Description
Design, implement, and oversee engineered solutions that conserve soil, water, and habitat while enabling sustainable land use. Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, and geotechnical analyses; produce plans, specifications, and cost estimates for erosion control, stormwater, irrigation, and rangeland improvements; and guide landowners and agencies through permitting, construction, and maintenance.
- • Design and implement soil and water conservation practices, such as terraces, grade control, buffers, and filter strips, per engineered plans.
- • Advise farmers, ranchers, and land managers on engineered conservation options and project feasibility.
- • Provide construction oversight and quality assurance to verify compliance with plans, specifications, and permits.
- • Conduct field assessments of erosion, drainage, and slope stability to diagnose causes and define remedies.
- • Coordinate with local boards and government staff to align designs with ordinances and programs.
- • Apply civil, agricultural, and environmental engineering principles to meet conservation objectives.
- • Use GIS and remote sensing to support site analyses and design decisions.
- • Develop engineering calculations and drawings from survey data, technical guides, and standards.
- • Collaborate on interdisciplinary teams to plan and deliver habitat, wetland, and watershed projects.
- • Facilitate technical meetings among agencies and landowners to resolve design or permitting issues.
- • Perform post-implementation inspections to evaluate practice performance and maintenance needs.
- • Interpret wetland jurisdiction and permitting constraints and advise on compliant design approaches.
- • Prepare quantities, cost estimates, and life-cycle analyses for conservation alternatives.
- • Train agency and client staff on operation and maintenance of engineered practices.
- • Analyze monitoring and investigation results to recommend design refinements or corrective actions.
- • Administer technical and financial assistance programs supporting conservation infrastructure.
- • Integrate IPM considerations into designs, including barriers, resistant plantings, and targeted controls.
- • Review and provide technical recommendations on wetland or stream restoration designs and easements.
- • Plan and execute surveys, geotechnical investigations, and hydrologic studies to inform design.
- • Lead field offices or project teams and manage cooperative engineering efforts.
- • Engineer soil conservation systems such as contour layouts, grade stabilization, and reforestation support.
- • Conduct compliance audits of constructed works and program implementation.
- • Develop water conservation and capture designs using ET data, weather inputs, and irrigation management systems.
- • Review and comment on watershed and water-resource plans for engineering adequacy.
- • Design and evaluate trials or studies on plant materials, channel stabilization, or habitat structures.
- • Populate and apply decision-support tools and models with local data (e.g., SWMM, HEC-HMS, WEPP).
- • Delineate and characterize wetlands using field data and mapping to guide design and permitting.
- • Evaluate program and contractor reports for technical compliance and performance metrics.
- • Prepare and review grant applications, scopes, and budgets for conservation engineering projects.
- • Develop soils and topographic maps, grading plans, and construction specifications.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
