The Watershed Planning Program within the Water Investment Division of DEC seeks a dynamic and experienced natural resource planner with a background in water resources. The planner will be part of a team developing watershed management plans and implementing watershed protection and restoration projects that guide the Agency and partners in efforts to protect and restore Vermont waters. The Watershed Planner position has a highly visible presence and often represents the Agency in statutory partner relations, community engagement, public forums, and stakeholder meetings.
Specific identified duties include:
- Analyzing complex water quality data, sector-based assessment and project tracking information, and engaging internal and external partners to develop “Tactical Basin Plans” for the Winooski, Lamoille, and Stevens-Wells-Waits-Ompompanoosuc River basins.
- Working across a diverse stakeholder network to address pollution sources ranging from stormwater, roads, and agriculture sectors to restoration of natural systems on rivers, lakes, wetlands and forested lands.
- Serving as a technical project manager in coordination with regional partners to support the identification, design and implementation of clean water projects.
- Participating in local interagency land stewardship teams, grant review committees, and serving as the public face of the Agency to promote new initiatives and assist with clean water implementation efforts.
- Advising the Clean Water Service Providers and associated Basin Water Quality Councils in the Winooski and Lamoille basins.
- Developing templates, new processes, and IT tools to support this work.
Desirable skills and qualifications:
- A high degree of technical skills, typically consistent with an educational level of M.S in water resources or environmental planning.
- Geographic information system analysis,
- Quantitative analysis of water monitoring and assessment data,
- Understanding of the geomorphologic principles of river dynamics,
- Understanding of both river and lake water pollution chemistry
- High degree of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and group facilitation skills.
The Agency of Natural Resources promotes justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) for marginalized groups among our coworkers and stakeholders, the public, and Vermont’s ecosystems through dialogue, collaboration, community building, and education. We envision a work environment where everyone practices justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) principles and where JEDI is foundational to our operations and interactions.