Decorah position is one of several wildlife-unit openings listed by the Iowa DNR for the 2027 field season. Other listed locations include sites near Early, Winterset, Riverton, Monroe, Swisher, Boone, Spirit Lake, Ventura, Ruthven, Parkersburg, Sumner, Maquoketa, Wapello, Russell, Keosauqua and other Iowa communities.