Conservation Engineer in Des Moines

Energy Jobline ZR; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Health Insurance Premium for 60+/

Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave

Paid Federal Holidays

Vision and Dental Insurance (optional)

Job summary

NEW Solutions, through the ACES program, is seeking a Conservation Engineer in Des Moines to support NRCS staff and partners in watershed planning and infrastructure projects. The role emphasizes engineering design, site investigations, and coordination across stakeholders.

The position focuses on delivering technical assistance, ensuring compliance with NRCS processes, and building capacity in field offices to respond to high-demand needs and emergencies.

Qualifications

• 15+ years experience in inventory, evaluation, planning, design, analysis and construction of engineering projects.
• This includes geologic investigations, design computations, technical specs, and oversight of NRCS programs.

Responsibilities

• Duties include working with NRCS staff, Partners, and Watershed Sponsors on watershed issues, site investigations, design and construction.
• Assist in hazard classification for dams; NRCS dam inspections; breach routings; and training staff on engineering duties.

Skills

Engineering experience

Hydraulics

Hydrology

Irrigation

Watershed planning

Storm water mgmt

NRCS design processes

Windows

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

Education

BS/BA in engineering or physics related field

Tools

Windows

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

Job description

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionConservation EngineerID:AIA1-009Location:Des MoinesProgram:ACE
Wage/Hr:$45.00Hours/Week:30Minimum :55

Disclaimer: This is not a federal position. This role is offered through a partnership agreement and does not constitute an NRCS hiring action.

This position is a non-federal role funded through an existing agreement between NRCS and NEW Solutions. The enrollee will provide direct support to farmers and landowners, enabling the implementation of conservation practices on the ground. This role contributes to NRCS's mission by enhancing capacity in field offices and ensuring timely assistance to producers. It is designed to free up NRCS staff for emergency and high-priority responses, not to replace federal staff.

This role helps ensure continued progress on conservation planning, practice implementation, and technical assistance, especially in high-demand or disaster-affected areas. It aligns with the Administration's priorities for farmer-first, field-facing, and partner-enabled capacity expansion.

For over 25 years, Experienced Workforce Solutions (NEW Solutions) has specialized in connecting experienced workers (ages 55+) with full-time and part-time job opportunities that support the critical missions of Federal Agencies across the United States.

NEW Solutions connects experienced workers (ages 55+) with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS). These are experienced professionals who provide technical and professional assistance to the Department of Agriculture for the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program.

Benefits

• Paid Health Insurance Premium for positions budgeted at 60+ hours per pay period
• Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave
• Paid Federal Holidays
• 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.

Qualifications

Minimum of 15 year(s) of experience in inventory, evaluation, planning, design, analysis and construction of engineering projects varying in size from smaller individual farm projects to extensive watershed projects. This includes preparation and/or review of geologic investigations, design computations, technical specifications, and oversight of various agency programs, including EQIP, CSP and RCPP. This position will require skills in hydraulics, hydrology, irrigation, watershed planning, stream stabilization and renovation, soil mechanics, erosion and sediment control, and storm water mgt. OR BA/BS Degree in (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

• Professional Engineering Registration, extensive demonstrated knowledge of NRCS engineering survey, design, construction and certification processes.
• Experience required with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint

Duties

This position is a conservation engineer. Duties will include working with NRCS staff, Partners, and Watershed Sponsors on watershed related issues such as maintenance and repair questions, site investigations, design and construction, responding to programmatic questions, receiving and tracking communications between NRCS and Sponsors, advising the State Conservation Engineer, and helping to prepare draft communications to Sponsors.

• Duties will also include assisting in the determination of hazard classification for both watershed and non-watershed dams; completing NRCS dam inspections as assigned by the SCE; completing breach routings and hazard class potential evaluations as assigned by the SCE; and provide training to staff on the Engineering Division regarding these assigned duties.100%

Other

• Physical requirements: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

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.