Green Infrastructure Specialist

Estuario; San Juan (PR); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A non-profit organization in San Juan seeks a Green Infrastructure Specialist to conduct assessments and evaluate infrastructure. Candidates should have a degree in Environmental Sciences and at least 3 years in green infrastructure or stormwater management. Responsibilities include developing guides, conducting field studies, and collaborating with stakeholders. Proficiency in GIS and strong technical writing skills are essential. Committed to environmental restoration and enhancing resilience, the organization promotes equal opportunities for all applicants.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in green infrastructure or stormwater management.
• Demonstrated experience conducting field assessments and environmental surveys.
• Ability to work outdoors and traverse over rough terrain.

Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive guide for natural infrastructure.
• Conduct site assessments and field evaluations.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to develop the Restoration Plan.

Skills

Field assessments

Environmental data collection

Green and gray infrastructure systems

GIS proficiency

Technical writing

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences or related field

Tools

ArcGIS

QGIS

Microsoft Office

Job description

The San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership (Estuario) is seeking qualified applicants for the Green Infrastructure Specialist position to conduct data collection and assessments, perform necessary field evaluations, evaluate gray/green infrastructure, and collaborate with research fellows.

The Corporation for the Conservation of the San Juan Bay Estuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership, or Estuario. Established in 1994, we are the only tropical and non-continental location within the National Estuary Program (NEP) under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act. The Estuario operates as a partnership to restore and conserve the waters and associated ecosystems of the San Juan Bay Estuary and its watershed as a sustainable axis of social and economic development. The partnership is a trusted regional science-based organization, supported by engaged stakeholders. Estuario’s work is guided by a master restoration plan known as the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for the San Juan Bay Estuary.

In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to invest in the nation’s infrastructure and resilience. Estuario is using IIJA funding to kickstart a planning process for the Juan Méndez Creek project. The Juan Méndez Creek is an important urban drainage asset located in the San Juan municipality within in a heavily urbanized watershed. The headwater portion drains from the eastern portion of Nuevo Milenio State Forest, and passing through Buen Consejo, Capetillo, the University of Puerto Rico campus, Villa Capri, Dos Pinos, Manuel A. Pérez, Truman, Israel, and finally discharging into the San José Lagoon. During midcentury, the creek was channeled using traditional grey methods (buried pipes and an open concrete channel). The creek’s infrastructure has suffered from a general lack of maintenance and compounding impacts due to collapsing sanitary and pluvial systems.

Today, sections of the creek’s concrete walls and channel floor have significantly deteriorated and, in some areas, collapsed –compromising its hydraulic capacity. During rainfall events, flooding occurs in the low-lying areas, further exacerbated by persistent sanitary discharges that pose serious public health concerns. This project will center on the use of high-impact hybrid infrastructures throughout its planning, design and implementation phases to increase resilience at diverse scales. The Juan Méndez Creek project aims to become a replicable model that integrates innovative restoration and resilience techniques for previously channelized water resources in tropical regions.

Scope of work

The Green Infrastructure Specialist will be responsible for developing a comprehensive guide for natural infrastructure and related deliverables. Lead the validation process of this guide with municipalities and carry out any field studies or analysis related to green infrastructure as necessary. In addition, will apply nature-based engineering approaches to site evaluation to develop recommendations for climate resilience interventions. The Green Infrastructure Specialist will conduct a site assessment through gathering data and carrying out field evaluations and green/grey infrastructure interventions, opportunities, and constraints. The Green Infrastructure Will also support the research fellows who will take a course at the University of Puerto Rico on sustainable water resources infrastructure. In addition, this service provider will develop an inventory of the largest-scale channelization in the SJBE, collect information on the impacts of channelization on natural bodies of water, identify the interventions necessary to restore the waters within the SJBE watershed, and recommend integrating natural infrastructure to implement these interventions.

This contract will be supervised by the Resilient Infrastructure Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Juan Méndez Creek Infrastructure Committee to develop the Restoration Plan.
• Apply nature-based engineering approaches and develop recommendations for climate-resilient interventions as part of the design of the restoration plan for the Juan Méndez creek.
• Identify green/grey infrastructure intervention opportunities and constraints.
• Conduct site assessment and field evaluations and present reports summarizing data, results, and findings.
• Develop a comprehensive guide for designing, implementing, and managing natural infrastructure projects that includes:
  • Develop an inventory of the largest-scale channelization in the SJBE.
  • Collect information on the impacts of channelization on natural bodies of water.
  • Identify the interventions necessary to restore the waters within the SJBE watershed and recommend integrating natural infrastructure to implement these interventions.
• Facilitate meetings, develop and present reports summarizing data, and any findings and recommendations to various stakeholders, including the Juan Méndez Infrastructure Committee, Municipalities, and Estuario Staff.
• Data management and analysis, which includes uploading data onto the Estuario database.

Required Qualifications (Education and Experience):

• Bachelor’s degree required in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Ecology, Landscape Architecture, Hydrology, Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, or related fields.
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in green infrastructure (GI), stormwater management, watershed management, or urban ecological restoration
• Demonstrated experience conducting field assessments and environmental data collection
• Working knowledge of green and gray infrastructure systems (e.g., bioswales, rain gardens, permeable pavements, detention/retention systems)
• Experience interpreting engineering plans and technical drawings
• Proficiency in GIS (ArcGIS or QGIS) and data management tools
• Strong technical writing skills (reports, monitoring summaries, grant documentation)
• Ability to work outdoors and conduct field evaluations

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Enjoys working outside and doesn’t mind working in inclement weather conditions.
• Must be willing to potentially traverse over rough terrain to remote field sites.
• Strong oral, written, and graphic communication skills.
• Willing to work with graduate students.
• Ability to collect, compile, analyze, and evaluate a complex set of inputs and present the findings and conclusions clearly and effectively.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, team-based environment.
• Ability to prioritize time efficiently, work independently, and manage competing priorities.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office, cloud-based data access, and share software such as Google Drive, and other software such as Adobe, etc. required.
• Provide their own personal computer and transportation.

How to apply:

Interested candidates should email [e-mail] by March 18, 2026. The email must specify in the subject the name of the position, «Green Infrastructure Specialist-IIJA.» The following documents must be included:

• Cover Letter: Written in English and directed to Brenda Torres, Executive Director. The cover letter should present at least two concrete examples of similar positions, achievements, and impact, highlighting experience with non-profit organizations, if available.
• Resume/CV: Written in English, including three references.
• Writing sample: Written in Spanish or English. The writing sample must have been completed independently by the candidate and may be an academic essay, a short report, a formal meeting report, a proposal, or another technical report.

Sources of funding:

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Grant # 4T-96213322-3)

The Corporation for the Conservation of the San Juan Bay Estuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates the San Juan Bay Estuary Partnership. The Corporation for the Conservation of the SJBE provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or genetics. MBE/WBE and other certified minorities and small businesses are encouraged to apply.