Overview

Job ID: 127282
Location: Santa Fe
Posting End Date: 10/12/2022
Agency: Department of Environment
Full/Part-Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular – PERM for State
Job Posting Type: Standard Requisition
Salary: $24.31 – $38.89 Hourly; $50,560 – $80,895 Annually. This position is a Pay Band EE


Why does the job exist?

The position serves as a Project Officer managing existing fully funded wetlands program projects, developing new projects through inter-agency and local coordination, providing oversight to produce new wetlands action plans (basin plans) for future wetlands program projects, preparing grant proposals and work plans, conducting procurements as necessary, and ensuring implementation of projects through contractors and SWQB resources.

We are growing and seek highly engaged talent to assist us in our mission to protect and restore the environment and foster a healthy and prosperous New Mexico for present and future generations.

How does it get done?

Wetlands Program Project Officers manage specific projects that may include development of agreements and scopes of works, and oversight/management of outside contracts/consultants with specific intended outcomes. Project Officers conduct and manage Wetlands Program Development project activities funded by EPA Region 6. The position applies moderately complex technical experience in biology, hydrology, geology, and soils, and geospatial analyses to the development and implementation of ongoing wetland planning, restoration, mapping, and monitoring projects to assist with administration and protection of New Mexico’s surface water resources. This position participates in inter-agency water management/planning efforts to effectively manage water resources at the local, regional, and/or basin or interstate scale.

Wetlands Program Project Officers conduct field inspections and investigations and collect moderately complex wetlands data (including hydrology, taxonomic plant identification, ecosystem characteristics, and disturbance). Project Officers analyze and synthesize wetlands data to make recommendations for the development of monitoring protocols, standards and procedures, and to assist with mapping of various wetland types unique to arid lands and mountainous regions of New Mexico. The position maintains data management systems and handles Geographic Information Systems needs for wetlands mapping projects and documentation development. The position must coordinate with other coworkers, agencies, watershed groups and stakeholders to achieve common work elements.

Wetlands Program Project Officers assist with the administration of New Mexico’s surface water resources by managing and participating in the preparation of grant proposals for new wetlands projects and ensuring implementation of the projects through contractors and SWQB resources, including conducting procurements up to and including serving as procurement manager for Requests for Proposals as necessary. This position tracks and plans budgets for federal grants, completes required reporting under each of the grants, tracks and reports required non-federal expenditures, and reports hours worked accurately to several funding sources and codes.

Project Officers provide technical assistance to senior staff/stakeholders for decision making purposes and/or public outreach events. The position conducts public outreach, including organizing and managing technical outreach meetings (Wetlands Roundtables) attended by 100 or more people from the private and public sectors as well as writing and reviewing technical manuals, coordinating project-specific technical advisory committees, and preparing technical water resource reports/articles for the newsletter Clearing the Waters.

Who are the customers?

The position serves the people of New Mexico by ensuring wetlands are protected in the long term, with their benefits of flood protection, water quality improvement, maintenance of stream flows, and provision of habitat for fish, other aquatic life, and wildlife species that depend on or benefit from wetlands and riparian areas.

Ideal Candidate

For this position, ideal candidates will have:

1) a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Wetland Science, Botany, Geohydrology, Watershed Science, or Soils Science;
2) at least three years of experience with wetlands regulation, management, or research;
3) at least one year of experience with plant taxonomy;
4) at least one year of experience applying skills with Geographic Information Systems; and
5) six years of project management experience related to surface water quality and/or wetlands.

Minimum Qualification

Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Science, Hydrology, Geology, Environmental Science, Water Resources, Watershed Management, Physics, Natural Science, Physical Science, Life Science, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Forestry/Forest Science, Conservation Science, Wildlife Science Emergency Management or Engineering and four (4) years of relevant experience. Substitutions Apply. See Substitution Table below.

Substitution Table

These combinations of education and experience qualify you for the position:

Education

Experience

OR

Education

Experience

1 High School Diploma or Equivalent

AND

8 years of experience

High School Diploma or Equivalent

AND

8 years of experience

2 Associate’s degree in the field(s) specified in the minimum qualification

AND

6 years of experience

Associate’s degree or higher in any field

AND

8 years of experience

3 Bachelor’s degree in the field(s) specified in the minimum qualification

AND

4 years of experience

4 Master’s degree in the field(s) specified in the minimum qualification

AND

2 years of experience

5 PhD degree in the field(s) specified in the minimum qualification

AND

0 years of experience

• Education and years of experience must be related to the purpose of the position.

• If Minimum Qualification requires a specific number of “semester hours” in a field (e.g. 6 semester hours in Accounting), applicants MUST have those semester hours in order to meet the minimum qualifications. No substitutions apply for semester hours.

Employment Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Science, Hydrology, Geology, Environmental Science, Water Resources, Watershed Management, Physics, Natural Science, Physical Science, Life Science, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Forestry/Forest Science, Conservation Science, Wildlife Science, Emergency Management, or Engineering and four (4) years of relevant experience.  Must possess and maintain a valid NM Drivers License, including the ability to drive larger field vehicles (e.g., Chevy Suburban, Ford F-150, Ford Expedition, Toyota Tacoma, etc). Successful completion of the New Mexico Defensive Driving Certification Program.

Must possess and maintain a New Mexico valid Driver’s License.

Working Conditions

State of New Mexico employees may be impacted by the Public Health Order dated August 12, 2022, which requires facilities licensed or certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), including all hospital types, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, hospice facilities and rehabilitation facilities, as well as assisted living facilities and adult day care settings, to adhere to all COVID-related requirements prescribed by CMS, including, but not limited to masking and staff vaccination.

In addition, employees working in State correctional facilities who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to inmates are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Working Conditions for individuals positions in this classification will vary based on each agency’s utilization, essential functions, and the recruitment needs at the time a vacancy is posted. All requirements are submitted to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Supplemental Information

This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

As a valued new employee to the NM Environment Department, you will receive five (5) full days of leave in your leave balances right from your start date.

Agency Contact Information: Maryann McGraw | 505-490-3135 | E-mail