About the Role
Foster Creek Conservation District is seeking a highly self-motivated and skilled individual to join the District as a Resource Specialist. This is a full-time position, key to many of Foster Creek’s natural resource programs responsible for implementing technical assistance on projects, cost share activities, and providing public outreach. Our programs are focused on implementing highly impactful projects with private landowners where coordination with state and federal partners can help achieve large landscape scale improvements to natural resources. Foster Creek has built many successful programs around our ecosystem, communities, and their needs. With steady growth over the last couple of years our entity has doubled in size, increased our educational reach, and helped provide technical assistance on thousands of acres across many different projects. Foster Creek CD is in Douglas County, Washington with a physical office space located in the town of Waterville, serving the northern half of Douglas County. This position is funded through grants from several state and federal grant programs and relies on successful future grant applications to continue its funding. This position reports directly to Foster Creek CD’s District Manager and is eligible for partial remote work opportunities.

Service Area
Douglas County is where the unique Washington Shrub Steppe meets the Columbia River, the Cascade mountains, and is all connect by rolling wheat fields and other agricultural production. This geologically rich environment has a unique history of formation creating much of the beauty and grandeur that also lends to an area rich with ecological features and natural resources. Nestled in the middle of the state the area is close to any recreational adventure you seek. The small, hometown vibes with endless exploration makes Douglas County a unique adventure with a rural flare.

Typical duties of the Natural Resource Specialist will be to overseeing management of existing restoration projects and continue to plan future restoration projects involving Low-Tech Process-Based restoration, riparian planting, invasive species control, and other techniques in a dryland system. Develop and secure various permits and agreements necessary to carry out program objectives. Work to supervise the implementation of these projects, coordinating other Foster Creek CD staff, partners, and volunteers. Along with other projects as assigned.
You will work to build relationships with community members and landowners to help carry out the mission and goals of Foster Creek CD and various projects, ensuring to provide the best quality technical assistance. This position will require adaptability creativity, dedication, and passion for conservation, natural resource, and working with members of the public.

Minimum Qualifications
A qualified candidate must have:

• A bachelor’s degree involving a major in environmental or physical science, one of the natural sciences, planning or other closely related field and two years of professional level experience. An associate degree in environmental or physical science or technology or other closely related field may be substituted for a Bachelor’s Degree if the applicant has three years or more of applicable experience.
• Strong organizational and written/verbal communication skills.
• Minimum two years of professional experience in either restoration planning, project planning, or technical assistance
• Strong knowledge of MS Office applications (Word, Excel are essential). Basic competency with GIS software is preferred.
• Must have demonstrated ability in handling multiple projects and the capability of working with diverse individuals and small groups.
• Must be able to work in remote and rugged locations under a variety of weather conditions, traverse difficult upland and instream terrain, and carry field equipment necessary to complete required job tasks.
• Must be willing to obtain a Washington State Pesticide Applicators License
• Must have a valid driver’s license.

Desired Attributes
A well-qualified candidate will have some or all the following qualifications:

• Experience providing technical assistance to the public, including private landowners, farm operators, and managers.
• Knowledge/experience implementing restoration projects in dryland systems.
• Knowledgeable in natural resource project development and conservation practice implementation in waterways.
• Capable of conducting outreach to landowners, farm operators, and managers to generate new voluntary conservation projects.
• Strong skills in multi-tasking and the ability to meet multiple deadlines with an exceptional standard of quality control.
• Experience designing and editing project site plans, with proven success of implementing them. Including experience of permitting and cultural resource review.
• Knowledge/experience working within grant deliverables and budgets.
• Ability to write grants to promote future District work.

This position is a full-time, non-exempt position with compensation starting at $25 per hour to $28.30 per hour based on experience and/or qualifications. Benefits include access to state insurance with company paid contributions, accrued paid sick leave, annual leave, 12 paid public holidays and retirement contributions after one year of service. Terms of compensation and benefits are set by position appointment letter and may be amended at any time by the Board of Supervisors. Position may require some work on Saturdays or after regularly scheduled work hours.