Natural Resources Specialist II (15278, Grade 24)

The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission•Wheaton, MD

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Montgomery Parks is seeking a dedicated, organized, and skilled natural resource professional to assist in project review and environmental restoration. The Natural Resource Specialist II will work in the Environmental Review and Restoration Unit of the Park Planning and Stewardship Division. The position involves conducting Concept Review of projects that may impact the natural, recreational, and cultural resources of the Parks Department. They will work with engineers, planners, natural resource staff, consultants, and design teams to ensure that the project is beneficial and feasible; environmental impacts are avoided where possible; and if necessary, develop an appropriate mitigation plan. The successful candidate will assist in preparing presentations outlining Parks’ recommendations to the Montgomery County Planning Board through the Mandatory Referral Process, attend public meetings, and respond to citizen questions regarding the project. The position also involves supporting environmental restoration projects from design to construction, which includes natural resource assessments, GIS analysis, and construction oversight. The successful candidate will have experience in reviewing design plans, collecting environmental field data, and construction oversight. Qualified applicants will exhibit strong communication and interpersonal skills and demonstrate an ability to work effectively with a wide variety of agencies, special interest groups, Parks staff, consultants, contractors, and the general public. The successful candidate will have experience in the review of stream restoration, stormwater management creation and retrofit, wetland creation, transportation, utility, and/or other development projects – specifically for natural resource impacts. They will also have extensive knowledge in one or more of the following fields: freshwater ecology, natural resource management, environmental engineering, wetland delineation, forest ecology, land use planning, and/or GIS.

Requirements

Strong written, verbal, presentation, organizational, creative-thinking, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly to staff, partner agencies, community members, and the general public.
Ability to gather, organize, analyze, interpret, and report scientific, technical, and project information to develop sound findings and recommendations.
Ability to independently prioritize and manage multiple projects, assignments, meetings, and deadlines while maintaining accurate records and consistent communication.
Collaborative and service-oriented approach, strong work ethic, and cooperative spirit, with the ability to establish effective working relationships and interact respectfully with people of varied backgrounds across departments and disciplines.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Excel, SharePoint, OneDrive, and other enterprise or specialized software used for planning, scheduling, communication, research, presentations, data collection, documentation, and reporting.
Ability to organize, review, process, and maintain reports, procedures, guidelines, project records, correspondence, and permit documentation received from multiple sources.
Ability to develop and manage accessible website content and other digital information in accordance with applicable ADA requirements.
Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resources Management, Environmental Science, Forestry, Ecology, Wildlife Management, Fisheries Management or any related field.
Three (3) years of progressively responsible natural resources or wildlife management experience or related experience.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted, which together total seven (7) years.
Valid driver’s license in accordance with both State and Commission rules and regulations.
Driver’s license must be unencumbered by restrictions, revocations, suspensions, or points that could limit the employee’s ability to drive Commission vehicles or perform driving duties required by the position of assignment.
Pass Commission medical examination.
Depending on area of assignment, the ability to acquire related program certification (e.g., pesticide certification, trapping license, boating license).

Nice To Haves

The ability to read and understand technical engineering drawings.
Experience reviewing design plans for development, stream restoration, stormwater management, wetland creation, transportation infrastructure, utility improvements, or similar projects for natural resource impacts.
Knowledge of Federal, State, and County environmental laws, policies, permitting requirements, and land use review processes.
Knowledge of stream restoration, stormwater management, wetland, and/or habitat restoration design and construction methods.
Experience with GIS applications and environmental project databases, including mapping, spatial analysis, and project tracking.
Experience conducting natural resource field assessments using established protocols, such as habitat assessments, vegetation monitoring, wetland delineation, groundwater monitoring, and stream sampling.
Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Coordinate the Concept Review of external projects to evaluate the impacts to Park resources from development plans being proposed to occur on or adjacent to parkland.
Attend review meetings with agency staff, agency consultants, and other stakeholders.
Lead internal stakeholder reviews of projects and update directorate on project status.
Identify project constraints, resource impacts, and opportunities to avoid or minimize impacts.
Coordinate proposed mitigation for approved natural resource impacts.
Prepare technical reports, recommendations, maps, graphics, and presentations for the Mandatory Referral process, the Montgomery County Planning Board, department leadership, and other decision-makers.
Provide natural resource expertise for the identification and planning of stream restoration, stormwater management, wetland creation, riparian restoration, habitat enhancement, and related environmental restoration projects.
Conduct baseline monitoring and site assessments to evaluate project alternatives, design approaches, and measures to minimize construction impacts to park resources.
Assist with developing scopes of work, technical requirements, project schedules, and recommendations that support effective restoration and resource protection.
Provide natural resource expertise for the design, coordination, and implementation of stream restoration, stormwater management, wetland creation, riparian restoration and tree planting, habitat enhancement, and related environmental projects.
Coordinate environmental restoration work with project managers, designers, regulatory agencies, consultants, contractors, park managers, and other stakeholders from initial investigation through project completion.
Track historical, current, and future environmental projects on parkland through a GIS database