The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting applications for conservation officers until Oct. 14.

The DNR’s Division of Enforcement anticipates hiring as many as 26 conservation officers for academies to be held in the spring of 2012 and fall of 2012.

Conservation officers provide public safety, and resource and recreation protection response to all field operations for which the DNR Division of Enforcement is held responsible.

Applicants must possess a valid Minnesota Peace Officer’s License, or be eligible to be licensed by the Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (POST) prior to the time conditional offers are made; or complete basic police training and be certified as a full-time peace officer in a state or federal law enforcement agency with which Minnesota has reciprocity, and pass the POST Board reciprocity exam by the time conditional job offers are made.

Some of the minimum qualifications include: knowledge of fish and wildlife identification, habitat and other related environmental sciences, experience in and/or knowledge of outdoor recreation activities, ability and willingness to perform the job in adverse environmental conditions and work varying shifts.

Candidates must pass the general written exam to be admitted to other portions of the exam/selection process, which include an interview, an exercise that will demonstrate knowledge of fish and wildlife species identification, knowledge and use of law enforcement equipment, firearms identification and safety, and completion of a comprehensive background investigation. Conditional job offers will be based on passing a medical evaluation, functional capacity exam and psychological evaluation.

The written examination will be held Oct. 29 at the DNR Central Office, 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul.

Notifications will be handled electronically. Applicants must have updated e-mail addresses on their resumes to be contacted by the DNR. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their resume to the database through the online Resume Builder at www.statejobs.doer.state.mn.us/ResumeBuilder.