Water Use Data Analyst and Evapotranspiration Support (Natural Resource Specialist 2)

Initial Posting Date:

05/14/2025

Application Deadline:

05/26/2025

Agency:

Water Resources Department

Salary Range:

$4,622 - $7,070

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Water Use Data Analyst and Evapotranspiration Support (Natural Resource Specialist 2)

Job Description:

Working Title: Water Use Data Analyst and Evapotranspiration Support (Natural Resource Specialist 2)

Classification: Natural Resource Specialist 2

Position Type: Full-time, permanent

Representation: This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, eligible for overtime in the form of compensatory time with manager approval.

Monthly Compensation: The monthly salary range will be $4,662.00-$7,070.00 Before PERS* | $4,943.00-$7,562.00 After PERS*   

Work Location: Salem, Pendleton, Medford, Baker City, Canyon City.  Minimal travel required (2-3 days/month).

Hybrid/Remote Work: Hybrid Eligible; in-office work weekly, travel monthly

About the Oregon Water Resources Department  

The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) is committed to creating a workplace culture that understands and appreciates differences among people and is welcoming and inclusive to all. By fostering fairness and equity in its work culture, the Department strives to improve services for all Oregonians. We acknowledge that not all people have experienced equitable opportunities or fair treatment. We are committed to increasing our awareness and understanding of historic injustices and building a foundation for meaningful change. We value a wide range of professional and lived experiences, and people of underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Our Vision 

The vision of the Oregon Water Resources Department is to assure sufficient and sustainable water supplies are available to meet current and future needs. 

Core Values 

Integrity – We are accountable for all that we do.  We act with honesty and promote transparency. 

Service – We are dedicated to providing outstanding service and treating everyone equitably in our management and stewardship of state resources. 

Technical Excellence – We base our resource decisions on law, science, and expertise. 

Teamwork – We are united in our mission, relying on one another and working together with the communities we serve. 

Forward-Looking – We seek innovative and practical solutions to the water challenges of today and tomorrow. 

2019-2024 Strategic Plan 

The Oregon Water Resources Department’s strategic priorities for 2019-2024 are to: 

• Modernize our management of Oregon’s surface water and groundwater resources to meet instream and out-of-stream uses. 
• Work to secure Oregon’s instream and out-of-stream water future in the face of increasing water scarcity .
• Foster a forward-looking team dedicated to serving Oregonians with integrity and excellence .

About our Section

The Surface Water Hydrology (SWH) Section provides technical expertise regarding surface water supplies, water use, and stream and water diversion data, including the analyses and interpretation of these data, within the Department and for the public. The SWH Section participates in projects such as basin studies investigating surface water-groundwater relationships, development and implementation of analysis to support water distribution and regulation, and the evaluation of drought conditions. Through coordination with others in the agency, SWH provides data and analyses critical for responsible water management.

About our Team

The Evapotranspiration and Water Use team’s vision is to collect, evaluate, and make available accurate and timely water use data for water rights in Oregon. This new team at OWRD is responsible for determining the distribution and volume of water use across the state using water use data reported by water users or collected by OWRD staff, and satellite-based ET data. Additionally, the collaborates with other state and federal agencies to implement regional data collection, like weather stations and eddy covariance stations, critical for understanding factors impacting water use across Oregon.

Critical functions provided by this team are:

• Implementation of ORS 537.099 – water use reporting of public entities
• Implementation of HB 2018 (2021) – development of historic (1984 – 2020) statewide consumptive water use for water rights and evaporation dataset for major reservoirs
• Implementation of HB 2010 (2023) – consult Oregon State University in the development and application of remotely sensed ET data sets
• Development of water use components of basin studies and water budgets in support of allocation, management, and distribution
• Design and implement analysis and reports to support regulation and distribution
• Design and implementation of systems to make water use data accessible and usable for the public

About the Position

This position’s primary purpose is to intake, review, and analyze water use data from the public. In this position, you will work directly with water users to help them submit their data to OWRD, provide analysis and reports to the public and OWRD staff to evaluate water use for scientific and regulatory studies, and support improvements to the datasets and databases used to quantify water use.  Your ability to work with a broad team and evaluate and improve OWRD’s data sets will be central to your success in this position. If you join the team, you will be a member of the Technical Services Division, reporting to the Manager of the Surface Water Section. Consider joining our team and advancing our mission to practice and promote responsible water management in Oregon! Learn more about the Department.

Some functions of this role could look like:

• Populate, maintain, perform QA/QC on data in the water use reporting database to ensure the water use reporting database is accurate and complete.
• Provide technical assistance (interpretation, monitoring network design, data quality) to water users to help them connect water right with water use.
• Apply quality control standards for the review of user reported and remotely sensed data. Apply GIS procedures to define spatial relationships between user reported and remotely sensed dataset.
• Assist in summarizing and publishing output of water use analysis to inform water availability, basin studies and other efforts aimed at identifying major problems of regional or local extent, and water right transactions such as transfers.
• Coordinate responses to inquiries for access to the water use database

You can learn more about the position here.

Minimum required qualifications:  

Two years of experience collecting and assessing natural resources data sets, at least one of which is at a technical or professional level performing activities in natural resources, AND a Bachelor’s degree in Water Resources, Geology, Engineering, Environmental Science, or similar field, OR three additional years of related (pertinent) experience.

Note: A Master's degree in a natural resource area will substitute for up to one year of the required experience. A Doctorate degree in a natural resource area will substitute for up to two years of the required experience.

Pertinent experience could include hydrologic data collection and record keeping, database maintenance or management for complex natural resources data, stream gage maintenance and management, or natural resource fieldwork and data management.

 

Preferred Qualifications  

• Customer Service – Technical Assistance and Compliance: Demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service by delivering clear, respectful, and responsive technical support to water users and the public. Experienced in reviewing data for compliance with statutes and regulations and effectively communicating requirements to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Data Management & Analysis Expertise - Proven ability to manage large datasets, perform QA/QC, and conduct meaningful analysis to support scientific and regulatory objectives. This includes intermediate level GIS, SQL, R, or Python or similar database, or programming languages and software.
• Technical Communication & Customer Service - Skilled in providing clear technical assistance to diverse stakeholders and responding effectively to public and internal inquiries.
• Collaboration & Teamwork - Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated success working within multidisciplinary teams to advance shared goals and improve data systems.

Working Conditions

This position requires monthly day trip and overnight travel on average 2-3 days a month to support work of position and therefore requires a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record. Must tolerate wading in swift, cold streams and work in environments with noxious weeds, insects, and varying climates. Depending on territory job may occasionally involve the use of snowshoes, cross country skis, all-terrain vehicles or other field equipment.  Occasionally conduct stream discharge measurements during flood conditions from bridges or stream banks.  Is often alone in remote areas with little to no supervision.  This position may occasionally lift up to 75 pounds. 

How to apply 

• Provide a brief (no more than 1 page) cover letter indicating why you are interested and a good candidate for the position.
• Provide a brief (no more than 2 page) resume indicating your experience pertinent to the required qualifications and desired attributes in this announcement.

What’s in it for you? 

In addition to offering a culture of care and inclusivity and working among a highly skilled team to engage in meaningful work, we also offer a competitive benefits package that includes:   

• PEBB Insurance with exceptional medical, vision and dental plans with employees paying 1 to 5% of the total premium.  
• Leave accrual starting at 8 hours of sick and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.  
• Access to an additional four days of discretionary leave - 3 days of personal business leave and one day of Governor’s Leave each year.  
• Eleven paid holidays per year.  
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) including a pension and employer contributions to the Individual Account Program.   
• Optional benefits (such as term life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, long-term care, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program with a wide variety of investment options).  
• The opportunity to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (must qualify). 

Important Information  

   

PERS Salary Information   

* NON-PERS ELIGIBLE (Includes most new hires to state government. Employees typically gain PERS eligibility after six months of state service. PERS ELIGIBLE (Typically current or former employees of Oregon state or local government, public schools, universities, etc.) The salary listed in Workday will state base monthly salary, which is BEFORE PERS contributions.   

Accommodations 

If you need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the American with Disabilities Act, we invite you to contact the recruiter for accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), application questions or job-specific questions please contact our HR team at wrd_dl_hr@water.oregon.gov. 

Future Vacancies     

This applicant pool may be used to fill additional vacancies as they occur over the next three (3) months.     

Work Authorization   

The Oregon Water Resources Department does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States.     

Veterans    

If you are an eligible veteran and you meet the qualifications, veterans’ preference points will be added to your score. For more information on veterans’ preference points visit www.oregonjobs.org and select Veterans resources under Resources. Please do not attach veteran documentation to your initial application, after you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time.   

Application Review Process 

In addition to your related work experience and education, we will use both the minimum and desired qualifications above to determine whom to interview. Please make sure all your relevant qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials. Your application materials may be evaluated on spelling, grammar, punctuation, attention to detail, and presentation. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage

The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence software during the application process (cover letter and resume) and applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. Unauthorized use of outside resources during the hiring process will result in immediate disqualification.

  

The Oregon Water Resources Department is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity.