Watershed Coordinator

East Central University•Ada, OK

1d•$65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Watershed Coordinator supports the mission of Oka’- The Water Institute at East Central University, by leading producer-focused outreach and beginning-level conservation support that primarily advance water quality and long-term water sustainability in southern Oklahoma. The position emphasizes engagement with farmers, ranchers, tribes, and rural communities to encourage adoption of land management approaches that protect and enhance water resources through improved soil and plant health. The Watershed Coordinator advances the Land Stewardship Focus Area’s central focus on water quality and long-term water sustainability by helping producers in southern Oklahoma implement traditional and regenerative land management practices that protect soils, strengthen plant communities, and support resilient habitats and rural economies across the Southern Plains. This position is a grant funded position. The coordinator focuses on relationship-building, coordination, and communication, while progressively developing technical skills in conservation planning, grazing and vegetation management, watershed function, and field-based monitoring through structured training and mentorship within the Land Stewardship Focus Area.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, natural resources, environmental science, rangeland management, animal science, communications, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated interest in working with farmers, ranchers, tribes, and rural communities on water-focused land stewardship or agricultural issues.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with producers and partner organizations.
Willingness to progressively develop technical skills in conservation planning, grazing and vegetation management, watershed processes, and prescribed fire through training and mentorship.
Ability to work independently in the field and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment.

Nice To Haves

Field experience in grazing systems, livestock management, range or pasture monitoring, or prescribed fire operations.
Familiarity with traditional and regenerative agricultural practices that link soil and plant health to water quality, watershed resilience, and habitat conditions.
Basic skills in GIS, GPS, and field data collection methods relevant to natural resource and watershed projects preferred or willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain relationships with agricultural producers, producer groups, conservation districts, tribal partners, and other organizations to increase awareness of OKA’ Institute’s water-focused land stewardship and watershed initiatives in southern Oklahoma.
Coordinate and schedule on-farm and ranch-based meetings, workshops, and site visits to discuss producer goals, water-related resource concerns, and opportunities to participate in stewardship programming.
Clearly communicate available services and resources within the Land Stewardship program, including technical assistance, planning support, water-conscious grazing strategies, and demonstration projects.
Assist in organizing and delivering producer field days, peer learning events, and community presentations that highlight how soil and plant management, grazing, habitat practices, and prescribed fire contribute to water quality and watershed health.
Maintain records of outreach contacts, meetings, events, and follow-up actions to support internal program tracking, reporting, and grant obligations.
Under supervision, assist landowners with basic conservation planning focused on water quality and watershed function, including initial resource inventories, identification of water-related concerns, and documentation of current land use and management.
Support development and refinement of grazing and forage management approaches, in both traditional and regenerative systems, that improve soil and plant health, reduce erosion, and enhance water infiltration and retention on cooperating operations.
Participate in vegetation and ground cover observations, simple carrying capacity assessments, and basic soil and habitat condition checks to inform adaptive management for water, soil, and ecosystem outcomes.
Progressively develop skills in watershed processes, rangeland and pasture ecology, and wildlife habitat relationships so that technical guidance increasingly reinforces water quality and watershed sustainability goals.
Participate in prescribed burns and local prescribed burn association activities as part of integrated land stewardship, carrying out fire crew tasks, equipment operation, and safety practices under appropriate supervision.
Assist with planning and logistics for prescribed fires used to improve plant communities, manage woody encroachment, and support habitat conditions that, in turn, benefit watershed function and water quality.
Support field demonstrations that integrate grazing, vegetation management, and prescribed fire as complementary tools to protect soils, reduce runoff, and enhance ecosystem resilience.
Assist with applied research and demonstration projects related to water-conscious grazing, watershed management, and habitat practices in southern Oklahoma by recruiting cooperating producers, coordinating field access, and collecting basic field data following established protocols.
Contribute to summarizing observations and monitoring results for internal reports, producer feedback, and outreach or extension-style materials developed by the Land Stewardship team.
Maintain awareness of other OKA’ Focus Areas (e.g., water science, sustainable communities, and water policy) and collaborate as needed to connect producer-facing work with broader water quality, monitoring, or sustainability initiatives.
Engage, as appropriate, with state, tribal, and local water quality and conservation programs to align outreach and practice adoption efforts with applicable goals and opportunities.
Other duties as assigned by Supervisor or designee.