SOIL Conservation Associate II

Overview

Introduction The Maryland Department of Agriculture is a department under Maryland's Executive Branch. Formed in 1972 by the Maryland General Assembly to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland, the Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services to include marketing and lab services, plant and pest management and resource conservation. As the number one industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs in the State continues to expand and grow.

The Office of Resource Conservation provides the State's soil conservation districts with operating funds and staffing support to deliver local soil conservation and water quality programs. Agricultural landowners or operators rely on the expertise of specialists working in district offices to help them develop plans to protect natural resources and comply with environmental laws.

Join our Team and make a lasting impact towards achieving environmental and conservation goals!

GRADE ASTD
12

LOCATION OF POSITION

• Central Soil Conservation Region — 1 opening in Harford County
• Western Soil Conservation Region — 1 opening in Carroll County
• Eastern Shore Soil Conservation Region — 1 opening in Talbot County

The purpose of this position is to build on the principles of soil and water conservation engineering to achieve the Watershed Implementation Goals (WIP Ill) for Chesapeake Bay restoration and protection. Employees in this classification learn and review technical aspects of soil and water conservation practices, including soil and water conservation engineering involving engineering tasks, following prescribed methods and procedures. The principles of engineering include survey, design, and construction oversight of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on agricultural land.

Staff assigned to this position receive technical guidance from NRCS District Conservationists and Engineering Staff as well as Maryland Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians.

• Perform site evaluations and site-specific surveys to assess the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs).
• Develop designs of BMPs based on (NRCS) and/or MDA standards and procedures.
• Participate in assigned training and meet the production goals for this position.
• Track on-site construction of BMP(s) to assure adherence to approved design plans and specifications and complete As-built plans for final approval.
• Assist in the fulfillment of Incentive program requirements and other programmatic needs.

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: One year of experience related to soil and water conservation in such areas as surveying, drafting, construction, or agricultural work.

• Candidates may substitute one year of additional experience as defined above for the required education.
• Candidates may substitute education at an accredited college or university at a rate of 30 credit hours per year with at least nine credit hours of course work in engineering, construction, drafting, surveying, science, agronomy, or mathematics or any combination of the above for the required experience.
• Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in soil conservation classification or soil conservation specialty codes in the natural resources management and biological sciences field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.
• Requirement - Non-US citizens must be a US resident for 3 years to gain access to the United States Department of Agriculture Civil 3D software.

• AutoCAD and/or GIS experience
• Survey and/or construction experience

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

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