What are the responsibilities and job description for the Natural Resources Specialist (Plant Propagation) position at Dakota County, Minnesota?
General Description
POSTING TYPE: Open-competitive
DEPARTMENT: Natural Resources - Parks
HOURS: Full time
PREFERRED HIRING RANGE: $70,518 - 88,148
FULL SALARY RANGE: $70,518 - $110,185 (108 grade)
LOCATION: Lebanon Hills Shop, Eagan
UNION: None
CLOSE DATE: 4:30 p.m. Friday, January 3, 2025
Who We Are
Dakota County is Minnesota’s third largest county and home to more than 400,000 residents. Our motto is “Be More” and we strive every day to achieve excellence in public service, with a focus on four values: Service, Integrity, People, and Innovation. Dakota County aims to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of diverse people, backgrounds, and experiences. Our goal is to have a workforce that is reflective of the communities and individuals we serve. We promote an equitable and culturally aware work environment where everyone can be their authentic selves.
What You’ll Do
The primary role of the incumbent will be to manage all aspects of Dakota County’s plant propagation program and oversee daily operations of the County’s plant growth facilities, including a 5000 square foot greenhouse and seed augmentation beds. The incumbent will plan, execute, and finalize projects according to deadlines and within budget. This includes acquiring resources and coordinating the efforts of team members, internal and external stakeholders, and third-party contractors or consultants in order to deliver projects according to plan. The Natural Resources Specialist will also define the project's objectives and oversee quality control throughout the life cycle of projects
The Specialist will perform highly skilled work, coordinate complex tasks, and provide technical assistance for the successful implementation of numerous and diverse natural resource restoration and stewardship projects for the Operations Management – Parks Department and Farmland and Natural Areas Program (as directed).
The Specialist will direct limited term staff and volunteers to provide vegetation, wildlife and fisheries management enhancement. In addition, the Specialist will coordinate work with contractors, institutional work crews such as Sentence to Serve, Conservation Corps Minnesota crews, natural resource management and operational staff. The Specialist will work most closely with the Natural Resources Supervisors and other natural resource management staff.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or higher in forestry, natural resource management, or a closely related field AND one year of direct hands-on natural resource restoration and/or management work experience.
- An equivalent combination of education and direct hands-on natural resource restoration and/or management work experience to equal or exceed 5 years.
- Valid driver's license
Preferred, direct work experience and/or knowledge in the following:
- Natural resource restoration project management
- Grant writing and reporting
- Plant identification
- Wildlife/insect identification and handling
- Vegetation and wildlife/insect survey design
- Prescribed burning (S-130/190)
- Aquatic vegetation identification and management
- Tree disease diagnosis
- Volunteer management
- Natural community evaluation and assessment
- Geographic Information System (GIS) and Geographic Positioning System (GPS)
- Public presentations
- Water resources management: wetlands, riparian areas, shallow freshwater lakes
**Pursuant to Dakota County Policy and Procedures Manual Section 3102 (L), this position is designated as Safety Sensitive.
Duties & Responsibilities
These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this classification. Regular attendance according to the position's management approved work schedule is required for all positions.
- Plant propagation
- Volunteer program
- Vegetation monitoring (releves, photo plots, transects, rare plant surveys)
- Work with project partners to implement natural resources restoration projects.
- Manage multiple grant-funded projects.
- Wildlife monitoring and management (herps, small mammals, native bees, birds, deer, etc.)
- Aquatic vegetation management and lake aeration
10. Utilizes ArcMap and other GIS applications to plan and monitor natural resources projects. Generates maps for internal and external customers.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: All duties are essential functions.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Work Environment
- Ability and skill to organize, direct, and coordinate the activities of others.
- Knowledge of practices, functions and procedures for higher skilled, complex and specialized natural resources restoration and maintenance tasks.
- Current with latest scientific methods and best management practices regarding ecological restoration.
- Knowledge of Federal, State and local laws pertaining to the position duties.
- Knowledge of safety rules, regulations and practices. Ability to operate light and heavy equipment proficiently and safely, power tools and vehicles.
- Knowledge in the management of native plant communities, including identification of trees and herbaceous plants, diseases and measures of control; establishment methods for prairie and savanna; conservation of remnant plant communities and enhancement for wildlife habitat value.
- Ability to coordinate work with other department staff and programs and manage personnel and projects.
- Ability to work effectively with employees, public officials, volunteers and the general public.
- Ability to analyze needs and problems related to natural resource restoration and stewardship, and effectively manage to achieve resource objectives and goals.
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Ability to read, understand maps, plans and other graphics used to communicate tasks.
Work Environment
Work is performed in County Office buildings 75% of time and outdoors 25% of time. Driving is required. Employee will be frequently required to work in outside weather conditions, being exposed to cold and hot temperatures, precipitation, direct sunlight, wind, dust, and pollen that occasionally necessitate the use of rain gear, gloves, etc. The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of walking, standing, crouching, or riding over rough, uneven, swampy, or rocky terrain. Staff must also have the physical ability to bend, twist, crouch, lift, forward & overhead reach, and push/pull and carry equipment necessary for the job which may weigh up to 50 lbs. Types of office equipment used include: telephone, computer, printer, copier, fax, conventional and digital cameras.
Benefits
- Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, vision, and other benefits
- Excellent work-life balance
- Generous paid time off (accrual rate starts at four weeks per year)
- Eleven paid holidays each year and one floating holiday
- Pension with a generous employer contribution
- Ability to work from home some of the time
Selection Process
- You submit an online application that includes supplemental questions
- We assign you a score based on your qualifications
- Top scoring candidates are referred to the hiring manager for interview consideration
- We conduct interviews and reference checks before extending an offer
- We extend an offer and conduct background checks
Salary : $70,518 - $110,185
