Summary

The Senior Water Resources Engineer provides technical engineering, scientific expertise, advocacy, and project management support for projects at various phases of planning, design, development, and implementation. This position requires a strong understanding of Colorado water rights administration, water demands and uses, hydrology, and issues facing the District’s constituents as well an intimate understanding of the District’s policies and strategic plan.

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:
Consistent with Colorado River District mission and strategic priorities, the Senior Water Resources Engineer provides technical engineering, scientific expertise, advocacy, and project management support for projects at various phases of planning, design, development, and implementation.  This position requires a strong understanding of Colorado water rights administration, water demands and uses, hydrology, and issues facing the District’s constituents as well an intimate understanding of the District’s policies and strategic plan.

The Senior Water Resources Engineer:

  • Coordinates organization’s efforts with other governmental agencies, and/or local entities and participates in relevant programs, professional organizations, and committees.
  • Manages contracts and provides fiscal oversight of River District-sponsored projects. 
  • Assists in the development and implementation of District programs and policy efforts. 
  • Provides technical assistance to staff and constituents on related research, studies, and policy related to water resource management, grant programs, water conservation, infrastructure modernization, and watershed planning. 

The position will typically involve significant travel throughout the District’s 15-county territory, with occasional out-of-state travel by car and air.

TYPICAL EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering, hydrology, science, or related field. Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Colorado or Professional Hydrologist and ten or more years of related work experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience considered) in engineering or project management. 

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
In addition to the educational and experience requirements, the following skills are essential to the job:

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to communicate succinctly, effectively, and professionally.
  • Ability to work with professionals, the public, other organizations, and government agencies and oversee the work of others.
  • Knowledge of Colorado River hydrology, water administration, and law.
  • Experience in project management.
  • Teamwork, organization, and leadership skills. Able to work collaboratively with River District staff, constituents, and other entities on complex issues.
  • Ability to successfully oversee and achieve multiple projects while prioritizing a complex and varied workload.
  • Must possess advanced computer skills, including Microsoft Suite.

ADDITIONAL PREFERRED SKILLS:

  • Grant-writing and understanding of Federal and State Grant Programs.
  • Skills in Microsoft Excel, Access, and other database management with proficiency in C++ and Visual Basic.
  • Experience with data management and visualization tools such as macros, tableau, and Power BI.
  • Proficiency or expertise in GIS, including simple mapping and geospatial analysis.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  1. Provides project management support for various projects throughout the District’s territory across all basins.
  2. Works with the Community Funding Partnership (CFP) team to identify, advocate for, and oversee the implementation of appropriate projects for the CFP Program.
  3. Works with River District technical and accounting team to apply for and manage federal and state grants to leverage River District funds, such as Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART grants, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and NRCS, Colorado Water Conservation Board grants, and the Colorado River Storage Project Memorandum of Agreement funds.
  4. Works with River District constituents, integrating partners and stakeholders, providing technical support and education on a variety of matters such as watershed planning, water supply projects, and water quality.
  5. Responsible for being the District’s lead technical staff in the Gunnison Basin.  This role includes understanding the river administration policies, significant water rights and operations, and a thorough understanding of the basin water uses, historical and current challenges, and an active member of the watershed’s Basin Roundtable.
  6. Conducts research, provides computer modeling, engineering and hydrologic analysis of water rights.
  7. Serve as a representative of the District in a stakeholder process on the Colorado River such as Wild & Scenic.
  8. Provides technical input to assist in the development and implementation of the District’s policies.
  9. Conducts, organizes, and oversees scientific work on a project-specific basis.
  10. Performs other work-related duties as assigned by the Technical Directors, General Manager, and/or Chief of Operations.
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