Hydro Tech

Measure Montana’s Rivers – And Grow Your Hydrology Career

What if your next job took you from your desk to fast moving rivers, mountain streams, and groundwater monitoring wells—often in the same week? The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Water Resources Division is recruiting a Hydrologic Technician 3 to support Montana’s stream gage and groundwater monitoring networks and assist hydrologic investigations across the state.

If you enjoy hands‑on field work, solving technical problems, and using data to inform water management, this role lets you work on projects that matter to communities, ecosystems, and water users across Montana.

• Support the DNRC Stream Gage Program with the Hydro‑Sciences Data Section.
• Measure water level and stream discharge in a wide range of field conditions, including deep, fast‑moving rivers and bridge‑based measurements using Acoustic Doppler sensors and bridge cranes.
• Install, verify, maintain, and decommission stream gages using standard survey methods and field techniques.
• Program and maintain data collection platforms; enter and review field data; and create plots, hydro graphs, and preliminary stage/discharge rating curves.
• Review gage height and discharge data for accuracy and assist with station review and publication.
• Help design, install, operate, and maintain a real‑time groundwater well network using cellular and GOES technology, including QA/QC of transmitted data.

• Collect surface water and groundwater data using established methods and standardized procedures.
• Help design and implement field sampling plans.
• Participate in synoptic data runs on rivers and streams across Montana, including rafting or kayaking to reach remote locations and collecting discharge measurements.
• Contribute to hydrologic investigation reports, technical memoranda, and other project documents.

• Coordinate data collection platform assignments with NOAA and the GOES satellite network.
• Collaborate with staff in the Hydro-Sciences Data and Study Sections and with partners to support high‑quality hydrologic data collection and analysis.

• Value People
• Stewardship
• Service
• Credibility
• Engagement

Live and work in Helena, Montana, which offers a unique blend of opportunities and natural beauty, situated between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Montana offers abundant recreational opportunities, including skiing, camping, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, and hiking.

Additional benefits include:

• Work/life balance with flexible schedules and telework eligibility.
• Generous paid leave (vacation, sick, holidays), with vacation leave increasing with service.
• Longevity pay with continued state service.
• Health, dental, vision, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts.
• Access to free employee medical clinics and telehealth.
• Retirement plans (Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution plus an optional 457(b) Plan).
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness - may qualify you for student loan forgiveness.
• Career progression, professional development, and state employee discounts.
• Up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.

Alternative combinations of the education and experience listed below will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.

• A bachelor’s degree in hydrology, geology, civil engineering, agricultural engineering, water resources, or forest management with an emphasis in hydrology.
• A minimum of one year of pertinent, progressively responsible related experience.

If you are the right person for this opportunity, you will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Principles and methods of hydrology, hydraulics, and groundwater hydrology.
• Hydrologic data collection, analysis, and reporting for surface water and groundwater.
• Installation, configuration, and maintenance of hydrologic monitoring equipment and data collection platforms.
• Field surveying to establish,…