Soil Conservation Associate II

State of Maryland•Carroll, MD

About The Position

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is a department under Maryland's Executive Branch. Formed in 1972 by the Maryland General Assembly to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland, the Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services to include marketing and lab services, plant and pest management and resource conservation. As the number one industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs in the State continues to expand and grow. The Office of Resource Conservation provides the State's soil conservation districts with operating funds and staffing support to deliver local soil conservation and water quality programs. Agricultural landowners or operators rely on the expertise of specialists working in district offices to help them develop plans to protect natural resources and comply with environmental laws. Join our Team and make a lasting impact towards achieving environmental and conservation goals! The purpose of this position is to build on the principles of soil and water conservation engineering to achieve the Watershed Implementation Goals (WIP Ill) for Chesapeake Bay restoration and protection. Employees in this classification learn and review technical aspects of soil and water conservation practices, including soil and water conservation engineering involving engineering tasks, following prescribed methods and procedures. The principles of engineering include survey, design, and construction oversight of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on agricultural land. Staff assigned to this position receive technical guidance from NRCS District Conservationists and Engineering Staff as well as Maryland Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
One year of experience related to soil and water conservation in such areas as surveying, drafting, construction, or agricultural work.
Non-US citizens must be a US resident for 3 years to gain access to the United States Department of Agriculture Civil 3D software.

Nice To Haves

AutoCAD and/or GIS experience
Survey and/or construction experience

Responsibilities

Perform site evaluations and site-specific surveys to assess the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Develop designs of BMPs based on (NRCS) and/or MDA standards and procedures.
Participate in assigned training and meet the production goals for this position.
Track on-site construction of BMP(s) to assure adherence to approved design plans and specifications and complete As-built plans for final approval.
Assist in the fulfillment of Incentive program requirements an other programmatic needs.