Environmental Specialist - Land Conservation Program

Overview

This is a professional conservation land management position in the Environmental Protection Department - Land Conservation and Management Program. The position will conduct land stewardship activities on Alachua County preserves and natural areas under higher-level supervision, including: invasive plant control, prescribed burning, forestry, data collection, site development, maintenance and security, and other duties. Depending on the skills of the selected candidate, the position may also assist with land management plan development, establishing new public access, contractor oversight, and public outreach.

• Exudes a positive customer service focus.
• Advocates building organizational culture through aligning decisions with the County s core values.
• Implements land stewardship activities on Alachua County natural areas under higher-level supervision, including invasive plant control, prescribed burning, forestry, data collection, public access site development, monitoring, maintenance and security.
• Actively participates in all aspects of prescribed fire operations including fire line preparation, burn unit scouting, prescription writing, day of burn operations, and extended mop-up in roles such as crew member or crew boss as appropriate.
• Prepares data summaries and reports including tables, charts, spreadsheets, maps and databases for evaluation and tracking of environmental data.
• Reviews project plans, specifications, and/or permit applications at the direction of supervisor for project implementation.
• Assists with native plant restoration projects, including participating in or overseeing contractor tree plantings or other species.
• Participates in boundary marking, imperiled species protection, timber marking and inventory, and cultural resource monitoring.
• Operates environmental monitoring equipment according to standard operating procedures and documents data and field measurements.
• Assists with drafting scopes of services and field maps and overseeing contractors.
• Plans, coordinates, and oversees volunteer group work projects.
• Evaluates natural areas for acquisition and management; performs conservation easement compliance inspections; documents site evaluations in reports; and completes activity logs.
• Develops and participates in public outreach activities.
• Assists with the development and implementation of land management plans.
• Assists with planning the opening of new sites for public access and maintaining existing public access infrastructure.
• Purchases operating supplies and manages inventory of tools, equipment, materials, and public facilities.
• Operates and assists with basic maintenance on small equipment such as hand tools, power tools, chainsaws, pole saws, backpack sprayers, and pumps.
• Operates, transports, and assists in basic maintenance of motor vehicles (including departmental motor vehicles), as well as multiple off-road vehicles including, but not limited to 4WD trucks, ATVs, UTVs, wildland fire engines, skid steers and tractors to prepare fire lines for prescribed burning, debris clean up, and/or restoration projects to carry out various Land Conservation Program operations as required.

Bachelor s degree in environmental science, environmental engineering, biology, forestry, wildlife ecology, land/recreation management, natural science, or a related field and one year of related environmental experience; or any equivalent combination of related training and experience. Applicants within six months of meeting the education/experience requirement may be considered for trainee status.

A Valid Florida Driver License is required and a Motor Vehicle Record that meets the requirements of Alachua County policy #6-7;
Motor Vehicle Records will be reviewed prior to employment. If, in the past 24-month period, the applicant s Motor Vehicle Record has more than three (3) moving traffic infractions or three (3) or more at fault motor vehicle accidents (or combination of both and/or a conviction/pending charge for driving under the influence) or is in violation of any standard mandated by Federal or State Law or Regulation, the minimum qualifications are not…