What are the responsibilities and job description for the CPW PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCHER SCIENTIST III/Renewable Energy Liaison (Denver, CO) position at State of Colorado Job Opportunities?
Department Information
OPEN TO STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY
Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.
We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.
In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:
- Medical and Dental plans
- Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax 401K and 457 plans
- Paid life insurance
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- Employee Wellness programs
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Health Savings Accounts
- 10 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
- Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
- Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
- Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Our Mission is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.
The Northeast and Northwest work units exist to implement the goals and objectives of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s strategic long range and operation plan in order to accomplish the Colorado Legislative mandate of protecting, preserving, managing and enhancing the State’s wildlife resources.
Description of Job
This position exists to function as the Northeast and Northwest Regions’ renewable energy liaison, a multi-disciplinary, fully operational professional with little to no day-to-day supervision. Position serves as the CPW expert and liaison with agencies (federal, state and local), industry and non-governmental organizations on avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating impacts to wildlife from battery energy storage systems and transmission line development. The position will function as one of the regions’ expert staff leads for reviewing, coordinating, and commenting on large-scale, complex, and sometimes controversial renewable energy proposals involving numerous stakeholders and multiple jurisdictions. The position collects, evaluates, formulates, and coordinates CPW recommendations to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts to wildlife resources (particularly High Priority Habitats) resulting from proposed development activities. Examples include but are not limited to battery energy storage systems, solar energy projects, geothermal projects, wind energy projects, transmission lines, wildlife mitigation projects, and coordinating with multiple CPW areas to develop wildlife impact assessments. In addition to project-specific reviews and consultations, this position will work with stakeholders to proactively incorporate wildlife protection measures into planning and regulatory processes (e.g. county code development, industry best management practices for development, etc.).
The position applies a combination of various scientific principles and local site/species knowledge in natural resource, wildlife management, and renewable energy expertise to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts on habitat resources and monitor, protect, and conserve wildlife species and habitats.
The position works with CPW staff in the Northeast and Northwest Regions to identify general and specific threats to high-priority habitats and other sensitive wildlife habitats. Using available science, this position coordinates and recommends conservation and development actions to avoid, minimize, and mitigate threats to these habitats.
The position works with public and private organizations (e.g., municipalities, counties, state agencies, renewable and nonrenewable energy industry businesses, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Army Corps of Engineers, Colorado Department of Transportation, Energy and Carbon Management Commission, Division of Mining, Reclamation & Safety, etc.) regarding impacts of renewable energy development on wildlife. The position also serves as the primary contact for renewable energy projects above the county level, specifically as the team member directly influencing other agency management decisions in commenting on local to regional projects. Examples include Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, other NEPA documents, Forest Land Management Plans, BLM Resource Management Plans, Grazing Plans, County Master Plans, Watershed Plans, and Travel Management Plans, and coordinating between CPW regions when project proposals cross regional boundaries. This position will coordinate with CPW’s Statewide Energy Lead, CPW management, energy liaisons, and field staff to provide technical support, project reviews, best management practices, high-priority habitat development and updates, communication, and coordination with ECMC, CEO and other agencies as necessary.
The position applies a combination of various scientific principles and local site/species knowledge in natural resource, wildlife management, and renewable energy expertise to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts on habitat resources and monitor, protect, and conserve wildlife species and habitats.
The position works with CPW staff in the Northeast and Northwest Regions to identify general and specific threats to high-priority habitats and other sensitive wildlife habitats. Using available science, this position coordinates and recommends conservation and development actions to avoid, minimize, and mitigate threats to these habitats.
The position works with public and private organizations (e.g., municipalities, counties, state agencies, renewable and nonrenewable energy industry businesses, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Army Corps of Engineers, Colorado Department of Transportation, Energy and Carbon Management Commission, Division of Mining, Reclamation & Safety, etc.) regarding impacts of renewable energy development on wildlife. The position also serves as the primary contact for renewable energy projects above the county level, specifically as the team member directly influencing other agency management decisions in commenting on local to regional projects. Examples include Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, other NEPA documents, Forest Land Management Plans, BLM Resource Management Plans, Grazing Plans, County Master Plans, Watershed Plans, and Travel Management Plans, and coordinating between CPW regions when project proposals cross regional boundaries. This position will coordinate with CPW’s Statewide Energy Lead, CPW management, energy liaisons, and field staff to provide technical support, project reviews, best management practices, high-priority habitat development and updates, communication, and coordination with ECMC, CEO and other agencies as necessary.
Other duties as assigned.
Battery Energy System Storage and Renewable Energy Project Coordination
The Energy Liaison will guide and facilitate the renewable energy project review process at the regional level (both Northwest and Northeast), prepare comments, and provide testimony during public hearings as needed. In order to do this the Energy Liaison will perform complex analyses of data and utilize knowledge of environmental laws and policies, environmental systems and wildlife management to help formulate, guide, and coordinate recommendations to regulatory agencies to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts to wildlife and habitats. The Energy Liaison will also monitor for compliance with permit guidelines, which are governed by CPW or other agencies for which CPW has submitted recommendations as conditions of approval for an issued permit as well as for other applicable laws and regulations related to wildlife impacts (e.g., SB 24-212, Army Corps of Engineer 404 permit, SB-40, DMRS Mining Permits, highway development permits, county regulations).
The Energy Liaison will collect and manage data resulting from CPW recommendations for renewable energy development projects, including but not limited to, remote camera data to monitor wildlife use within project areas, vegetative survey data, post-construction wildlife surveys, and post-construction water/soil monitoring data. The Energy Liaison will further coordinate with the Statewide Energy Lead and other Renewable Energy Liaison to prepare and develop any documents or guidance required for ECMC rulemaking related to renewable energy.
Energy Development Negotiation and Mitigation
Will evaluate, plan, and implement natural resource protection, recovery, remediation and reclamation projects. In order to this, the energy Liaison will assist in the coordination and implementation of any rules or policy related to renewable energy development. This will require corresponding and coordinating with a wide variety of state and federal land management agencies, permitting and regulatory agencies, local governments, private entities, landowners, CPW staff and public interest groups. This work will also include conducting consultations related to SB 24-212 and corresponding and coordinating with Regional Energy Liaisons and other CPW staff to guide the planning and implementation of habitat related projects utilizing compensatory mitigation funds.
The energy Liaison will develop and maintain expertise on impacts of renewable energy development and recreation and related infrastructure and will also develop and maintains expertise on mitigation and best management practices to minimize impacts from energy development and recreation. This includes developing site-specific and species-specific best management practices (BMPs) for inclusion into CPW’s standardized comment table for impacts to wildlife and habitats. In order to do this, the Energy Liaison will help maintain the regional database of renewable energy development resources including but not limited to, disturbance and consultation tracking databases, annotated literature bibliographies, training resources, presentation materials, draft comment letters/templates, and other relevant land use documents including MOUs, legislation, agency planning documents, and policy/guidance documents.
The Energy Liaison will attend and participate in various meetings, committees, roundtables and working groups with government agencies and private interests as CPW’s representative on the impacts of renewable energy development. Part of this work will include providing testimony, presentations, and case studies on renewable energy to staff, other agencies, and the public on CPW’s consultations for renewable energy development.
Research and Implementation of Effective Mitigation Strategies
Position research existing peer reviewed literature to identify current and future trends of energy development, and wildlife mitigation. Position seeks and develops alternative sources of funding to promote the research of impacts of renewable energy upon wildlife habitat and development, as well as effective new mitigation strategies to offset cumulative impacts imposed by such development.
Federal & State Regulatory Agency Coordination
Position provides coordination for technical expertise with state and federal land use agencies within assigned region, as well as private energy development field staff, in the planning and development of public and private lands for renewable energy development with the region. Position analyzes data and applies findings along with a knowledge of energy siting parameters and wildlife management techniques and methodologies, to oversee preparation of internal formal comments on all federal energy development related environmental impact statements, environmental assessments, resource management plans, and Forest Plan revisions in the assigned region.
Mitigation Compliance Monitoring and implementation
Position oversees internal regional projects regarding land use and energy system development impacts and remediation and/or mitigation of such impacts. This will require the energy Liaison to Assess the effectiveness of Wildlife Mitigation Plans (WMP) and mitigation commitments negotiated with regulatory agencies and project developers. Ensure timely completion of compensatory mitigation projects that may involve project implementation tasks (e.g. developing scope of work, purchase orders, bid processes, and hiring contracts), coordinating with other CPW staff and subject matter experts such as the Habitat Section. Conduct annual reviews and generate compensatory mitigation compliance reports to regulatory agencies and EMT. The position will continually seek remedies to address deficiencies discovered during monitoring of projects.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications
Eight (8) years of relevant experience in federal environmental permitting, water project development, water law, public policy with a focus in water, water resources, water supply planning, ecosystem management an occupation related to the work assigned
to this position
OR
A combination of related education in engineering, water resources planning or management, natural resource management, ecology, environmental sciences, environmental studies, environmental economics, natural resources, natural sciences, environmental engineering and/or relevant experience in an occupation
related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years
Substitutions
-
Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a
year-for-year basis.
Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
- Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
- Current or former Colorado Parks & Wildlife work or volunteer experience
-
Technical Knowledge:
- Knowledge and experience with Colorado water policy
-
Experience with NEPA processes, CWA 404 permitting, FERC, USFS or BLM land use
permitting, and CRS 37-60-122.2 - Knowledge of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
- Experience working with water providers on water supply and demand
- Relevant master’s degree or other relevant advanced degree
-
People and project skills:
- Experience coordinating with diverse technical experts and other stakeholders toward a common policy position
- Experience coordinating interdisciplinary teams Experience negotiating with stakeholders of diverse backgrounds and interests
-
Technical Knowledge:
- Proficiency with Google and Microsoft suites
- Experience with regulatory processes
-
Communication:
- Must be able to quickly synthesize complex, multi-disciplinary legal and scientific materials, and provide well reasoned analysis and recommendations for the next steps that the agency should take
- Experience presenting verbal and written information to stakeholders in a clear and concise manner
- Strong writing skills and experience drafting briefing papers
-
People/project skills:
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
Conditions of Employment
- Must possess and maintain a valid state of Colorado driver's license when operating a State vehicle.
- Frequent travel within NE Region and to NW Region with statewide and overnight travel.
- Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
APPEAL RIGHTS:
It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
Supplemental Information
The Assessment Process
- All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
- Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
- Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
- Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
- This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us
ADAAA Accommodations
Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.
E-Verify
The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program's Right to Work for all newly-hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I-9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Toll–Free Applicant Support - Technical Help
If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.
