Environmental Scientist I, II, or III

The South Dakota State Government is hiring an Environmental Scientist I, II, or III for a full-time position in Pierre, Sioux Falls, or Vermillion, SD. The role involves coordinating the Riparian Buffer Initiative to improve water quality through conservation practices, conducting land assessments, GIS mapping, and project management. A Bachelor's degree in environmental sciences or related field is preferred. Salary ranges from $26.44 to $32.10 hourly.
PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE


Job ID: 35743

Agency: Agriculture & Natural Resources

Location: Pierre, SD; Sioux Falls, SD; or Vermillion, SD

Salary: $26.44-$32.10 Hourly, depending on qualifications

Pay Grade: S1, S2, or S3

Closing Date: 05/08/2026





This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources. For more information on the Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources, please visit https://danr.sd.gov/ .


This Environmental Scientist I, II or III performs professional level environmental and physical science work that requires the application of basic to advanced scientific principles, practices, and techniques following established procedures, protocols and standards. This position focuses on watershed scale nonpoint source implementation projects that aim to improve and protect water quality through voluntary conservation-based practices on private lands. The primary focus of this position is to coordinate the Riparian Buffer Initiative (RBI) project in eastern South Dakota. This entails working independently and with an array of conservation partners to encourage landowner/producer enrollment in the RBI program. This includes conducting landowner/producer field assessments to establish riparian buffer projects, GIS mapping and contract processing. In addition, serves as project officer for regional nonpoint source implementation projects and occasionally works with field monitoring and assessment crews to conduct project level water quality-based field work activities.





Licenses and Certifications:


Encourage CPR/AED certification but not a requirement of the position





The Ideal Candidate Will Have:








Bachelors of Science (B.S) degree in the environmental sciences discipline or related field;
work experience with conservation practices and natural resource protection is preferred.

Knowledge of:






basic to advanced knowledge of conservation practices used to improve and protect water resources from nonpoint source pollution at the watershed scale, particularly in eastern South Dakota.

Skill to:






possess the skills necessary to effectively communicate with landowners/producers to educate on the benefits of conservation in overall operation sustainability and environment health.

Ability to:






multi-task different activities to ensure timely outcomes and productivity;
produce visual aids or maps using the latest Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software (i.e., Arc Pro etc.);
process contracts, payment requests, budget tracking;
draft update reports and present progress to upper level management and conservation partners once established in the position.




Additional Requirements: To be considered, please attach your Resume/CV with a writing sample.


This position is eligible for Veterans’ Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.





The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.


The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.


Must apply online: https://gen-stateofsouthdako-trn.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=3XE

You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources

Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us

http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"


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