ODOT Liaison (Natural Resource Specialist 4)

Make a Difference for Oregon. The Department of State Lands manages the lands that help fund our public schools and protects the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide. Our stewardship ensures vital natural and financial resources contribute to a vibrant, healthy Oregon now and forever. The DSL team makes a difference for Oregonians every day. As our Oregon Department of Transportation Liaison, you will too.

This position is responsible for representing the regulatory program of DSL for ODOT’s project needs including issuance of removal-fill permits, reviewing jurisdictional determinations and delineations, and implementation and maintenance of guidance and policy documents, procedures, and protocols pertaining to administration of the removal-fill law and rules as it applies to transportation projects.

What’s in it for you?

• Serve as DSL’s technical expert for the removal fill program and work as an interagency liaison between ODOT and DSL.
• Join an organization with smart, driven, co-workers who care about Oregon’s economy, environment, and communities, and their co-workers.
• Gain full benefits with 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums paid by the agency for full-time employees, including mental health coverage.
• Accrue 8 hours of sick leave and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.
• Receive 11 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday, 3 personal business days and other employee benefits such as optional insurances and flexible spending plans.
• Automatically enroll into the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) after 6 months of full-time service.
• Earn the initial monthly salary range for this position starting at $5,746 – $8,831 for employees new to DSL; as a current PERS participating member, start at $6,143-$9,444.

This position is represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

This position is statewide and may report directly to either our Salem or Bend field office.

Working Conditions:

Much of the work is in a hybrid office setting; but remote fieldwork along waterways or on rough terrain is expected and is required to complete assigned work. Travel is an essential function of the position. Overnight stays and/or extended work hours can be expected along with exposure to inclement weather and road conditions.

What you will be doing:

This position undertakes special projects, provides technical assistance and consultation with ODOT and other state and federal agencies, and develops process improvement and streamlining initiatives that benefit both ODOT and DSL. In this position, you will:

• Provide quality control/quality assurance for DSL to ensure consistent application of wetland and waterway permits by developing written guidance documents and coordinating with ODOT to develop ODOT internal policies.
• Develop and deliver training to ODOT and DSL staff and helps to ensure that state law and agency rules and policies are implemented consistently within both agencies.
• Promote customer service, increase public awareness of DSL and its programs, and build support among the public and other stakeholders.
• Review ODOT standards and practices relevant to work in and around waters of the state; standards for DSL jurisdictional determinations for ditches, streams, and rivers; standards for complete permit application preparation; coordination of application review process, and permit acquisition.
• Represent the regulatory program of DSL for ODOT’s project needs including issuance of removal-fill permits and reviewing jurisdictional delineations and implementation and maintenance of guidance and policy documents, procedures, and protocols pertaining to administration of the removal-fill law and rules.
• Provide a high degree of technical and scientific expertise and policy guidance to ODOT, local governments and other state and federal natural resource agencies on issues relating to removal-fill permitting.
• Receive and process removal-fill applications; negotiate terms and conditions of permits; provide technical assistance for project design to avoid and minimize impacts.
• Critique reports for soundness of data collection, interpretation, and compatibility with statutes for jurisdictional determinations and delineations.
• Facilitate resolution of removal fill law contraventions between ODOT and DSL to the betterment of the environment, while avoiding excessive cost and simultaneously diffusing potentially politically charged situations.
• Monitor projects in terms of the permit and mitigation conditions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Three (3) years of experience in natural resource management. At least one year of the experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program 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 natural resource management, or three additional years of the required experience.

OR

A master’s degree in natural resource management will substitute for up to one year of the required experience.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES:

• Extensive knowledge of Oregon’s Removal Fill laws and program
• Strong working knowledge of jurisdictional determination and delineation review
• High degree of technical and scientific expertise in terms of plan review, design, and transportation projects
• Understanding of transportation construction
• Understanding of City, County, State, and Federal agency professionals and their respective missions, rules, and laws.
• Extensive knowledge of the theory, practices, and principles of a specific natural resource discipline or program.

**You must attach a cover letter of no more than two pages explaining your experience in the above desired attributes to be considered.

Applicants that meet the minimum qualifications and most closely match the desired attributes will be invited for an interview.

The Oregon Department of State Lands is committed to seeking and sustaining a culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse working environment hire staff interested in supporting environmental justice by including communities traditionally underrepresented in public processes. We encourage members of these communities to apply, even if they do not meet 100% of the desired attributes. The Oregon Department of State Lands understands that an authentic focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace will in turn create a workforce aligned to meet the challenge of serving of all Oregonians.

Additional Information:

• For more information about applying for positions with the State of Oregon via Workday, you may visit the Oregon job opportunities website at: www.oregon.gov/jobs
• 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.
• As an employer, DSL complies with Oregon’s pay equity law. Salary offers are made with consideration of the candidate’s education and experience. For more information on pay equity, click here.
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• For questions about the job duties or application process, please contact tricarico.schwartz@dsl.oregon.gov or call 971-304-5881 to speak to our recruitment team.