Environmental Protection Officer - Wetlands Specialist

Alberta; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas is hiring an Environmental Protection Officer - Wetlands Specialist to lead regulatory reviews, assess wetland works, and provide technical guidance under the Water Act. The role emphasizes hydro-ecological expertise, compliance support, and policy implementation across wetlands projects.

The position is permanent, full-time, with typical 36.25 hours/week, requiring travel within the province and collaboration with ministry staff and external partners.

Qualifications

• Two-year technical diploma in a related field as environmental science, engineering, hydrology, or ecology.
• Seven years of related experience in wetland and water management is required.
• Experience applying water management practices and technologies in various settings.
• Knowledge of environmental legislation and regulations.
• Experience as an aquatic environmental professional.

Responsibilities

• Review wetland application submissions and provide advice on addressing non-compliance and unauthorized activities under the Water Act.
• Assess authorized and unauthorized works to alter the natural environment using wetland policy, hydrology, and engineering principles.
• Provide technical and regulatory advice on water drainage, wetland impacts, surface water management, erosion, and water control structures.
• Prepare field notes, reports, and documents for enforcement groundwork.
• Support program development, enforcement orders, and remedial investigations.

Job description

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Environmental Protection Officer - Wetlands Specialist

Job Requisition ID: 88426

Ministry: Environment and Protected Areas

Location: Edmonton

Full or Part-Time: Full-Time

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Permanent/Temporary/Wage: Permanent

Scope: Open Competition

Closing Date: November 12, 2026

Classification: Technologies 7

The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding career opportunities.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas are dedicated to safeguarding Albertas natural resource and ecosystems while balancing environmental and economic needs. We focus on wildlife conservation, managing protected areas, creating environmental policies, conducting research and engaging the public through educational initiatives. Our commitment is to sustainably, ensuring Alberta’s landscapes and resources are persevered and responsibly managed for future generations.

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Compliance Manager, this position will act as a technical resource for colleagues and associates within the Regulatory Assurance Division for the Approvals and Compliance Programs, reviewing wetland application submissions and providing advice in addressing non-compliance and unauthorized activities under the Water Act, with a particular focus on wetland policy implementation. This position is required to assess a variety of authorized and unauthorized works constructed to alter the natural environment, the application of compliance tools to the avoidance, minimization, and restoration hierarchy found in the department’s wetland policy to promote compliance. This position examines these works within the context of existing and predecessor regulations and sound hydrology, wetland assessment principles, and engineering practices.

The EPO Wetland Specialist provides technical and regulatory advice including issues pertaining to water drainage works, impacts to wetlands, surface water management, erosion, flooding, and water control structures within the context of existing and predecessor regulations and sound hydrology, wetland assessment principles, and/or engineering practices.

The additional responsibilities of EPO Wetland Specialist are:

• Support Wetland Policy Implementation
• Participation in the development the provincial wetland program
• Technical support and development of enforcement orders
• Inspections and technical support for remedial investigations
• Educational/Training Programs and Initiatives
• Compliance Sweeps

The role will involve preparation of field notes, photos, reports, displays, and documents for the groundwork for remedial of other enforcement actions. The role requires a broad range of knowledge with a focus on water resource management, hydrology, ecology, engineering, and related environmental legislation and regulations, consistent with qualifications as an aquatic environmental professional.

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

Systems Thinking: Considers long-term and system-wide impacts of wetland loss and identifies opportunities to reduce non-compliant behaviour through education, prevention and policy implementation.

Creative Problem Solving: Works with internal and external partners to analyze complex wetland and waterbody restoration issues and recommend practical regulatory solutions.

Build Collaborative Environments: Facilitates open communication across compliance, approvals and policy teams to resolve emerging issues and achieve Compliance Assurance Framework outcomes.

Develop Networks: Builds trusted relationships with various stakeholders while providing complex technical and regulatory advice.

Qualifications

Required:

• Two-year technical diploma in a related field as environmental science, engineering, hydrology, or ecology.
• Seven years of related experience in wetland and water management is required.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Additional requirements include:

• Experience applying water management practices and technologies in agricultural, rural, industrial, municipal, subdivision development, and public land settings.
• Experience assessing wetland disturbances, restoration, replacement, drainage works, flooding, erosion, and water control structures.
• Experience supporting remedial investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, penalty investigations, and prosecutions.
• Knowledge and application of wetland science, water resource management, hydrology, ecology, and remedial projects.
• Knowledge of environmental legislation and regulations.
• Experience as an aquatic environmental professional.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• Authenticating Professional designation, or eligibility to obtain within one year.

This position is a permanent, full-time role, with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday.

Travel within the area and throughout the province will be required as part of your responsibilities to coordinate with Ministry staff and colleagues, other government departments, clients, and other external stakeholders.

Candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment as part of the interview process.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a criminal records check (CRC).

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Jane Mcewen at [e-mail] .