Local recruitment: Hydrologist (Water Availability Analyst)

Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD)

Salem, OR, USA 🇺🇸

Initial Posting Date: 03/14/2023

Application Deadline: 03/26/2023

Agency: Water Resources Department

Salary Range: $5,019 – $7,678

Position Type: Employee

Position Title: Hydrologist (Water Availability Analyst)

Job Description:

The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) seeks to hire a full-time Hydrologist (Water Availability Analyst – Natural Resource Specialist 3) to maintain OWRD’s surface water allocation program, including scoping and development of tools and data sets to help facilitate an update of OWRD’s surface water availability model and databases.  In this position, you will work with a team to ensure OWRD uses accurate, up-to-date data and tools to support surface water allocation decisions and planning. These data and analyses are fundamental to understanding the diverse water supply challenges of Oregon. They also provide the basis for identifying water supply solutions that OWRD and the public can pursue. You will be a member of the Technical Services Division, reporting to the Manager of the Surface Water Section. Consider joining our team and advancing our mission to practice and promote responsible water management in Oregon! Learn more about the OWRD.  

What you will do 

The Surface Water Availability Program provides essential analysis for Oregonians – the modeling and quantification of surface water supplies and the determination of water remaining for allocation. As a hydrologist in our Surface Water Allocation program, you will:  

  • Maintain Oregon’s existing surface water allocation model – Water Availability Reporting System – to ensure accurate accounting of surface water availability 
  • Develop functions and tools in programming environments and perform advanced hydrologic modelling, visualization, and analysis 
  • Review the existing statewide water availability model, scope improvements to, and lead projects focused on updating components of the model 
  • Perform hydrologic analyses to support agency staff and studies, stakeholders, and legal cases 
  • Provide technical assistance to internal and external stakeholders regarding hydrologic consultation by reviewing technical proposals, reports, and grant applications  

What’s in it for you? 

The opportunity to:  

  • Apply your technical skills towards evaluating Oregon’s diverse hydrologic landscapes and supporting a sustainable water future for the state’s economy, environment, and communities 
  • Implement and develop your programming and GIS skills to create efficient, reproducible workflows for obtaining, summarizing, and visualizing data 
  • Scope and manage complex projects that benefit the agency’s understanding of hydrologic conditions and management of water supply challenges 
  • Gain exposure to water resources management and the nexus between policy and science at the state level 
  • Join an organization with smart, driven co-workers who care about public service, water resources, and their co-workers. 

Natural Resource Specialist 3 Salary – The State of Oregon conducts a pay equity analysis to determine what pay step within the salary range to offer the successful candidate based on the experience documented in your application. See table below for salary ranges.  

NON-PERS eligibleIncludes most new hires to state government. Employees typically gain PERS eligibility after six months of state service 

$4,693 – $7,180 monthly 

PERS eligibleTypically current or former employees of Oregon state or local government, public schools, universities, etc. 6% is deducted for PERS. 

$5,019- $7,678 monthly 

Other Benefits – We offer a competitive benefits package that includes: 

  • Exceptional medical, vision and dental plans with employees paying 1-5% of the total rate. 
  • Start out accruing 8 hours of sick and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years. 
  • Access to an additional four days of discretionary leave – 3 days of personal business leave and one day of Governor’s Leave to use at your discretion each year. 
  • Eleven paid holidays per year. 
  • Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), including a pension and employer contributions to the Individual Account Program).  
  • Optional benefits (such as term life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, long-term care, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program with a wide variety of investment options). 
  • The opportunity to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program  (must qualify). 

The team you will join  

The Surface Water Hydrology (SWH) Section provides technical expertise regarding surface water, consumptive use, and water diversion data, including the analyses and interpretation of these data, within the Department and for the public. The SWH Section participates in programmatic and special interest matters involving water supply conditions, such as the collection and evaluation of surface water data, basin studies investigating surface water-groundwater relationships, and the evaluation of drought conditions. Through coordination with others in the agency, SWH provides data and analyses critical for responsible water management.  

We work closely with other sections in the agency to support OWRD’s mission. We and our colleagues across the Department are working to implement our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan and live out our agency core values of: 

  • 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. 

Our position on diversity, equity, and inclusion 

The Oregon Water Resources Department is committed to creating a workplace culture that understands and appreciates differences among people and is welcoming and inclusive to all. By fostering fairness and equity in its work culture, the Department strives to improve services for all Oregonians. We acknowledge that not all people have experienced equitable opportunities or fair treatment. We are committed to increasing our awareness and understanding of historic injustices and building a foundation for meaningful change. We value a wide range of professional and lived experiences, and people of underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

What we are looking for 

 We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualifications listed below. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether or not you meet the qualifications of this position, please contact the hiring manager to discuss your application.  

Minimum required qualifications:   

  • Three years of experience working with hydrologic models, at least one of which was at a technical or professional level performing activities in natural resources 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 Water Resources, Geology, Engineering, Environmental Science, or similar field, OR three additional years of related (pertinent) experience. 

Note: A Master’s degree in a natural resource area will substitute for up to one year of the required experience. A Doctorate degree in a natural resource area will substitute for up to two years of the required experience.  

 Preferred Qualifications   

  • Technical computing skills – You have experience designing, maintaining, and querying databases using ArcGIS, SQL, Python, or other similar GIS, database, or programming languages and software.   
  • Organization and analysis skills – You have experience using programming languages and/or statistical programming environments to design and maintain organized file and database structures to support reproducible workflow. 
  • Hydrologic data and techniques – You possess a strong understanding of the factors affecting the stage-discharge relationship, sources and types of hydrologic data, and experience with basic tools typically applied in hydrologic analysis. 
  • Project management skills – You have experience managing individual and team projects from scope development to planning and execution.   
  • Self-starter and team player – You possess the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team to move projects forward.    

Where will you work? 

This position will be based out of Salem, OR. Not from Oregon? No problem! If you enjoy being outdoors, Oregon is the place for you. From the glaciated Cascade mountains, to sandy Pacific Ocean beaches, to the rolling Columbia, to the wide-open High Desert, Oregon will have what you are looking for. Additionally, funds may be available to assist with relocation.   

This position may work remotely and/or in an office environment on a schedule agreed upon by the manager and employee. Overnight travel will be required to attend meetings, present on work, etc.  Position is represented by the Service Employees International Union. 

How to apply  

  • Provide a brief (no more than 1 page) cover letter indicating why you are interested and a good candidate for the position. 
  • Provide a brief (no more than 2 page) resume indicating your experience pertinent to the required qualifications and desired attributes in this announcement. 

Warning! The Workday system will timeout after 15 minutes of inactivity. 

After you apply  

  • Log in to your Workday account before the job announcement closes to see if you have any pending tasks or actions, and make sure to complete these tasks or actions before the job announcement closes. These can be found under the “My Applications” section.  
  • Be sure to check both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment.  

Want to know more? Here’s more help!    

  • Work authorization – WRD does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, applicants will be required to complete I-9 documentation and confirm authorization to work in the United States. If your employment authorization and documentation is contingent on sponsorship now or in the future, you will not meet DAS employment eligibility standards.  
  • Veterans – Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications will be given veterans’ preference. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources, or call Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666 NOTE: If claiming veterans’ preference please be sure to check your Workday account for pending tasks or actions under your “My Applications” section.  

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