Initial Posting Date:
05/14/2021
Application Deadline:
05/29/2021
Agency:
Water Resources Department
Salary Range:
$4,122 – $6,306
Position Type:
Employee
Position Title:
Natural Resource Specialist 2 (Natural Resource Specialist 1 Underfill)
Job Description:
UNDERFILL OPTION: The goal is to fill this position at the full level of Natural Resource Specialist 2 ($4,122- $6,306.00). However, applicants who meet the qualifications for the underfill option of a Natural Resource Specialist 1 ($3,586 – $5460.00) are encouraged to apply. Upon meeting position qualification and performance requirements, the employee shall be changed to the allocated level of the position. Underfill training shall not exceed a period of 36 months. This is a full-time, SEIU represented position. This recruitment may be used to fill additional vacancies as they occur. ***Current Internal State of Oregon Employees please use your Workday account – go to Career – Internal – Find jobs to apply!
Who we are
The Oregon Water Resources Department serves the public by practicing and promoting responsible water management in Oregon. Accomplished through two key goals: to directly address Oregon’s water supply needs; and to restore and protect streamflow’s and watersheds in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of Oregon’s ecosystems, economy, and quality of life.
Vision
The vision of the Oregon Water Resources Department is to assure sufficient and sustainable water supplies are available to meet current and future needs.
Core Values
Integrity – We are accountable for all that we do. We act with honesty and promote transparency.
Service – We are dedicated to providing outstanding service and treating everyone equitably in our management and stewardship of state resources.
Technical Excellence – We base our resource decisions on law, science, and expertise.
Teamwork – We are united in our mission, relying on one another and working together with the communities we serve.
Forward-Looking – We seek innovative and practical solutions to the water challenges of today and tomorrow.
2019-2024 Strategic Plan
The Oregon Water Resources Department’s strategic priorities for 2019-2024 are to:
• Modernize our management of Oregon’s surface water and groundwater resources to meet instream and out-of-stream uses
• Work to secure Oregon’s instream and out-of-stream water future in the face of increasing water scarcity
• Foster a forward-looking team dedicated to serving Oregonians with integrity and excellence
Position Location
This position will be located in Pendleton
What you will do
Job Description Summary
This position is within the Field Services Division and performs complex well inspections on water supply wells, monitoring wells, and geotechnical holes. The person in this position is expected to read, comprehend and enforce complicated statutes and rules regarding the construction, maintenance, conversion and abandonment of wells. These wells include drinking water wells, irrigation wells and monitoring wells. This position follows-up on complaints, documents daily work activities, tries to achieve voluntary compliance from licensed well constructors, landowners constructing their own wells, municipalities, and businesses. In addition, the person in this position conducts investigations, documents violations, assembles case files and makes recommendations for formal enforcement action for the purpose of protecting the groundwater resource from contamination, loss of artesian pressure, and waste. The position provides professional guidance and training to Watermaster staff and other staff in conducting thorough well inspections and documenting evidence collected during inspections. Well inspectors will independently perform on site investigations, provide continuing education training, technical information and assistance, and verify information submitted by licensed well constructors, landowners and consultants.
This position is a balance of office and field duties. Office duties would include the following;
Respond to questions and/or complaints regarding administrative rules and statutes for well construction, alteration, maintenance, and abandonment by telephone, mail, e-mail, and in person.
Write letters and/or make e-mail or telephone contact with well constructors, landowners, businesses, and municipalities requesting cooperation in bringing wells into compliance with construction standards.
Review the well inspection and construction program for improvements and make recommendations to appropriate staff where necessary.
Provide technical information and assistance to Watermasters and other field staff in completing and documenting well inspections and construction violations.
Review well reports and offer proper technical procedures to the individuals submitting the well reports necessary to correct a problem of non-compliance with monitoring well or water well construction standards.
Review Regional well reports submitted, including reports for flowing artesian wells, well alterations, conversions, and well abandonments.
Prepare and maintain detailed records of region-wide well drilling activity and well inspection work so that annual reports can be generated and region wide drilling activity can be monitored. Collect inspection information for quarterly activity report.
Prepare a complete and detailed history of activities leading up to formal administrative action including communications, attempts at voluntary compliance, contacts, and violations of Oregon water law. The history is provided to the regional manager for review and is used as the basis for formal administrative action. Include an explanation of the alleged construction violations listing appropriate Oregon water law and administrative rules and include a recommendation of proposed sanctions.
Attend meetings as required and participate in group sessions concerning matters of policy discussion and division purposes.
Testify at formal enforcement administrative hearings and in court on well construction matters discovered and detailed during inspection activity.
Field duties would include;
Select wells to be inspected based on proposed location, local groundwater issues, start of work date, personal knowledge of local geology, previous well constructor performance, and a review of well construction logs.
Perform borehole geophysical logging, process geophysical data, perform initial QAQC on geophysical data, and calibrate and maintain borehole geophysical logging trailer and instrumentation.
Perform well inspections, documenting findings for entry into Department’s data system, for the purpose of determining compliance with Oregon statutes and administrative rules relating to the construction, alteration, maintenance, and abandonment of wells.
Provide professional guidance and training to Watermaster staff and other staff in conducting thorough well inspections and documenting evidence collected during inspections for potential use in gaining voluntary compliance from the drilling community or to be used in formal enforcement action.
Collect and assemble evidence of alleged violations of Oregon’s minimum well construction standards including samples of drill cuttings and sealing material, as well as taking photographs and generating a formal history that documents the case.
Independently perform on site investigations and verify information submitted by licensed well constructors and landowners, when a landowner permit is requested, to determine if special well constructions standards are necessary and can be approved.
Receives complaints of non-compliance with well construction, maintenance, alteration, conversion or abandonment standards by telephone, mail, in person, and by e-mail. Follows up on the complaints by performing a thorough investigation and determining if the well construction standards are being followed. If there are compliance issues then will determine and contact the responsible party and conduct follow-up investigations of repairs and corrections of work.
Prepares evidence and creates a detailed record of activities that have led up to formal enforcement action. Assembles all evidence into a packet and forwards the packet along with an enforcement referral form to Region Manager for review and approval to be submitted to the Enforcement Section.
When well construction, maintenance, alteration, conversion or abandonment deficiencies are noted, or discovered, follow-up and meet with landowners and/or well constructors to discuss well construction deficiencies and required repairs. Set a repair schedule for well to be brought into compliance and follow-up to verify that work has actually been completed.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must have the following minimum qualifications to be considered:
Five years of experience related to water resource management. At least one year of this experience must include activities such as:
Gathering and analyzing natural resource data and/or coordinating monitoring efforts for a natural resource program; and
Providing technical assistance to the public in a natural resource program explaining laws, rules, and regulations, answering questions, help the public navigate and comply with agency procedures.
A Bachelor’s degree in Hydrology, Geology, Civil Engineering, or other natural resource area will substitute for three years of the required experience.
A Master’s degree in Hydrology, Geology, Civil Engineering, or other natural resource area will substitute for four years of the required experience.
Any combination of education and experience to equal five years’ experience as listed above.
Underfill Option: Natural Resource Specialist 1 ($3,586 – $5460.00)
Minimum Qualifications
A Bachelor’s degree in Hydrology, Geology, Civil Engineering, or other natural resource area ; OR
three years of experience in (specify natural resource program area and level of responsibility).
We are also looking for….
Experience with an Oregon natural resources program
Ability to tactfully handle difficult conversations or disagreements with the regulated community and other stakeholders
Experience working with landowners to gain compliance
Good written and verbal communication skills
Extensive experience with water measurement
Experience with digital mapping (ArcMap, CAD)
GPS data collection and verification
Experience reading maps (road, tax-lot, topography)
Experience with field data collection
Experience with streamflow measurement processes
Familiarity with handheld devices, tablets, and/or laptops
Experience driving in rough terrain working conditions
This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and will be subject to all terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement. Pay and benefits on all job postings may change without notice.
NOTE: The salary listed on this job posting is the range for current PERS participating members. If you are not yet a PERS participating member, the salary range is $3,855-$5,896
What’s in it for you
The opportunity to join a team of professionals who are passionate about what they do. We offer medical, dental, and vision benefits with paid sick leave, vacation leave, 24 hours of personal business leave, and 10 paid holidays.
How to apply
Complete the application (we will not accept an attached resume in place of a completed application):
If you are applying internally, update your employee Workday profile to complete the application. You can upload your resume to make updating the Job History section of your profile easier.
If you are applying through the external job site, complete the application. You can upload your resume and the system will parse your information into the application.
This recruitment requires a cover letter, please make sure that you include one at the time of application to be considered for this position.
After you submit your application, be sure to respond to the public records request authorization. This screen will come after you submit and will complete the process. If you are an employee, the public records request task will come to your Workday inbox.
Warning! The system will timeout after 20 minutes of inactivity. You must submit your application after you begin the process. You cannot save your progress and come back to it later.
If you have questions about this job posting, please contact Human Resource Business Partner’s at WRD_DL_HR@oregon.gov or call 503-979-6850.
Work Authorization
The Oregon Water Resources Department does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States.
Veterans – If you are an eligible veteran and you meet the qualifications, veterans’ preference points will be added to your score. For more information on veterans’ preference points visit www.oregonjobs.org and select Veterans resources under Resources. Please do not attach veteran documentation to your initial application, after you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time.
The Oregon Water Resources Department is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity.