Principal Natural Resources Analyst

City of Tacoma; Washington; On-site; USD 114,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Tacoma seeks a seasoned environmental professional to lead protection of Tacoma Water's Green River Watershed. You will serve as the technical expert on environmental protection, water quality, forest practices, and watershed operations, guiding capital projects and programs with diverse partners.

You'll manage field-based work and remote collaboration, interpret environmental regulations, and balance resource protection with operational needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific field such as biology, environmental science, forestry or resource management.
• 5 years of professional level environmental program experience, including leadership roles.
• Experience managing capital projects and administering operational programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical expert on environmental protection, water quality, forest practices, and watershed operations for Green River projects.
• Plan, design, and manage capital improvement projects (culverts, slope stabilization, road improvements, paving, rock resource development).
• Lead watershed protection programs (spill response, culvert inventory, bridge inspections, road usage accounting).
• Coordinate with federal/state/tribal/local/private stakeholders to ensure regulatory compliance and Tacoma Water requirements.
• Develop water quality protection measures, sampling plans, access permits, equipment tracking, invasive species inspections, and visitor education.
• Provide technical guidance during emergency responses involving watershed infrastructure (flood, wildfire, earthquake, road failure).
• Analyze operational and environmental data to identify trends and support long-term watershed planning.
• Develop scopes of work, procurement documents, and contracts for capital projects and services; oversee contractor performance.
• Support watershed operations with public outreach and educational events.

Skills

Environmental protection

Water quality

Forest road engineering

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in environmental science

Job description

Are you passionate about environmental stewardship, watershed protection, and managing infrastructure that supports resilient natural resources? Tacoma Water is seeking an experienced professional to serve as a subject matter expert in environmental protection, water quality, and forest road infrastructure within the Green River Watershed. In this role, you'll lead programs and capital projects that safeguard Tacoma's drinking water supply while collaborating with government agencies, utilities, tribal partners, contractors, and private landowners to ensure responsible stewardship of one of the region's most valuable natural resources.

The ideal candidate is an environmental or forest professional who combines technical expertise with strong project management and relationship‑building skills. They are comfortable working in remote field environments as well as collaborating with diverse stakeholders to solve complex environmental and infrastructure challenges. They bring experience managing capital projects, administering operational programs, interpreting environmental regulations, and balancing resource protection with operational needs. A proactive communicator and trusted technical advisor, they use sound judgment, data, and collaboration to protect water quality while supporting the long‑term resilience of Tacoma Water's watershed assets.

This is an opportunity to combine environmental expertise, engineering knowledge, project management, and stakeholder engagement to make a lasting impact on the protection of Tacoma's watershed.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical expert on environmental protection, water quality, forest practices, and watershed operations for projects within the Green River Watershed.
• Plan, design, and manage capital improvement projects including culvert replacements, slope stabilization, road improvements, paving, and rock resource development.
• Lead watershed protection programs such as spill response, culvert inventory and replacement, bridge inspections, road usage accounting, and related operational initiatives.
• Partner with federal, state, tribal, local, and private stakeholders to ensure projects and activities comply with environmental regulations, forest practices, and Tacoma Water requirements.
• Develop and implement water quality protection measures, sampling plans, access permits, equipment tracking processes, invasive species inspections, and visitor education programs.
• Provide technical guidance during emergency response and natural disaster events involving watershed infrastructure, including flood, wildfire, earthquake, and road failure response.
• Research, analyze, and interpret operational and environmental data to identify trends, recommend improvements, and support long‑term watershed planning.
• Develop scopes of work, procurement documents, and contracts for capital projects, emergency response, and ongoing operational services while overseeing contractor performance.
• Support watershed operations through special projects, public outreach, educational events, and other assignments that advance Tacoma Water's mission.

Minimum Education*

Bachelor's degree in biology, environmental science, forestry, resource management, archeology or other scientific field related to assignment

Minimum Experience*

5 years of professional level experience in environmental programs including 1 year prior at senior, lead and/or supervisory level

* Relevant education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with forest road engineering
• Experience with environmental regulations and/or water quality protection requirements

Licensing, Certifications and Other Requirements

• First Aid and CPR certification within the first 6 months of employment
• Washington State Driver's License

City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We're committed to eliminating racial and other disparities, and we actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

The City of Tacoma believes that diversity of thought, background, and experience contributes to our success and innovation. If you're passionate about this role and our mission, we encourage you to apply. If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly Rate: $54.60- $76.88
• Annual Salary: $113,568.00- $159,910.40
• Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at [phone] by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

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Communication with the City of Tacoma

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