Water Resources Scientist

JOB SUMMARY

This position requires professional skills and abilities to protect surface and ground water resources collaboratively with a team of highly qualified scientists. Through its federally-reserved treaty rights, the Muckleshoot Tribe is a co-manager of salmon, steelhead, and other fisheries resources within the Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed Fishing Area (U&A), which includes the Lake Washington/Cedar River, the White/Puyallup River, and the Green/Duwamish River watersheds.

This position evaluates potential impacts and strategies to minimize impacts of water management plans, water rights applications, stormwater management proposals, and residential, commercial, municipal, state, or federal projects on anadromous salmonids, other fishery/shellfish resources, and/or their habitat within these watersheds. This position also assists in negotiating and implementing existing agreements on water management regimes in these watersheds.

MAJOR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This list is intended only to illustrate the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements does not exclude them from the position if the work is a similar, related or logical assignment to the position.

• Screens and reviews pending water rights applications, development proposals/permits, and water management plans in the Tribe’s U&A watersheds, to assess potential impacts on surface and ground water resources important for anadromous salmonids, other fishery/shellfish resources, and/or their habitat. Seeks opportunities to protect surface and ground water resources, and identifies measures to avoid or mitigate impacts.
• Coordinates with other government agencies and tribal staff in identifying and implementing priorities, strategies and solutions for the protection of anadromous salmonids and habitat, related to land use, water resources, water quality, major fish passage projects, and physical fish habitat.
• Works collaboratively with other programs within the Tribe’s Fisheries Division to administer and protect water rights for the Tribe’s current and future fish production facilities. Works with state agencies to ensure that water supplies at state hatcheries in the U&A are similarly protected.
• Coordinates with other government agencies to identify and implement strategies and solutions for the protection of ground and surface water resources related to anadromous salmonids, other fishery/shellfish resources, and aquatic habitat.
• Provides written recommendations on permit applications and project proposals to ensure that instream flow and water management rules and other environmental regulations are properly applied and implemented.
• Coordinates with other government agencies to implement the Tribe’s flow management agreements within the Tribe’s U&A watersheds.
• Conducts hydrological modeling and/or research, including the potential impacts of climate change on water resources.
• Reviews new or proposed legislation and/or regulations from local governments, state and federal agencies and identifies potential issues that could diminish water flows in the U&A.
• Gathers information from a number of sources and prepares and maintains various technical reports and records for the programs.
• Assists in preparing for real-time drought response coordination with water utilities and the Corps of Engineers.
• Because of the Tribe’s commitment to community service and the well-being of its members, each employee may be expected to perform a wide range of office and field duties from time to time. Such duties may or may not be related to their regular responsibilities.

EDUCATION - EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING FOR POSITION

A Master’s Degree from an accredited university or college in Civil Engineering, Environmental…