Water Rights Specialist

WATER RIGHTS SPECIALIST

Water Rights, Inc. seeks a Water Right Specialist to join our team. The position is available in our Missoula Montana office, in full-time status.

Job Description:

In this position you will primarily provide assistance with preparing water right permitting documents. Work will primarily be focused on projects in Montana. Typical tasks will include:

• Assist with preparation of Montana DNRC water right permits and change applications.
• Review of DNRC water right files, Water Resource Surveys, and Water Court documents and decisions.
• Data acquisition, compilation, and analysis in support of water resources or environmental projects.
• Geographic Information Systems analysis and mapping.
• Historical aerial imagery analysis and interpretation relating to historical water use.
• Perform site inspections relating to water rights, water resources, or environmental projects. Field work will include stream flow measurements, use of GPS to document conditions, install stream gages, well inspection and pumping tests, environmental baseline assessments, and more.
• Interface and communicating with state agencies including Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP); or Federal agencies like USFS, BLM, BOR, or others.
• Provide technical support and guidance to other technical staff and attorneys regarding water rights, water supply, and Water Court cases.
• 310 and 404 permitting and inspections

Required Education, Skills & Experience:

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in natural resources, earth sciences, hydrology or related field.
• Knowledge of Montana water rights processes and at least 1 year of experience with Montana DNRC water right permitting and/or change applications.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare written documents with scientific and technical information.
• Strong and effective verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and set own work priorities; ability to work in a team environment.
• Accuracy and attention to details, ability to meet deadlines.
• Experience and ability to complete field work activities.
• Positive client interface and work attitude.
• Ability to organize multiple tasks.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree in natural resource management or the natural sciences.
• Three years of experience with water-resource management.
• Other combinations of education and experience may be substituted.

Other Desired Experience & Abilities or Growth Areas:

• GIS software skills (ESRI Desktop/Pro suite) including but not limited to, raster georeferencing, geodatabase management, geoprocessing, and digitization.
• Basic database skills
• Cartographic mapping principles
• Use and interpretation of remote sensing data products
• Familiarity with public sources of spatial data
• Flexibility to work in other service areas of water resources and environmental work such as Environmental Assessments (EA) Army Corps of Engineering (404) permitting and stream bank (310) permitting
• Experience with stream gauging
• Creativity and ability to learn new skills and areas of practice

Required materials: Resume and cover letter

Salary Range: Depending on knowledge and experience, starting base pay could be between $30/hour and $40/hour. Salary range may be negotiable based on knowledge and experience.

Benefits and Other Compensation: Paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, health stipend and a matching retirement plan.

Office Location: Missoula Montana.

Appointment Type: Full-time

About Water Rights Inc.: Water Rights Inc is a Montana-incorporated environmental consulting firm founded in 1992 specializing in water supply engineering and development, water rights, hydrology, geology, groundwater assessment, and environmental investigation and remediation. We also specialize in permitting.

Water Rights Inc is proud to serve Montana and the West. We are independent consultants with a solid record of serving ag and ranch, industry, conservation groups, private individuals, and government for over three decades. We employ an experienced staff of water rights specialists, hydrologists, geologists, earth scientists, and field technicians.

Interested? Email your resume and cover letter to waterrightsinc@gmail.com.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $30.00 - $40.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching

Schedule:

• Day shift

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Missoula, MT 59803 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Missoula, MT 59803: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $30 - $40