Water Conservation Specialist - Adjudication Specialist

Are you interested in historic water use, water rights, maps, and aerial photo interpretation? Would you find working in a career that has both legal and technical challenges interesting?

Would you like assisting water right owners? If so, consider working for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Water Resources Division in Missoula, MT.

At DNRC we are passionate about ensuring that Montana's land and water resources remain a benefit today and for future generations. We are actively seeking an Adjudication Specialist who values the vast resources in our treasure state as much as we do.

The DNRC believes employees are their most important asset. The DNRC empowers employees to exercise professional judgment in carrying out their duties.

Employees are provided with the training and tools necessary to achieve the mission. Both team effort and individual employee expertise are supported and sustained.

WORK UNIT OVERVIEW:

The Water Resource Division is responsible for managing Montana's water for the present and future needs of its people. We compile accurate, up-to-date stream flow data from more than 90 monitoring gages, providing critical data for managing reservoirs, irrigation schedules, water rights permitting and adjudication, implementation of Montana's water compacts, floodplain management and other services for farmers, ranchers, citizens and communities. We also manage the operation and maintenance of 24 state-owned dams and 250 miles of irrigation canals.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Adjudication Water Resource Specialist performs a variety of duties associated with managing Montana's water resources. The Specialist works primarily with the adjudication programs in the Helena Regional Office.

The Specialist analyzes statements of claim filed in the adjudication process, water right records, and other data sources to identify legal and factual issues, perform aerial photograph and regional analyses, interview claimants, synthesize this data, and report findings to the Water Court. As decrees are issued, the Specialist evaluates and prepares comments regarding potential DNRC objections. The Specialist also performs investigations, gives testimony in water rights cases, and provides assistance to the Water Court in collecting, checking, processing, recording, and maintaining water right claims, evidence, records, and case documents.

The Specialist provides assistance and information to other agencies and the public regarding state water use laws, water availability, and local water use patterns. The program also provides information and support for the state water rights records system.

This position requires knowledge of Montana water law, relevant interstate and reserved water compacts, rules, policies, procedures, and government operations. The person in this position will need to have skill in reading, understanding, and interpreting land descriptions, as well as the ability to convey complex laws and technical information to the public in a clear and concise manner.

An expertise in records research and report writing are also desirable. This position will also require the ability to understand water uses, measurements, and issues.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS:  The DNRC may include the following factors in determining whether an applicant meets the qualifications of a position vacancy by: State of MT application form, cover letter, current resume, educational requirements, structured interview, a performance test, job-related reference checks, job-related work experience, job-related past and current performance.

REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR THIS POSITION ARE:

• Resume

• Cover letter

TIP: When attaching your resume, cover letter and other material, you must mark the attachments as "relevant"

If you have any questions regarding this position, please email Rebecca.quick@mt.gov

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

• Bachelor's degree in natural resource management or the natural sciences.

• One year of experience with water-resource management.

• Other combinations of education and experience may be substituted.

Preferred knowledge:

• Knowledge of Montana water law, relevant interstate and reserved water compacts, rules, policies, procedures, and government operations.

• Knowledge of water resource-related management theories, principles, concepts and practices; field investigation methodologies; and negotiation, and conflict resolution techniques.

• Knowledge of local water availability, water use practices, water measurement techniques and devices, irrigation methods and designs, public land ownership records, court decrees and orders.

• Knowledge of local, state, and federal governmental administrative processes.

Special Information: Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States. A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months.

Eligibility to Work: In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver's license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card". The State of Montana does not sponsor.