DWR - Engineer-In-Training II.
State of Colorado
Stand out for this role — generate a tailored resume and cover letter in about a minute.
Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The Colorado Department of Natural Resources is seeking qualified applicants for a Division of Water Resources role. The position focuses on maximizing beneficial use of waters, reviewing water rights, and supporting the State Engineer in hydrologic and geologic analyses.
Open to Colorado residents only. The current work arrangement includes flexible work from home with mandatory in-office training twice monthly and occasional in-state travel for presentations or offsite meetings.
Qualifications
- Current enrollment as an Engineer Intern by the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.
- Substitutions: active licensure as a Professional Engineer may substitute for internship enrollment.
- Preferred qualifications include state experience, water rights knowledge, and proficiency with Excel/Google Sheets.
Responsibilities
- Review substitute water supply plans and replacement plans by evaluating hydrology and engineering data.
- Assess whether plans injure decreed water rights using engineering reports and models.
- Evaluate water rights changes and substitute plans within designated basins.
- Provide technical comments to Division staff on engineering, geologic, legal, and administrative aspects of water rights cases.
- Communicate findings to counties, attorneys, engineers and water users to aid decision making.
Skills
Education
Tools
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.
- 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
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 . The Water Supply work unit exists to serve the needs of the public and to conserve, protect, develop, and maximize the beneficial use of the State’s present and future water supplies. The work unit is responsible for conducting the engineering studies and analyses needed to support the decisions of the State Engineer, the Division Engineers, and the Colorado Ground Water Commission in administering water in the following areas: issuing well permits, subdivision water supply plan reviews, Determinations of Water Rights, replacement plans, changes of water rights, Water Court resume reviews, substitute water supply plan evaluations, inter-state water compact administration, hearings, water court case negotiations and trials, and public assistance for the northeastern portion of the state.
This position exists to provide support to maximize the beneficial use of waters of the state and facilitate the above by conducting engineering and hydrologic investigations pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, rules, regulations, and policies of the State Engineer and Colorado Ground Water Commission. This position analyzes applications for well permits and approves or denies them or returns them to the applicant with necessary explanations; reviews water court cases and prepares determinations of facts; reviews requests for approval of substitute water supply plans; evaluates applications for determinations of water rights, replacement plans, and changes of water rights within the Designated Basins; reviews submittals from County planning departments and other State and Federal agencies for technical or legal issues; provides support to the State Engineer, Division Engineer, and Colorado Ground Water Commission on matters within the South Platte River Basin inside of the Denver Basin; and consults, assists, advises, and confers with water users and/or their attorneys and engineers.
- Reviews and evaluates requests for substitute water supply plans/replacement plans by evaluating surface and ground water hydrology, performing engineering analyses, researching water court decrees, and evaluating site specific data.
- Determine if substitute water supply plans result in injury to decreed water rights based on review and evaluation of the engineering report, consumptive use model and Glover model.
- Performs engineering evaluations of water court cases for engineering, geologic, legal, and administrative correctness and provides comments to the Division staff.
- Participates in negotiations with attorneys, consulting engineers, and geologist of applicants for water rights on behalf of the Division of Water Resources.
- Reviews and provides analysis and the State Engineer’s opinion to counties regarding the adequacy and potential injury to other water rights of proposed subdivision water supply plans by reviewing applicable statutes, rules, regulations, and policies, and evaluating groundwater hydrology, performing engineering analyses, researching water rights, evaluating site specific data
- Provide (written and verbal) information, assistance, and advisement to the general public, water users, attorneys, engineers and private organizations on water issues, Colorado Revised Statutes, State Engineer and Ground Water Commission Rules, regulations, and guidelines, policies, geology, hydrology, and availability of groundwater.
- Conducts engineering, hydrologic, and geologic analysis and evaluation of applications for change of water rights within the Designated Basins and applications to construct and use large-capacity and non-exempt wells pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, rules, regulations, and the policies of the State Engineer and Ground Water Commission.
- Evaluation and/or final review of applications to construct and use small-capacity and exempt wells.
- Determine, after analysis and evaluation, if an application to the Ground Water Commission for Determination of Water Right within a Denver Basin bedrock aquifer can be approved in accordance with applicable statutes and rules and decide if the application can be given favorable consideration by the Commission.
Other Duties As Assigned.
Open to State of Colorado residents only.
Current enrollment as an Engineer Intern by the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.
Current, valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors will substitute for the enrollment as an Engineer Intern.
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.
- Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
- Knowledge and experience with Colorado water rights.
- Water administration experience.
- Licensure as a Professional Engineer.
- Water measurement experience.
- Water modeling experience such as historical consumptive use analysis, Glover equation, MODFLOW.
- Excellent public service skills.
- Proficiency with Google and Microsoft suites.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets.
- Other experience relevant to the use or management of water resources.
(Please note, this arrangement can be subject to change) Flexible workplace - working from a home/remote office, with mandatory in‑office training currently twice a month and occasional in‑state travel for presentations or offsite meetings. Flexible schedule - may work four ten‑hour days, five eight‑hour days, or other schedule acceptable to supervisor that meets business needs.
- 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 have and maintain a valid Colorado license in accordance with DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive , if utilizing a fleet vehicle.
- Current enrollment as an Engineer Intern or current valid license as a Professional Engineer by the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.
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.
- 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.
We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL” of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact our ADAAA Coordinator at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.
The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program's Right to Work for all newly‑hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I‑9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855‑524‑5627, Mon‑Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues. Helpful hints: If you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and close the document before you attempt to upload it.
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.
'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M101.744%2012.4726L102.894%2016.1947L99.0021%2013.2201L101.744%2012.4726ZM105.3%208.40937H100.488L99.0026%203.59473L97.5116%208.41047L92.7%208.40385L96.5965%2011.3834L95.1055%2016.1942L99.0021%2013.2196L101.408%2011.3834L105.3%208.40992V8.40937Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_5593_1381'%20x1='90'%20y1='9.44471'%20x2='99'%20y2='9.44471'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2300AD70'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.998594'%20stop-color='%2300B67A'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%23DCDCE6'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
