Oregon Department of Human Services is hiring an Aquatic Resource Coordinator - 3 positions!

The Department of State Lands is hiring three Aquatic Resource Coordinators to represent its regulatory program. You will protect Oregon’s waterways and wetlands by implementing the state’s Removal-Fill Law, issuing permits, and ensuring compliance.

What You'll Do

• Review, coordinate, and process applications including mitigation plans and prepare complex removal-fill permits.
• Explain and interpret laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures for the public, consultants, stakeholders, legislatures, and other agency partners.
• Use natural resource skills to aid in State jurisdictional determinations within waterways and wetlands.
• Conduct site visits and investigate complaints to ensure compliance with removal-fill laws and regulations.
• Negotiate resolutions with applicants, landowners, responsible parties and their representatives, state agencies, federal agencies, tribal agencies, and local governments.
• Conduct outreach to the public, legislators, beneficiaries, and other constituents on behalf of DSL and its programs to increase awareness, build support, and facilitate positive, continuing relationships.

What We're Looking For

• Three (3) years of experience in aquatic resources.
• At least one year of that experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program (e.g., analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying laws and regulations, or coordinating project activities).
• A bachelor’s degree in a natural resource field such as biology, ecology, natural resources, or environmental science, or three (3) additional years of related experience.

Nice to Have

• Excellent customer service, time management, and organizational skills.
• Excellent written communication skills including the use of proper punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar.
• Experience interpreting and explaining environmental regulations to a wide variety of people and demonstrated conflict resolution skills.
• Experience related to compliance or enforcement of natural resource laws or regulations.
• Experience with local, state, federal, and tribal regulatory programs.
• Experience using GPS tools in field settings as well as ESRI desktop products including ArcGIS Pro.
• Experience conducting natural resource field surveys, wetland delineations, or preparing permits for wetland, waterway or other aquatic natural resource inventories.
• In-depth knowledge of ecosystem dynamics and services including experience in hydrology, geomorphology, or soil science.
• Plant identification skills for native and invasive species in Oregon.
• Self-motivated and ability to work under strict deadlines.
• Ability to work individually, as part of a team, and collaborate well with others.
• Experience reading or interpreting engineered drawings and natural resource data.

Technical Stack

• GPS tools
• ESRI desktop products including ArcGIS Pro

Team & Environment

You will report directly to the main Salem office. The team culture is collaborative and engaged, with co-workers who care about Oregon’s economy, environment, and communities.

Benefits & Compensation

• Monthly salary range: $5,320 - $8,141 for employees new to public service. After 6 months, a 6.95% increase applies, with 6% going to PERS retirement. Current PERS employees start at $5,690- $8,707.
• 95% to 99% of medical and dental insurance premiums paid by the agency for full-time employees, including mental health coverage.
• Accrue eight (8) hours of sick leave and eight (8) hours of vacation leave per month, with vacation accruals increasing every five (5) years.
• 11 paid holidays, one (1) floating holiday, three (3) personal business days.
• Other medical, vision and dental benefits, including flexible spending plans.
• Automatic enrollment into the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) after six (6) months of full-time service.
• Possible qualification for the Student Loan Forgiveness Program.

Work Mode

This is a hybrid position based in Salem, Oregon.

The Oregon Department of State Lands is committed to seeking and sustaining a culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse working environment and hires staff interested in supporting environmental justice by including communities traditionally underrepresented in public processes.