Natural Resource Specialist - Tools

NEW Solutions • Washington, DC

1d

About The Position

This non-federal, temporary enrollment opportunity is offered through NEW Solutions’ Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program, in partnership with NRCS. The enrollee will support NRCS business tools modernization efforts, helping farmers and landowners receive timely assistance and supporting conservation planning and practice implementation. The role adds field-office capacity and is intended to free NRCS staff for emergency and high-priority responses, not replace federal staff.

The position supports modernization of NRCS tools and processes used to implement conservation programs and other authorities. Work includes gathering and analyzing business needs, assessing alternatives, organizing priorities, assisting with testing, and developing and delivering training and support materials. The enrollee will work with NRCS technical and program subject matter experts on tools and processes for program enrollment, conservation planning, resource information and analysis, customer communications, site-specific system outputs, and public-facing conservation support.

The position is listed at 40 hours per week in Washington, with travel for in-person work sessions, field testing, and field-facing training. Overnight and air travel are anticipated up to two to three times per quarter. Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States and at least 55 years old. This is an at-will enrollment relationship, and the posting does not guarantee employment for a definite period.

Requirements

• At least 20 years of experience with NRCS conservation planning, program delivery policies, Farm Bill implementation software, and documenting business needs for NRCS development efforts; alternatively, a BA/BS degree in Agriculture, Conservation, Natural Resources and Environment, or a related field.
• Valid state driver’s license.
• Organizational, technical, programmatic, and interpersonal communication skills and experience sufficient to independently assist with and organize gathering business needs, testing, requirements development, and training-material development and delivery.
• Experience with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint.
• Legally eligible to work in the United States.
• Minimum age of 55.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of AWS.
• Knowledge of Conservation Desktop, Protracts, Conservation Assessment and Ranking Tool, Engineering Field Tools, and Payment Schedule Application.

Responsibilities

• Gather business needs and requirements to support NRCS programs, conservation planning, and related field and national-level tools and processes.
• Analyze alternatives and organize NRCS priorities for modernization efforts.
• Support field concept, user acceptance, and other business testing, including confirming business needs, developing test scripts, identifying testing data, capturing results and follow-up actions, and communicating test outcomes.
• Develop training materials and resources for NRCS staff, customers, and the public to support tool rollouts and ongoing use.
• Provide analysis, options, and recommendations to NRCS Modernization Team Leadership regarding staging, consolidation, and future availability of agency conservation planning, resource inventory, support, and analysis tools.
• Work with NRCS technical and program subject matter experts on program enrollment, conservation planning, resource information and analysis tools, customer communications, system outputs, and public-facing tools and information.
• Travel for in-person working sessions, field testing, and field-facing training.

Benefits

• Paid health insurance premium for positions budgeted at 60 or more hours per pay period.
• Accrued vacation and sick leave.
• Paid federal holidays.
• Optional vision and dental insurance available for positions budgeted at 35 or more hours per pay period.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time