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Conservation officer hiring process

Conservation officer hiring process

The DNR will be hiring pre-certified law enforcement officers for an April 2027 Conservation Officer Training Academy.

The application process will be open Oct. 1-Nov. 3.

All applicants must meet the MCOLES licensing standards.

Step 1: Application

Submit a State of Michigan application. Make sure to use a valid email address on your application as this is how applicants will be communicated with throughout the entire hiring process.

The following documents must be attached to your application:

Applicants selected to advance in the hiring process will be contacted via email by the DNR Law Enforcement Division with additional instructions.

Step 2: Personal history statement

Applicants whose application is submitted with all the required attachments will be invited to complete an online Personal History Statement. This in-depth questionnaire will be used to determine if an applicant meets the minimum requirements to advance in the hiring process.

Step 3: Orientation and hiring interview
Applicants who pass the Personal History Statement may be invited to attend orientation and participate in a hiring interview. Orientation and interviews will be conducted in-person, in Lansing during early December 2026.

 

Step 4: Background investigation

Applicants who successfully pass the hiring interview will undergo a comprehensive background investigation, conducted by an investigator from the DNR Law Enforcement Division. Documentation submitted during the application process will be compared to original documents during the background investigation.

Step 5: Conditional offer of employment

Applicants selected for a conditional offer of employment are required to pass the following: 

  • A second MCOLES physical fitness test (proctored by DNR Law Enforcement Division staff)
  • Medical exam
  • Psychological evaluation
  • Drug screening
Step 6: Training academy

Applicants who accept and pass the conditional offer of employment will be hired as a full-time probationary conservation officer.

The PCO will begin specialized training consisting of equipment operation and maintenance, species identification, and related laws and regulations pertaining to:

  • Off-road vehicle, snowmobile and marine recreational activities 
  • Fish and game identification
  • Fishing, hunting and trapping enforcement
  • Laws, rules and regulations of the DNR
  • Water safety, search and rescue, and regulatory inspections
  • Other specialized training

The training academy will take place April 25-July 15, 2027 in Lansing.

Following the training academy, PCOs will spend several months working with field training officers in different areas of the state, before reporting to their assigned county.