Resource Conservationist

Being Age 55 or Older is Good for The Environment The Agricultural Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program offers unique opportunities in Scientific, Technical, and Agricultural support for individuals aged 55 and over to support the Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through a grant administered program awarded to National Experienced Workforce Solutions (NEW Solutions). This is a unique program where your talents, expertise, and experience will truly be valued. The ACES program provides an opportunity to work side-by-side with NRCS staff that are doing important work every day.

Benefits: Paid Health Insurance Premium for positions budgeted at 60+ hours per pay period, Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Federal Holidays, and optional Vision and Dental Insurance available for positions budgeted at 35+ hours per pay period.

Positions listed here do not guarantee employment for any definite period. Enrollment in the Experienced Worker Programs administered by NEW Solutions is temporary. The enrollment relationship between NEW Solutions and the Enrollee is an "at-will" relationship. This means that an Enrollee is free to terminate enrollment at any time during the enrollment period, and NEW Solutions and the Agency have the right to terminate the relationship with the Enrollee. PLEASE NOTE: An ACES Enrollee is not a federal employee, nor an employee of NEW Solutions. An ACES Enrollee is a participant in a grant program established through a Cooperative Agreement funded by the USDA-NRCS and administered by NEW Solutions. This opportunity applies to applicants legally eligible to work in the United States.

Minimum of 15 year(s) of experience in Minimum of 15 years of experience in conservation planning associated with soil and water natural resources. OR BA/BS Degree in Biologist or natural resources related field.

• Valid State Driver?s license.
• Experience required with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel
• PowerPoint

This position provides technical assistance support for the delivery of NRCS Farm Bill conservation programs at the Field Office and Area level. The Resource Conservationist shall possess a practical knowledge of agriculture production, landscape natural resource concerns, the NRCS conservation planning process, and NRCS Farm Bill programs. The Resource Conservationist must be able to initiate and complete these responsibilities with limited supervision.

• Under the direction of the NRCS Resource Team Lead; completes tasks required to implement the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP); which may include resource data collection and analysis, decision support documentation, conservation plan and contract development, status reviews of planned practices, collection and organization of practice/enhancement certification documentation, and case file management. These tasks will be conducted for all land uses ? crop, pasture, forest, farmstead, and wildlife. Some of these tasks will be done for complex projects involving multiple landowners/units of government/NGO?s, and across county and watersheds in support of Program Initiatives.   80%
• Assists in providing training on EQIP and CSP program delivery to NRCS field staff.   10%
• Assists in coordinating and conducting outreach events. Performs informational duties such as writing conservation success stories and news articles.   5%
• Assists in performing quality assurance reviews of EQIP and CSP program delivery at the Field Office level.   5%

• Annual information system security, anti-harassment, and civil rights training.
• Travel Requirements: Occasionally to satisfy the duties of the position.
• Remote work arrangements are available for this position within the state of Iowa.

NEW Solutions is committed to promoting equal opportunity and to an environment free from discrimination and harassment in any form administering Experienced Worker Programs under cooperative agreements with federal agencies. It is NEW Solutions' policy to comply with all applicable laws that provide equal opportunity and to prohibit unlawful discrimination in enrolling participants in the federal programs.