Civil Engineer Technician

Written By Claire Nelson

Position Posting: Civil Engineer Technician

Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District is looking for a Civic Engineer Technician who has a passion to assist people in planning for best conservation management of their land. This is a full-time position.

What are the Rhode Island Conservation Districts?

Rhode Island’s Conservation Districts are not for profit, quasi-public organizations that serve local communities, and work on various projects to ensure natural resource conservation and sustainability. Rhode Island has three Districts located in the Northern, Southern and Eastern parts of the state, and these Districts work intimately and cooperatively on statewide projects. Many of the projects that the Conservation Districts work on are in partnership with local governments, land trusts, conservation commissions, RI Department of Environmental Management and the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Rhode Island’s Conservation Districts are governed by RI State Laws, and the work accomplished by the organizations are directed by locally elected boards of directors and associate directors. The mission of the Conservation Districts are to promote and achieve a healthy environment and sustainable use of natural resources for the people of the state of Rhode Island, now and for the future, by coordinating partners to provide technical, educational and financial resources.

Job Description

This position provides engineering assistance working with private landowners to implement a variety of conservation practices in support of USDA-NRCS programs. Responsibilities include performing site inventories and analysis, surveying, calculating material quantities and preparing supporting documentation, drafting engineering plans and writing construction specifications, construction inspection, and completing as-built drawings. While this position does not require an engineering degree, knowledge of and/or training in traditional hand-drafting techniques and a demonstrated proficiency with AutoCAD is essential. Knowledge of and/or training in cartography and geospatial analysis, including proficiency with ArcGIS is beneficial.

Job Duties

  • Collect data through site inventory and analysis and perform survey work

  • Prepare and review quantity computations, engineering calculations, cost estimates, and construction/material specifications

  • Draft engineering plans using AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016

  • Inspect the construction of engineering practices and prepare as-built drawings

Recommended Qualifications

  • 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction, industrial technology, or a related field

  • Bachelor’s degree must include at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as engineering, engineering or industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science, or mathematics

  • At least 6 of the 24 semester hours must have been in drafting

Work Experience

  • Basic knowledge of surveying equipment, including maintenance and calibration

  • Independent use of surveying tools, including laser levels and survey-grade GPS equipment

  • Independent collection and analysis of data to support basic engineering practices

  • Independent use of AutoCAD to prepare engineering plans, drawings, and construction details

  • Independent execution of routine construction inspection procedures

Scope of Work

Actual work schedule may be negotiable, with 40 hours of work/week; daytime hours required, along with some weekend availability. Regular work times & hours will be determined at start of employment. Mileage will be compensated at federal rates for field work.

Location of work:

Base location: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 60 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886.

Hourly pay rate: starts at $21.00, commensurate with experience.

Position Status: Full time permanent position. Grant funding has been secured for 4 years. There is potential for additional grant funding.

Supervisory Relationships:

.This position is under the direct supervision of the District Manager, with workload status reported to the Project Manager. Performance appraisal of this employee and decisions regarding salary and other compensation, disciplinary actions and termination of employment are the responsibility of the Board of Directors, following the Conservation District Policies Handbook.

Resumes Due by:

Please send cover letter, resume, and three (3) professional references to info@easternriconservation.org attention to Sara Churgin by July 22, 2022.

Claire Nelson