Initial Posting Date:
05/10/2021
Application Deadline:
05/31/2021
Agency:
Department of State Lands
Salary Range:
$5,105 – $7,847
Position Type:
Employee
Position Title:
Natural Resource Specialist 4 (Mitigation Specialist)
Job Description:
The Department of State Lands (DSL) is the administrative arm of the State Land Board. The agency’s mission is to ensure a Common School Fund legacy through sound management of our trust responsibilities and the protection of waters of the state.
DSL manages real property and its mineral and natural resources to generate revenue for the Common School Fund. The agency also manages navigable waterways, including rivers, lakes, estuaries and the territorial sea, for public use. DSL administers Oregon’s removal-fill and wetlands conservation laws, and the state’s unclaimed property and estates programs. All agency revenues are deposited in the state’s Common School Fund, which provides earnings distributions to Oregon school districts twice a year.
The Operations Division is managed by a Deputy Director who oversees the Real Property and Aquatic Resource Management (ARM) programs. The Planning and Policy Manager provides program-level support for the ARM program. Two Field Operations Managers oversee the ARM program west of the Cascade Mountain crest. The agency’s Eastern Region Manager is responsible for real property functions statewide as well as Aquatic Resource Management functions east of the Cascades.
Real Property staff oversees approximately 761,000 acres of surface land and 767,000 acres of sub-surface mineral and energy resources. Activities include managing rangelands, agricultural lands, timberlands and commercial properties to generate revenue for the Common School Fund.
Field Operations is organized by geographic region, with each region providing the following functions: removal-fill permits, jurisdictional determinations and delineations, and waterway use authorizations. The Planning and Policy unit has state-wide responsibilities and houses specialists in aquatic resource planning, restoration and mitigation.
This position is a permanent position and is a statewide technical expert and interdisciplinary specialist on all subjects related to wetland and water ecology and compensatory mitigation. The position serves as one of two mitigation specialists that lead policy development, implementation and outreach for the Aquatic Resource Mitigation Framework (ARMF) to promote function and value replacement of unavoidable impacts under the Removal-Fill Law. The position is expected to advance landscape-scale mitigation priorities and promote availability of quality mitigation credits in Oregon, and influence mitigation policy, best practices, and learning at a state and national level. The position serves as co-chair of Oregon’s Interagency Review Team and provides review and oversight of mitigation bank and in-lieu fee programs from proposal to closure. The position operates DSL’s Payment In-Lieu and In-Lieu Fee programs (PIL/ILF), which allow removal-fill applicants to pay into the Oregon Removal-Fill Mitigation Fund under certain circumstances and transfers the mitigation obligation to DSL.
What will you do!
Operations, Project Management and Negotiation
Develop and apply personal knowledge base of mitigation strategies and outcomes nationwide, including mitigation site construction, planting, monitoring, and long-term stewardship programs and financial securities approaches. Develop and apply personal knowledge of wetland and stream ecology and their functions and values, and restoration of these systems.
Program Monitoring
Monitor mitigation bank and PIL/ILF project compliance with permit conditions, funding contract conditions, and mitigation plans through reviewing annual monitoring reports. Identify potential deficiencies in performance and assist in identifying remediation options. Conduct site visits to ensure compliance with permit conditions. Recognize all indicators and monitoring methods needed to evaluate performance standards, including those related to hydrology, soils, and vegetation.
Agency Representation
Represent the department on interagency project teams and coordinate regularly with partner agency staffs. Represent the department on panels and in other public forums. Represent the department on technical advisory committees and other interagency and national groups to promote mitigation and develop new program initiatives as necessary to improve Oregon’s mitigation program. Respond to complex and sometimes controversial issues related to mitigation.
Analysis
Develop procedures for program compliance, investigations, information management, documentation of investigations, and program evaluation. Conduct studies of programs to determine trends, need for administrative rules and for policy development. Conduct special projects as required.
Recommend and develop policies/procedures, administrative and legislative concepts, rules and forms.
Communication
Communicate by phone, in writing, and in person with different levels of customers, such as staff, managers, applicants, partner agency staffs, legislators, federally recognized Tribes, and local government officials, affected by the program to facilitate their understanding of the mission, requirements, and applicability of DSL programs. Prepare correspondence, letters, reports, and draft Land Board agenda items. Review terms and conditions for banking instruments after consultation with local governments, resource agencies, interest groups and adjoining property owners.
Prepare or review documents as needed for approval by managers and the Director. Participate in interagency meetings, trainings, and on site meetings with applicants, local government planners and officials, and federal resource agencies. Coordinate, communicate, and consult with DSL staff, the Attorney General’s office, and local, state, and federal government agencies in matters relating to DSL programs. Provide training to the public and to DSL’s Operations staff on scientific and technological advances in mitigation site selection, construction and monitoring.
This position is represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Please note: The salary listed on this job posting is for non-PERS members. If you are a current PERS participating member the salary is $5459-$8391.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Four years of experience in aquatic ecology. At least one year of the experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities; AND
A Bachelor’s degree in ecology, biology, environmental science or a related degree OR three additional years of related (pertinent) experience.
A Master’s degree in ecology, biology, environmental science or related degree will substitute for up to one year of the required experience.
A Doctorate degree in ecology, biology, environmental science or related degree will substitute for up to two year of the required experience.
DESIRED ATTRIBUTES
- Demonstrated skill identifying wetland plants and applying vegetation monitoring techniques;
- Working knowledge of abiotic and biological indicators of wetland and waterway functions and values (e.g., ecological and societal benefits) from project scale to landscape scale;
- Project management skills;
- Communication and conflict resolution skills; and
- Work with spreadsheets, databases, budgets and contracts.
***You must submit a cover letter of sufficient length and detail that addresses each of the Desired Attributes listed above to be considered.
The selection process will consist of a review of the material provided and an evaluation of experience and training. Qualified applicants whose responses most closely match the requirements for this position will be invited to interview.