Local recruitment: Wetlands/Shallow & Ambient Lake Specialist

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Polk County, IA, USA 🇺🇸

Salary: $49,254.40 – $74,276.80 Annually

Location: Des Moines – 50319 – Polk County, IA

Job Type: Full-time

Agency: 542 Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Job Number: 23-03273

Closing: 4/12/2023 11:59 PM Central

LinkedIn Tag: #LI-POST

Point of ContactL: Katie Greenstein, katie.greenstein@dnr.iowa.gov, 515-490-2095

Job Description

Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.   

Join The Team!
Are you ready to assist the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in furthering its mission of: Conserving and enhancing our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations?
If yes – we are seeking a Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment team member to help protect our wetlands and lakes in the State of Iowa and ensure clean water for all citizens.   
 
Join us on our journey to become a role model for public service nationwide!
Careers with the DNR enjoy a culture of meaningful and satisfying work.
 
What We’re Looking for in You!
This role will allow an individual to contribute experience and knowledge towards fulfilling our mission through one’s behaviors and actions demonstrating the DNR’s Guiding Principles of Accountability, Collaboration, Continuous Improvement, Customer Focus, Data-Based Decisions, Empowerment, Integrity, Long-Term Thinking, Mutual Respect, Results/Outcome Orientation, and Valuing Employees.
 
Describe in your resume and cover letter how you demonstrate the Guiding Principles & Critical Job Competencies, can perform the Essential Functions, and have education/experience transferable to the Job Description.  Applicants are encouraged to attach a resume and cover letter to best describe their experience and education.
 
Duties & Responsibilities:
This pivotal role is responsible for helping to develop and manage contracts and data for shallow lakes, wetlands, and ambient lakes, and will conduct field monitoring with seasonal staff for these programs. This position will also assist with lake and wetland assessments for the Clean Water Act 303d/305b Integrated Report (impaired waters list) and with lake and wetland water quality standards development.   This position will assist with development and revision of standard operating procedures (SOPs), sampling plans, and other planning documents for water quality monitoring. This position will ensure collection and use of credible data in compliance with Iowa’s credible data law, reviewing water quality data for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC).
 
Essential Functions
Conducts field work in support of ambient monitoring and provides the data for input into department databases and assures appropriate quality control measures are applied.
Communicates clearly and concisely using email, video conferencing, and the telephone.
Views and uses a computer screen, types and enters data using a computer keyboard.
Prepares technical documents and presentations.
Works in adverse weather conditions and on uneven terrain.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
 
Critical Job Competencies
Competency Requirements – Accountability, Action-oriented, Attention to Detail; Critical Thinking and Reasoning Skills; Communication Skills, Computer Skills, Customer Focus, High Productivity, Interpersonal Skills, Integrity, Passion for the Work; Self-Management, Team Player, and Technical skills: technical writing, learn to use watercraft, learn to use and maintain multi-parameter sondes for water quality data collection, limnology, and GIS.
 
What You Get From Us:
•             A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.  
•             Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.  
     (Premiums can start as low as $56/month for single and $187/month for family coverage).
•             Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
•             Nine paid holidays/year.
•             Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
•             Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
•             Professional training opportunities.
•             Flexible schedules and opportunities for hybrid telework (as approved by supervisor).
•             Family friendly and professional work environment.
•             The State’s total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation.  For a list of additional benefits, please visit the DAS website for more information.
 
The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable).
 
The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
 
The Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a current resume and cover letter to their DAS online application.  
 
Iowa DNR Mission:
To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.Selectives

973 Limnology
Six months’ experience or nine semester hours in a combination of limnology, aquatic ecology, or other water science coursework that provide the applicant with the following:

  • Knowledge of the chemical constituents and physical properties of freshwaters. 
  • Understanding of the ecology of lotic and lentic ecosystems and basic familiarity with the aquatic plant and animal groups of these ecosystems. 
  • Ability to summarize and interpret water quality data from lotic and lentic systems.

AND

243 Geographic Information Systems Support Work
12 semester hours, 6 months experience, or a combination of both in creating, editing, importing, exporting, projecting, and/or geo-referencing GIS data.Minimum Qualification Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in natural science

OR

an equivalent combination of experience and education substituting one year of full-time professional work in an environmental, radiation control, environmental health or food sanitation program for each year (30 semester hours) of the required education.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description (Download PDF reader).

Agency: State of IowaAgency542 Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Address: Wallace State Office Building
502 E 9th St, 4th Floor
Des Moines, Iowa, 50319

Website: http://www.iowadnr.gov/


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

You ad could be here!