Natural Resource Specialist, Aquatics

Overview: This is a collaborative position serving the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition (ENLC) and Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV). The role of the incumbent will be to further the delivery and implementation of conservation efforts associated with Upper Humboldt/O’Neil Basin Restoration Landscape, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Inflation Reduction Act, a momentous piece of legislation, allocates $161 million in funding to the BLM for rare, generation-defining investments. These investments are aimed at fortifying the resilience of selected public lands, chosen for their distinctive blend of attributes that will bring enduring benefits to both present and future generations, enhancing lives and livelihoods.

This Natural Resource Specialist (Aquatics) position will be in Elko, NV, working with the BLM Elko District Office on the focal landscape. The position will serve as a technical specialist and project manager for aquatic, fisheries, riparian, wetland, and Threatened and Endangered Species habitat projects. The purpose of this position is to provide professional expertise in aquatics, fisheries, riparian, and wetland ecosystem management, the management of Threatened and Endangered Species habitat; the development, implementation, management, and monitoring of landscape/watershed scale restoration projects for aquatics, fisheries, riparian, wetland, and Threatened and Endangered Species habitat on district managed lands which comprise of the Great Basin; and to manage relationships with partners, other agencies, non-governmental organizations, and others interested parties regarding the program area and program area resources.

This is a full time, 3-year position with the incumbent being an employee of Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition. Daily supervision, instruction and leadership will be provided by the Assistant Field Manager, Wells Field Office, Elko District. This position will be located in Elko, Nevada and will require travel throughout the BLM Elko District. The incumbent is expected to work closely with local and state partners including the BLM, TNC, TU, NDOW and others.

Major Duties: Primary duties include, but are not limited to:

Resource Management/National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (45%)

• Serves as a technical expert in the District/Field Office aquatics program, as such is a subject matter expert regarding aquatic, fisheries, riparian, and wetland resources throughout the District/Field Office. Independently plans and carries out investigations into complex wildlife, riparian, wetland, fisheries and Threatened and Endangered Species habitat management concerns. Performs habitat field inventories by setting objectives and goals, developing monitoring plans, and analyzing data for inclusion in planning documents.
• Prepares, implements, and monitors on-the-ground ecosystem-based plans specifically designed to improve or expand wildlife, riparian, wetland, and fisheries habitat, and to alleviate or eliminate detrimental impacts created by other resource uses upon wildlife, riparian, wetland, and fisheries habitat.
• Responsible for coordinating and developing plans for obtaining and analyzing aquatics program data, including identification of data needs, study methods, and the techniques necessary for the inventory, assessment, and monitoring of the aquatics program.
• Participates in the preparation and review of general resource management plans, land use plans, environmental impact statements, environmental assessments, and other NEPA and NEPA related documents. As a member of an interdisciplinary team, evaluates the impact of proposed projects on wildlife, fisheries, riparian, and wetland resources and recommends alternatives. The incumbent coordinates baseline studies with independent contractors and develops and implements mitigation and long-term monitoring.
• Advises the Assistant Field Managers (AFM), the Field Managers (FM), and District Manager (DM), as appropriate, on wildlife, riparian, wetland, fisheries and Threatened and Endangered Species Program concerns.
• Utilize automated equipment (hardware/software), data systems, and applications to accomplish the duties of the position. Collects, enters, directs, updates, and maintains habitat monitoring, species occurrence information, and other wildlife, riparian, wetland, fisheries and Threatened and Endangered Species data according to prescribed Bureau and program standards. Ensure data quality and integrity by adherence to quality control standards and procedures.
• Responsible for aspects of the Aquatic and Terrestrial Threatened and Endangered Species Program and input to plans proposed by other resource specialists to ensure that detrimental effects are eliminated or appropriately mitigated.

Project Management (35%)

• Responsible for working with, providing guidance to, and supervising seasonal crews and staff required to accomplish the required and prescribed monitoring. The incumbent provides oversight and on-the-job training to seasonal staff to accomplish habitat monitoring, habitat improvement construction and maintenance, and data management, ensuring that defensible data is gathered, and protocols are properly followed.
• Develops projects and serves as project manager for interdisciplinary landscape/watershed level restoration projects focused on aquatic, riparian, and/or wetland habitat, ensuring project alignment within the multiple use mission of the agency.
• Analyzes restoration project planning data pertaining to a variety of resources, including but not limited to, geohydrology, minerals, threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, urban growth, air quality, watershed, riparian, fisheries, realty, recreation, wilderness, military activity, and range management.
• Develops the path for each project schedule and determines type, amount, and level of information required for development and analysis of alternatives for decision making.
• Ensures that management is fully advised of the possible consequences of all project actions including the social and economic implications.
• Maintains all required technical training and certifications required for the management of the assigned projects.
• Assists project Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on projects as needed, monitoring contract work and managing project timelines.

Liaison and Other Duties as Assigned (20%)

• Serves as point of contact for individual and local groups on wildlife, riparian, wetland, fisheries and Threatened and Endangered Species habitat matters.
• Manages the collection and analysis of data, formulation of conclusions, and drafting of assessments.
• Monitor work progress during the year to ensure objectives are met, reports and annual accomplishments are completed on time.
• Assist leadership and program leads in securing funding through the development of funding proposals.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of major policy guidance such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act.
• Professional knowledge of land management concepts, principles, and practices to perform duties connected with planning for management of a variety of natural resources.
• Knowledge of aquatic ecology and population dynamics.
• Familiarity of the Great Basin upland and riparian restoration procedures.
• Professional knowledge and experience in complex project planning and management, including successful management of schedules, budgets, and contractors.
• An understanding of the BLM agency, its multiple use mission, policy, regulations, etc. is preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with land managers and partner agency staff.
• Able to undergo a BLM background investigation with a favorable adjudication.
• Ability to pass a drug screen and meet the agency drug-free policy.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Work involves both office and field work. Field work involves driving highway and off-road vehicles and traversing rugged terrain on foot.
• Any combination of training and/or experience that will enable the applicant to possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered.

Wage and Benefits: $70,000 to $80,000 (based on experience) annually. Benefits include a 403-b retirement plan, health insurance, competitive Paid Time Off accrual, and eligibility to ProDeals, such as Outdoor Prolink. Salary is equivalent to a Federal GS-11 position for the local area. Position is eligible for annual salary increases based on performance.

More about the BLM-IWJV partnership:

In 2016, the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established Partnering to Conserve Sagebrush Rangelands, an initiative spanning all or parts of the 11 western states. Together, the IWJV and BLM along with numerous state and local partners have worked together to build this initiative into an established model, delivering conservation and restoration through a collaborative, cross boundary landscape scale approach. The IWJV’s role is to support the BLM and partners by providing: 1) coordination and staffing to increase field-level capacity in priority landscapes, 2) science capacity and technical transfer to better focus implementation and evaluate outcomes, 3) enhanced communications and outreach, and 4) strengthened partnerships for projects related to sage grouse and sagebrush ecosystems.

About Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition (ENLC):

ENLC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) environmental conservation organization dedicated to the advancement ecosystem health and rehabilitation through projects, research, education, and partnerships throughout the West. ENLC was created by several federal agencies recognizing the need for landscape restoration and rehabilitation support from the private sector following the catastrophic fires of 1999 which burned over 2 million acres in Nevada. Since then, our team has conducted wildlife, vegetation, and environmental surveys, as well as weed treatments and other landscape restoration projects across over 10 million acres of public and private lands in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Idaho.

About the Elko, NV Area:

The Elko District BLM encompasses 12.5 million acres and has topography typical of the Great Basin with broad valleys separated by mountain ranges. Nestled in the valley of the Ruby Mountains, it is only a 20-minute drive into one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the state. Often described as the Swiss Alps of Nevada, the Ruby Mountains’ steep peaks rise nearly 5,000 feet above the valley below, capped by Ruby Dome at over 10,000 feet. The drive to the top of the infamous Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway is less than an hour from Elko, where the hikes range from half days to multi-day thru-hikes on the Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail, highlighting jagged peaks and stunning alpine lakes. In the wintertime, the Rubies boast 200+ inches of cold smoke snow each year; seducing snowshoers, snowmobilers, yurt hikers, and powder-hungry backcountry and heli-skiers alike. North of Elko, the Jarbidge Wilderness beckons to climbers and canyoneers, and can be found chock-full of wildflowers in the spring and summer months.

The city of Elko (population 21,000) is located along the I-80 corridor and is approximately 230 miles west of Salk Lake City, UT and 290 miles east of Reno, NV. Full of rich Nevada history, local attractions include the annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and the well-known Basque Festival. The Humboldt River cuts through Elko’s city center, and hot springs are located right outside the city. Elko was ranked in the top 62% best cities to live in the world in 2022.