Onboarding for new DWR employees
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DWR Director Justin "J" Shirley

Welcome to the team!

A message from the DWR director

DWR Director Justin "J" Shirley

Congratulations on your new job, and welcome to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. You are beginning an exciting new chapter of your life as part of a highly trained, dedicated team of wildlife professionals.

I became the DWR director in August of 2021 and know firsthand that new jobs come with many opportunities to learn and develop useful skills. I still have a lot to learn in my own job, but I look forward to working with you and everyone who supports wildlife in Utah.

This employee orientation will briefly introduce you to the DWR — including sections, regions and high-profile special programs — and will help you understand how we all work together. I encourage you to read these materials and bookmark this link so you can refer to it over the next few months as you settle into your new career.

As you get to know us, you'll soon realize that the DWR is as much a highly-collaborative team as it is a professional organization. All of us share a common calling: to serve the people of Utah as responsible stewards of our incredible wildlife resources. We value our employees and do our very best every day to put you in a position to succeed. We ask our employees to work hard, be innovative and build trust with the many partners who work alongside us to support wildlife.

We are all working toward a common goal and the common good of Utah's protected wildlife. Our employees are among the most dedicated and hard-working in state government.

I welcome you to our DWR team and wish you great success and personal satisfaction as you begin this critical and rewarding work.

— J Shirley

How to use this guide

Follow the links here to find more information about the DWR and your role as a new employee.

Page links
Other helpful links
  • DWR fiscal resources: information, instructions and forms related to things like the budget, purchasing, contracts, assigned assets and more
  • DNR Innerweb: policies, information and resources for DNR/DWR employees
  • Uniforms: general information, allowance amount, acceptable colors and more
  • Motorpool: reserve a vehicle
  • Lexipol: review and acknowledge DWR and DNR policies
  • Utah wildlife calendar: view dates for hunts, draws, events, RAC meetings, etc.
  • onX: use of the popular mapping tool is available to current DWR employees
  • Payroll: enter your time, view your paycheck, check your leave balances, and more
  • Travel: information about traveling in and out of state, including important definitions, authorized meal and overnight lodging rates, how to book a flight and more
  • PEHP: review your health insurance options
  • URS/retirement: review your 401(k), pension and other retirement options
  • Utah Learning Portal: access training courses for state employees
  • Physical fitness guidelines for non-law enforcement employees
  • Safety newsletter: read tips, best practices and relavant safety information for each season
  • Virtual backgrounds: download Utah wildlife-themed background images for your virtual meetings
  • DWR media and marketing folder: Need a photo for a report or PowerPoint presentation? Browse our entire publicly accessible photo and video library, containing images of wildlife, hunting, fishing, and much more.
Inside
Wildlife Blog: Views from DWR employees
» Wildlife Blog
Report poachers — 1-800-662-3337
» Report poachers
Wildlife dates
» Important dates
Hunter, angler mobile app