Certified Water Rights Examiner; CWRE

Overview

AKS Engineering & Forestry is seeking a Certified Water Rights Examiner (CWRE) to support water rights and water resources services for land development and infrastructure projects. This position plays a key role in researching, analyzing, and supporting water right permitting, transfers, compliance, and due diligence activities for public and private clients.

• Conduct detailed research and evaluation of surface water and groundwater rights using state records, maps, databases, and historical documentation.
• Prepare water rights summaries, ownership evaluations, use confirmations, and legal descriptions.
• Analyze water right validity, priority dates, beneficial use, points of diversion, places of use, and associated conditions. Identify potential risks, constraints, and opportunities related to water rights.
• Prepare applications for surface water, groundwater, and storage rights.
• Prepare claims of beneficial use.
• Prepare transfer applications.
• Support multidisciplinary project teams by integrating water rights considerations into project planning, land use entitlements, and infrastructure design.
• Mentor junior staff and provide technical leadership to project teams.
• Support business development through client relationships and proposals (as your experience allows).

• Obtained certification as a Certified Water Rights Examiner (CWRE).
• 5+ years of professional experience working with water rights, water resources, or regulatory permitting.
• Strong knowledge of surface water and groundwater rights in the Pacific Northwest.
• Experience working with state water rights databases, records, and mapping tools.
• Excellent communicator and collaborator who enjoys working with multidisciplinary teams.
• Self-motivated with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Committed to mentoring others and developing talent from within.
• You have a "Do what needs to be done" mindset, taking ownership beyond assigned tasks and stepping in wherever needed to keep projects, teams, and customers supported and running smoothly.

• Experience supporting land development or infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with Oregon, Washington and/or Idaho water rights regulations and agency processes.
• Experience preparing exhibits, GIS maps, or spatial analysis related to water rights.
• Experience working in a consulting environment with multiple concurrent projects.

• Meaningful Growth: Whether you re just starting out or looking to advance, we offer hands-on training, mentorship, and clear paths for professional development so you can grow with purpose.
• Real
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Join a team that brings diverse perspectives together to solve complex challenges with creativity, curiosity, and a shared commitment to quality.
• Respect for Your Time: We value work-life balance and offer generous PTO and a supportive environment that helps you manage both personal and professional responsibilities.
• Benefits That Care: You’ll have access to health coverage that supports your total well-being, plus a 401(k) match, paid holidays, and more resources to help you thrive.
• Weekly Team Lunches: Take a break and recharge with your teammates, we believe food brings people together.
• Culture That Connects: We invest in experiences that build strong teams and strong communities.
• A Place People Love to Work: We’ve been named one of the Top Workplaces year after year.

Join us and be part of a team that values your contributions, celebrates initiative, and is committed to doing things the right way for our employees, clients, and communities.