Natural Resource Conservationist - State of Idaho

Description

Salary: $24.27 per hour

Location: Jerome, ID

Job Type: Full Time

Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid

NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATIONIST

The Soil and Water Conservation Commission has an exciting opportunity for a Natural Resource Conservationist to join our team in Jerome, Idaho. The incumbent supports the agency’s mission to facilitate coordinated non-regulatory, voluntary, and locally led conservation by federal, state, and local governments and other partners to conserve, sustain, improve, and enhance soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources.

Description:

The incumbent will provide technical assistance on natural resources conservation plan development and implementation with several Conservation Districts in Idaho, assist the Commission by providing comprehensive conservation programs and services, and perform related work. This position may occasionally involve walking over rough and steep terrain throughout an eight-hour period.

Regular travel required.

Example of Duties

Natural Resource Planning: Typical responsibilities: develops resource inventories for agricultural resource planning areas; defines the types of resource concerns in a project area; determines available conservation programs for the project area and defines necessary management systems and structural and management component practices; determines the economic and technical feasibility of improving natural resources; determines plan implementation cost for cost-sharing, administration, technical assistance, and monitoring; locates potential sources of funds to resolve natural resources problems; develops implementation plans and progress- monitoring processes; develops reports and ensures involved agencies are kept informed of planning progress and related problems.

Plan implementation. Typical responsibilities: provides on-site technical assistance to owner/operator participants in implementing natural resource conservation plans and cost-sharing contracts; reviews participant's status of plan and contract, recommends needed plan revisions and contract modifications; encourages participants to apply recommended management practices; makes site selection, performs layout work, checks completed practices to determine specifications are met, completes field sheets, and recommends acceptability of completed practices for certification of cost- sharing payment.

Communication. Typical responsibilities: meets with farmers to encourage development of individual natural resource conservation plans and to implement selected practices; meets with farmer groups, soil conservation districts, and local, state, and federal agencies to discuss natural resource concerns and to explain project goals; meets with the public to explain projects progress and problems encountered; develops news articles on projects and progress updates.

Minimum Qualifications

Good knowledge of agriculture:

This can be gained by successful completion of college coursework relating to the agricultural industry;

OR

farm management experience;

OR

at least six (6) months experience working in the agriculture industry performing any of the following:

· growing up on a family farm or ranch, in which the family actually conducted the day-to-day farming/ranching operations;

· operating your own farm or ranch;

· working for a farmer or rancher moving sprinklers, flood irrigating, operating farm equipment (tractors, trucks, etc.), feeding or herding livestock, controlling weeds, spraying for pests, repairing farm equipment, etc.;

· working for an agricultural service company, such as a fertilizer company or sprinkler company in which you mixed or delivered fertilizer, helped install sprinkler systems, worked at a sugar beet or grain receiving station, worked at a feed/seed store, etc.

Good knowledge of natural resource conservation practices, and resource plan development and implementation: 

This is typically gained by successful completion of college-level coursework totaling at least 15 hours in natural resource conservation management (such as agronomy, biology, range, silviculture, animal management, fisheries, and soils) and/or plan development and implementation (such as resource plans and/or farm/ranch plans);

 OR

approximately five (5) years' experience developing and implementing natural resource conservation plans.

Good knowledge of agronomy, biology, range, silviculture, animal management, fisheries, natural resources, and/or soils and soil and water conservation principles:

This is typically gained by successful completion of college-level coursework totaling at least 30 hours in agronomy, biology, range, natural resources, silviculture, animal management and soils;

OR

approximately three years' resource conservation field experience developing cropping systems, writing resource management plans, writing farm/ranch management plans, and/or collecting resource quality data.

Experience developing and making public presentations and developing technical reports and correspondence:

This is typically gained from college coursework

OR

six (6) months experience researching, compiling, and organizing information and reports and making presentations about that information in a business or public meeting setting.

Experience working with sensitive or restricted data and protecting confidentiality.

This is typically gained by at least six (6) months of work experience working with sensitive or restricted data and protecting confidentiality

Possession of a Valid driver's license.

Preferred Qualification:

Experience using Microsoft Excel or equivalent to perform financial functions.

This is typically gained by at least six (6) months of experience using Microsoft Excel or equivalent to perform financial functions.

Supplemental Information Physical requirements:

Ability to sit and work on a computer for 2-4 hours at a time

Ability to reach and bend for filing purposes

Some periods of heavy reading and typing required

Ability to lift 30 pounds when working with file boxes

Ability to climb ladders, staircases, work on uneven terrain

Ability to work in adverse or inclement weather

Field sites may involve working near and with drilling rigs, backhoes, trucks, and other large equipment in rough terrain

May occasionally work in vicinity of loud noise

Benefits:

Flexible work schedule available for increased work-life balance.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness – eligibility requirements may apply.

Accrue paid vacation every pay period to accumulate approximately 2 weeks the first year and increasing with state longevity.

Paid Parental Leave

Paid sick leave separate from vacation leave

11 paid holidays

Competitive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability insurance benefits, Flexible Spending Account https://ogi.idaho.gov/premium-rates/

Defined benefits retirement plan (pension) through the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho

(PERSI) https://persi.idaho.gov/members/base_plan.cfm

Optional 401K and Deferred Compensation plans with traditional and Roth options

Eligible for Employee Assistance Program – Confidential support, information, and resources for all of life's challenges.

Flexible/hybrid work schedule available for increased work-life balance.

Successful candidates must pass a background check in order to be qualified for this position.

To learn more about the Soil and Water Commission, please visit our website at: www.swc.idaho.gov.

Make a difference in your community and in the lives of the citizens of Idaho today by applying to be a Natural Resource Conservationist.

The State of Idaho is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, genetics, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email ada.coordinator@dhr.idaho.gov.

Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.