Land Conservation Monitoring Specialist

King County, WA; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Pension plan

12 paid holidays

Job summary

King County is seeking a Land Conservation Monitoring Specialist to help unify monitoring of conservation easements, PBRS agreements, and County lands. The role blends fieldwork, data analysis, and outreach to coordinate across AFI, OSA, EPI, RPPM, and Parks.

Expect hybrid work with offices in Seattle and field duties across King County. You will build data systems, apply GIS and remote sensing, and support voluntary compliance while contributing to climate, land, and food initiatives.

Qualifications

• Experienced with land conservation, including field-based land inventory, inspection, monitoring, or assessment.
• Proficient in building productive, collaborative relationships with private landowners or other property stakeholders to accomplish shared objectives.
• Knowledge of or experience working with conservation easements, deed restrictions, open-space agreements, or similar land-use protections, including monitoring for compliance.
• Ability to accurately collect, organize, manage, analyze, and report land-use or property-related information.
• Experience using mapping and data-management technologies, such as GIS, to assess property conditions, land-use changes, or past disturbances.
• Ability to develop, maintain, or improve data-management systems and processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical or potentially sensitive information to different audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across programs, disciplines, and organizational boundaries.
• Ability to identify problems, recommend practical solutions, improve processes, and move work forward when priorities or stakeholder needs compete.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel, and familiarity with collaborative tools such as Teams and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Develop monitoring standards and protocols. Partner with program leads to establish consistent guidelines for monitoring, documentation, communication, and outreach across programs and divisions.
• Conduct conservation compliance monitoring. Monitor King County-held conservation easements, landowner agreements, deed restrictions, and certain County-owned lands using field assessments and other monitoring approaches.
• Apply technology to conservation monitoring. Use traditional and innovative technologies—including GIS, aerial imagery, data systems, and emerging remote-monitoring tools to evaluate property conditions and identify potential compliance concerns.
• Address compliance concerns collaboratively. Work with program leads and landowners to identify issues, develop recommendations and corrective-action timelines, encourage voluntary compliance, and coordinate appropriate corrective or enforcement measures when necessary.
• Build a comprehensive monitoring data system. Develop and maintain a system identifying DNRP assets with monitoring requirements, responsible parties, monitoring history, and current compliance status. This information is anticipated to eventually integrate with WLRD's parcel-based Stewardship Hub.
• Support continuous program improvement. Work with program staff to identify opportunities to improve easement and agreement language, monitoring practices, and other processes that strengthen long-term conservation outcomes.

Skills

Land conservation

Landowner relations

GIS

Data management

MS Office

Communication skills

Cross-team collaboration

Problem solving

Tools

GIS

Job description

Summary

with an anticipated 3-year duration. In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future Land Conservation Monitoring Specialist (PPM III) SDA/TLT roles throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next six (6) months.

Join Our Team

Do you want your work to have a lasting impact on the lands, natural resources, and communities of King County?

About The Role

The Land Conservation Monitoring Specialist is a newly established position responsible for helping create a coordinated approach to monitoring conservation easements, PBRS open-space agreements, deed restrictions, and certain County-owned lands associated with acquisitions led by DNRP's Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) and Parks and Recreation Division. Historically, monitoring has occurred within individual programs. This position will help bring those efforts together by developing consistent monitoring protocols, documentation practices, data systems, and approaches to compliance.

In this role, you will combine fieldwork, technology, data analysis, relationship-building, and program coordination. You will assess current property conditions, document findings, identify potential compliance concerns, and partner with program staff and landowners to address issues and support voluntary compliance. Monitoring may include traditional site visits as well as review of aerial imagery, GIS information, and emerging technologies, including AI-assisted remote monitoring platforms.

Your work will directly contribute to major King County priorities, including the Land Conservation Initiative, Local Food Initiative, Strategic Climate Action Plan, and policies established through the King County Comprehensive Plan.

About The Team

This position is housed within the Agriculture, Forestry, and Incentives Unit (AFI) of the Water and Land Resources Division and reports to the AFI Unit Manager. However, this is a highly collaborative, cross-divisional role.

You will work closely with professionals across DNRP, including staff within:

• Agriculture, Forestry, and Incentives (AFI)
• Open Space Acquisitions (OSA)
• Environmental Policy and Initiatives (EPI)
• Recreation, Partnerships, & Property Management (RPPM)
• Parks Operations

Together, these teams conserve open space and working farms and forests, acquire and steward conservation lands, restore habitat, support environmental initiatives, manage County property, and maintain King County's extensive parks and trail system.

AFI works with forestland and farmland owners to improve land management, conserve working lands, restore habitat, increase environmental health and climate resiliency, and expand farmland access, including opportunities for farmers from historically underserved communities. This position will serve as an important connector across these programs, helping establish a consistent and effective approach to monitoring King County's conservation commitments.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Land Conservation Monitoring Specialist (PPM III) you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Job Duties

What You Will Be Doing:

• Develop monitoring standards and protocols. Partner with program leads to establish consistent guidelines for monitoring, documentation, communication, and outreach across programs and divisions.
• Conduct conservation compliance monitoring. Monitor King County-held conservation easements, landowner agreements, deed restrictions, and certain County-owned lands using field assessments and other monitoring approaches.
• Apply technology to conservation monitoring. Use traditional and innovative technologies—including GIS, aerial imagery, data systems, and emerging remote-monitoring tools to evaluate property conditions and identify potential compliance concerns.
• Address compliance concerns collaboratively. Work with program leads and landowners to identify issues, develop recommendations and corrective-action timelines, encourage voluntary compliance, and coordinate appropriate corrective or enforcement measures when necessary.
• Build a comprehensive monitoring data system. Develop and maintain a system identifying DNRP assets with monitoring requirements, responsible parties, monitoring history, and current compliance status. This information is anticipated to eventually integrate with WLRD's parcel-based Stewardship Hub.
• Support continuous program improvement. Work with program staff to identify opportunities to improve easement and agreement language, monitoring practices, and other processes that strengthen long-term conservation outcomes.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:

• Experienced with land conservation, including field-based land inventory, inspection, monitoring, or assessment.
• Proficient in building productive, collaborative relationships with private landowners or other property stakeholders to accomplish shared objectives.
• Knowledge of or experience working with conservation easements, deed restrictions, open-space agreements, or similar land-use protections, including monitoring for compliance.
• Ability to accurately collect, organize, manage, analyze, and report land-use or property-related information.
• Experience using mapping and data-management technologies, such as GIS, to assess property conditions, land-use changes, or past disturbances.
• Ability to develop, maintain, or improve data-management systems and processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical or potentially sensitive information to different audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across programs, disciplines, and organizational boundaries.
• Ability to identify problems, recommend practical solutions, improve processes, and move work forward when priorities or stakeholder needs compete.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel, and familiarity with collaborative tools such as Teams and Outlook.

We recognize that relevant skills can be developed through many pathways, including professional experience, public service, military service, community-based work, apprenticeships, training, certifications, and other lived or learned experiences. We encourage candidates who can demonstrate the skills needed to successfully perform this work to apply.

Competencies You Bring

• Collaborate — Build partnerships and work effectively with colleagues, landowners, and stakeholders toward shared objectives.
• Communicate Effectively — Adapt communication approaches to clearly convey technical, programmatic, and potentially sensitive information to different audiences.
• Be Tech Savvy — Learn and effectively apply new technologies and digital tools to improve conservation monitoring and information management.
• Optimize Work Processes — Identify opportunities to improve systems and develop efficient, consistent approaches to accomplishing the work.
• Manages Conflict handle conflict situations effectively, with minimum of noise
• Drive Results — Maintain momentum and achieve meaningful outcomes when facing complex issues, competing priorities, or unexpected challenges.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring

• Experience developing, coordinating, or managing a conservation easement monitoring program.
• Experience establishing monitoring protocols, compliance processes, or land-management data systems.
• Experience using GIS, aerial imagery, remote sensing, or other technologies to monitor conservation or open-space lands.

Onsite Work Details

• Work Location: Agriculture, Forestry, and Incentives Unit (AFI) works in a hybrid model, with days in the office, and field, as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a in-home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule: This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by Teamsters Local 117.

Benefits

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving ProgramEmployee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.