DWR - Division Engineer Div 1 (Professional Engineer IV)

Full Job Description

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/ to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/pslfFlow.action#!/pslf/launch

Division of Water Resources (DWR):

State Engineer's Office

Our mission is to administer the waters of the State to maximize lawful beneficial use, ensure that dams and water wells are properly constructed and safe, and provide information about water resources to the public. Division of Water Resources.

This work unit exists to preserve, protect, develop and maximize the beneficial use of the present and future water supplies in the South Platte, Republican and Laramie River basins; to enforce the statutory and judicial laws pertaining to surface water, ground water and dam safety; and to serve the needs of the public.

Requirements

This position exists to perform such functions and duties as specified by state statute and to carry out duties and orders of the State Engineer within the geographical area of Water Division One. The position must guide and direct allocation and regulation of water supplies; oversee dam safety; oversee hydrographic measurements and publications to identify and quantify water supplies; oversee well use; enforce compliance with decrees, statutes, permits, rules and regulations, ensure Colorado meets obligations under interstate compacts; compile and make available official records of water use and official lists of water rights; and resolve disputes concerning water rights and use.

Specific job duties include but are not limited to:

Operations and Planning: Directs, oversees, and implements the responsibilities, goals, objectives, and polices of the agency by planning, scheduling, and directing work efforts; by allocating budget for operating and personal services; by supervising and training subordinates; and by collaborating with other agency personnel.

Direct Water Court and Litigation: Directs and oversees the analysis and evaluation of all new applications for water rights in the Division; submission of information and opinions regarding viability of each application through written consultation reports to the water court as required by statute; negotiations with applicants to construct court decrees consistent with statutes and administrative policies; tabulation of decreed water rights for; and publishes and defends a list of potentially abandoned water rights every ten years. Directs and oversees the performance of engineering evaluations of water court cases for engineering, geologic, and administrative correctness and serves as a subject matter expert on enforcement and legal issues in Water Division. Presents expert testimony to water court in areas of water resources, engineering, water administration, hydrography, and water rights. Acts as a liaison to the Attorney General’s Office and the Water Court. Leads negotiations with attorneys, consulting engineers, and geologists of applicants for water rights on behalf of the Division of Water Resources.
Directs and oversees the tabulation of water rights for Division, preparation of the list of proposed water rights for abandonment every 10 years, resolves protests to the abandonment list, defends the list in court proceedings as required.

Manage Division Water Administration: Interprets, applies, and enforces statutes, decrees, interstate compacts, interstate decrees, MOUs, permits, rules and regulations, and court decisions; by formulating and adjusting a program for allocation and distribution of water in the Water Division; by issuing orders regulating and controlling water use; by developing and implementing legal enforcement actions to secure compliance; and by directing, overseeing and executing field investigations, engineering studies, and reports.

Directs the water administration program to achieve the optimal distribution and regulation of water from streams, aquifers, and reservoirs, including determination of the physical availability in relation to allocation principles to meet statutory, decretal, compact and constitutional obligations through collaboration with staff and water users.

Issues orders and initiates enforcement actions as necessary to enforce water administration statutes and monitors compliance with orders issued to ensure compliance.

Directs the water administration program to gather, edit, compile and publish data to produce the official record of water diversions and use within the Water Division.

Oversee Division Measurement Programs: In coordination with the Chief of Hydrography, oversees, analyzes, and guides the program that measures stream flow and diversions to identify and quantify the available water supplies in the basin. Ensures the program provides permanent official records of water flow at designated locations and disseminates water flow information to water officials, water users, and the general public via the DWR website.

Guides, directs and oversees the gathering, editing, compiling and publication of data to produce an official record of water distribution and use within the Water Division.

Dam Safety: Assists the Chief of Dam Safety in the administration of the dam safety program that monitors, inspects, and evaluates the condition of dams; reviews orders proposing restriction of storage levels in reservoirs for recommendation to State Engineer; monitors compliance with orders; and initiates enforcement actions to protect public safety.


Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:
Current, valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors.
AND
Four (4) years of professional experience as a licensed professional engineer, two (2) of which must have been at the level of a senior authority, manager, or equivalent.

Substitutions

Appropriate education in addition to that required for the professional engineer license will substitute for the required general experience on a year-for-year basis, but not the staff authority or managerial experience.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.


Preferred Qualifications:

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
• Knowledge and experience with Colorado water rights.
• Knowledge and experience with Colorado water law and water courts.
• Knowledge and experience with plans for augmentation.
• Experience in water resource engineering.
• Experience managing programs and staff.
• Experience presenting engineering and/or legal information to the public or interested groups in a manner that can be understood by those without a technical background.
• Other experience relevant to the use or management of water resources.

The current work arrangement for this position is as follows:
(Please note, this arrangement can be subject to change)

Flexible workplace - working from a home/remote office up to two (2) days per week, in coordination with others to ensure adequate coverage.

Must be willing and able to attend public meetings and/or other events which occur infrequently and are previously scheduled. Must be able to travel and stay overnight within Colorado for statewide meetings and/or in other states within the U.S. a few times each year.

Conditions of Employment:

Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position.

(Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).

Must be willing and able to possess and maintain a State of Colorado Driver's License

Must possess and maintain a current P.E. license in the State of Colorado (or have valid licensure in another state at time of application).

Must be prepared to defend and support actions and records in depositions or court testimony.

Must be able to address frequent and detailed inquiries from attorneys, professional engineers and hydrologists from government and private agencies.

APPEAL RIGHTS:
It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, US Mail, faxed or hand delivered within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board go to spb.colorado.gov or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Additional Information

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.

• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.

• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.

• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.

• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

• This recruitment may be used to fill more than one vacancy at this level and reporting location.

Former State Employees
Former employees of the Colorado Department of Transportation System or any other State of Colorado Department or Agency, who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination, must disclose this information on his/her application.