Conservation Technician

Position: Conservation Technician-Washburn County, WI

Salary

$53,820.00 – $62,536.50 Annually

Location 

Shell Lake – Courthouse, WI

Job Type

Full-Time

Department

Land & Water Conservation Department

Opening Date 03/30/2026

Purpose of Position/General Statement/Distinguishing Features of Position

Provides professional services in the planning, design, and implementation of programs that protect, restore, and sustain soil and water resources. The position is responsible for the administration of conservation programs that exercise the powers granted to the County Land Conservation Committee, pursuant to Wisconsin State Statue Chapter 92, ensuring compliance with state standards for land and water resource management. 

Primary Duties/Job Functions

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be assigned or required. 

• Program Administration (ATCP 50): Administer the Soil and Water Resource Management (SWRM) program, including the preparation of annual reports, grant applications, and the distribution of cost-share funds.
• Watershed Planning: Develop and update the County’s Land and Water Resource Management plan in accordance with ATCP 50 and NR 151 to identify pollution sources and estimate pollutant load reductions.
• Nonmetallic Mining Oversight: Administer the Nonmetallic Mining Reclamation Ordinance by reviewing reclamation plans, conducting site inspections, and ensuring mining operations meet stabilization and environmental standards.
• Conservation Design: Provide technical layouts and “as-built” plans for conservation practices, verifying that installations meet design specifications before the release of cost-share funds. Examples include wetland restoration, animal waste storage, runoff control and grade stabilization structures, vegetative filter strips, streambank and shoreline protection, and more.
• Regulatory Compliance: Monitor and enforce state cropland and livestock performance standards, including manure management prohibitions and nutrient management plan reviews.
• Grant Coordination: Apply for and manage various grants for the county and local partners, overseeing project design, bidding processes, and construction supervision.
• Engineering Work Review: Projects are reviewed with oversight staff from DATCP and/or NRCS. Employee will have the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, technical notes, engineering manuals, other policy and procedural handbooks, as well as industry standards and specifications for guidance.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• State Administrative Codes: Comprehensive understanding of ATCP 50 (SWRM Program) and NR 151 (Runoff Management).
• Required Regulatory Knowledge: Maintain working knowledge of ATCP 51 (Livestock Facility Siting) and ATCP 52 (Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants) to support regional conservation initiatives.
• Mining Reclamation: Knowledge of procedures for financial assurance, public notice requirements, and technical standards for the reclamation of nonmetallic mining sites.
• Technical Modeling: Ability to use watershed-modeling programs and tools like BARNY and APLE-Lots for nutrient yield analysis and BMP effectiveness.
• Surveying & Design: Proficiency with Survey quality GPS, laser levels, and software such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS, and Snap+.
• Land Information Tools: Ability to use LiDAR; topographic, wetland, and soil maps; plat books, and other land information tools.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING REQUIRED:
Bachelor’s degree with one year of experience or an Associate degree with three years of experience in Natural Resources, Watershed Management, or Agriculture. Ability to maintain training and Job Approval authority on an annual basis. Possession of valid Wisconsin driver’s license and the ability to obtain a Notary Public commission. 

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Ability to work under conditions that require exposure to environmental factors such as temperature variations and extremes, noise, machinery, traffic hazards, wetness and/or dust.  This exposure may cause some discomfort and presents a risk of injury.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:
Personal computers, including word processing, spreadsheet, database, and computer aided design software; standard equipment of a data processing office, including photocopiers, calculator, telephone, voicemail, mainframe computer terminal. Motor vehicle, shovel, level transit, etc.

CLOSING STATEMENT:

This position description has been prepared to assist in defining job responsibilities, physical demands, working conditions and skills needed. It is not intended as a complete list of job duties, responsibilities and/or essential functions. This description is not intended to limit or modify the right of the supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The County retains and reserves any and all rights to change, modify, amend, add to, or delete from any section of this document as it deems, in its judgement, to be proper.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. The duties are subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Employer

Washburn, County of (WI)

Address

10 Fourth Avenue
Shell Lake, Wisconsin, 54871