Conservation Engineer

The State of Wisconsin is seeking a Conservation Engineer for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. This position involves providing engineering assistance for soil and water conservation projects across the state. Candidates can be located anywhere in the northern region, but it is a field-based role requiring travel throughout the area. The role includes support for various conservation programs and technical assistance for landowners.
Introduction

Who We Are: The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) works hard to protect and promote Wisconsin’s agricultural industries and consumers. As an agency, we strive to serve the people of Wisconsin assuring: safe, wholesome food; consumer protection and fair business practices; animal and plant health; a clean environment; and strong agriculture and commerce. To successfully attain these goals, we recognize our success hinges on the diverse, well qualified, dedicated staff we employ and retain.

What We're Looking For: DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Resource Management is recruiting for a Conservation Engineer (Agricultural Engineer) to fill an employment opportunity with the Bureau of Bureau of Land & Water Resources. We will be filling this position at the Senior or Advanced level depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate for purposes of downgrading for training.

The selected applicant can be located anywhere within the North region (see service area map linked here).

Qualifying candidates are not required to live in a county headquarter location. However, reimbursement for commuting to or from the employee’s assigned headquarters is not provided (e.g., mileage, meals, parking, lodging, etc.). Routine travel within an assigned territory and throughout the state for assigned work and emergency response is required.

When applying please select all counties in which you are willing to be headquartered:

Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, Taylor, Vilas, Washburn

This is a field-based position. Travel throughout the Northern area and sometimes state to field offices and construction or project locations is required.

This position will either be assigned a fleet vehicle or will be reimbursed at the state’s mileage rate for use of their personal vehicle for work-related travel. Most travel will be during business hours with only an occasional overnight.

Employee Benefits: The State of Wisconsin offers an excellent benefits package, which includes 19.5 days (for exempt) of paid time off to start, 9 paid holidays, accrued sick leave, multiple insurance options, and an exceptional retirement plan!

By working for Wisconsin State Government, you may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Please click the link for details.

Click here to check out what working for the State of Wisconsin is all about!

This posting may be used to fill future similar vacancies.

Position Summary

This position has statewide responsibility for projects related to soil and water conservation practices, with a focus on assigned areas of specialization. Responsibilities include providing engineering assistance to County Land Conservation Department (LCD) staff, other conservation professionals and landowners in support of state and county programs including; Soil and Water Resource Management (SWRM) grants, County Land and Water Resource Management Plans, County Manure Storage/Management Ordinances, Conservation Engineering Practitioner Certification, and other Land and Water Resources Bureau (LWRB) programs. This position provides professional services and technical assistance to properly design and install conservation practices, and to evaluate and review permit applications with an emphasis on statewide support for geotechnical engineering. The broad duties of this position include cross-program issues and policy making responsibilities that require (1) outreach and other assistance to ensure compliance with the requirements of federal, state and local law; (2) research and evaluation to develop water quality and other standards and practices; and (3) strategic program planning as well as technical support to develop rule, policy and program requirements. Additional responsibilities include the certification of technical staff under the Conservation Engineering Practitioner Certification program (s. ATCP 50.46).

For more information, please review the Agriculture Engineer – Advanced and Agriculture Engineer – Senior position description.

Salary Information

The Agricultural Engineer-Advanced is in schedule-range 14-13 with starting pay will be between $45.00 - $49.50 per hour based on qualifications.

The Agricultural Engineer-Senior is in schedule-range 14-13 with starting pay will be between $34.00 - $45.00 per hour based on qualifications.

This position is not represented by a collective bargaining unit. Pay for current state employees will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan at the time of hire. A 12-month probationary period is required.

Job Details

DATCP does not sponsor work visas. Any appointment made will be contingent on the selected applicant being able to provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States.

A criminal background check will be performed on the selected applicant prior to an offer of employment.

Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid driver’s license or the ability to provide one’s own transportation for work purposes is required.

Eligibility to drive a State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle* may be required.
• In order to be authorized to drive a State vehicle the candidate must meet the requirements of the State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle Policy, which are:
• Must have a valid driver’s license;
• Must have a minimum of two years of licensed driving experience;
• Must be 18 years of age.

Additionally, your driving record MUST NOT reflect any of the following conditions:
• Three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents in the past two years;
• Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)/Driving Under the Influence (DUI) citation within the past 12 months;
• Suspension or revocation of driver’s license.

Assigned field work is required more than 50% of work time and may include extensive travel to field offices and construction or project locations and is typically during business hours.

Ability to walk over uneven and/or muddy terrain, stand for long periods of time, bend, stoop, and climb ladders at construction/project sites is required. In addition to work performed in an office setting, this position also performs work outdoors at construction/project sites. Project sites may include: farmsteads, farm fields, lakes, streams, woods, wetlands, etc.

Must have possession of at least one of the special requirements listed below.

Qualifications

Special requirement: Candidates must have possession of at least one of the following:
• Registration as a Professional Engineer as determined by the Department of Safety and Professional Services per s. 443.04, Wis. Stats. OR
• A specific record, issued by the professional engineering section of the Department of Safety and Professional Services, showing 4 years or more of experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the professional engineering section and satisfactory completion of the fundamentals of engineering exam OR
• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a degree in a related engineering field such as electrical, mechanical, civil or environmental engineering OR
• Equivalent professional training and practical experience so as to be deemed a professional engineer as defined by the Department of Safety and Professional Services per s. 443.01, Wis. Stats., and also deemed to be qualified to engage in professional engineering practice as determined by the Department of Safety and Professional Services per s. 443.04 or 443.05, Wis. Stats.

In addition to the special requirement, minimally qualified candidates, will have each of the following:
• Experience in completing or analyzing site investigations or gathering data to assist with planning projects or identifying resource concerns.
• Experience performing engineering calculations and designing engineered practices.
• Experience overseeing construction or conducting construction quality assurance checks.
• Experience working with engineering codes, standards, and specifications.

In addition to the special requirement and minimum qualifications, highly qualified candidates will have one or more of the following:
• Experience providing engineering technical assistance and/or training to clients, colleagues or coworkers.
• Experience with engineering computations, designs, and installation of practices related to conservation, environmental, civil, or agricultural practices.
• Experience with geotechnical engineering computations.
• Possession of a Professional Engineer licensure.

It is critically important your application materials clearly describe your experience related to the stated criteria. The job experts who evaluate your application materials must be able to make an accurate assessment regarding your qualifications. Applicants who do not meet at least the minimum qualifications or who do not clearly identify minimum qualifications will be ineligible to continue in the selection process.

How To Apply

If viewing this posting on an external site (such as indeed.com, etc.), please visit Wisc.Jobs and search for this Job ID: # 17350 to complete your application for this posting.

DATCP is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. For complete information on veterans hiring programs that may benefit you, please visit the Employment page on WDVA's website.

To be considered for this position, you will need to create an account in Wisc.jobs (if you don’t already have one) and apply online via the “Apply for Job” button listed on the top right of the announcement page. You will be required to upload a current resume and a letter of qualifications that clearly describes your qualifications and experience as they relate to the qualifications listed in this job posting. Review the applicant resources, including tips on how to write a resume and letter of qualifications.

Submitted materials will be evaluated by one or more job experts. Candidates who are deemed eligible will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process, starting with those candidates who are deemed most qualified.

For general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance, please see the wisc.jobs Frequently Asked Questions page. Questions related to the application process can be directed to Varinderjit Kaur at Varinderjit.Kaur1@wisconsin.gov.

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply for this position is at 11:59 p.m. on April 1, 2025.