Private Lands Engineer - IRIS (Kentucky)

University of Georgia; Athens (GA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Georgia is seeking a Private Lands Engineer (Water Resources) to support the WLFW Aquatics Connectivity Framework in Kentucky. You will lead engineering projects and serve as a key contact for regional WLFW coordination within IRIS and ECAM.

You will collaborate with NRCS and other partners, coordinate workshops, and help advance nature-based solutions on working lands while contributing to a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 5 years of professional experience.
• Engineering in Training (EIT) or Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.
• Experience in environmental/civil engineering research and design is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead, conceptualize and implement high-quality engineering research and/or design projects.
• Collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment and work with IRIS, NRCS and partners.
• Develop and deliver multi-agency NRCS workshops within Kentucky.
• Coordinate regionally with broader WLFW program goals and stakeholders.

Skills

Water resources engineering

Project coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Engineering in Training (EIT) or Professional Engineer (PE) preferred

Job description

Posting Number:

S16018P

Working Title:

Private Lands Engineer - IRIS (Kentucky)

Department:

ENGR-Resilient Infrast Systems

About the University of Georgia:

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the College/Unit/Department:

The College of Engineering at the University of Georgia is one of the fastest growing programs at UGA and one of the fastest growing public colleges of engineering in the nation. Since our founding in 2012, enrollment in the College of Engineering has grown to over 2,400 students. Students and faculty alike are attracted to our setting in a comprehensive, land‑grant, research institution that’s consistently ranked among the 20 best public universities in the nation. Our rapidly expanding engineering program focuses on opportunities for learning, discovery and innovation at the confluence of disciplines.
IRIS is a group of researchers from over a dozen disciplines at the University of Georgia, including engineering, ecology, landscape architecture, geography, anthropology, economics, and policy and law. We work toward a more equitable, resilient future by discovering innovative ways to combine natural and conventional infrastructure. IRIS expands the definition of infrastructure to include natural systems, including the forests that purify our air and drinking water, barrier islands and natural shorelines that protect our communities from storms, and marshes that store carbon and buffer against erosion.

College/Unit/Department website:

https://iris.uga.edu/

Posting Type:

External

Retirement Plan:

TRS or ORP

Employment Type:

Employee

Benefits Eligibility:

Benefits Eligible

Full/Part time:

Full Time

Additional Schedule Information:

This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week.

Advertised Salary:

$85,000-$92,000

Posting Date:

11/05/2026

Open until filled:

Yes

Proposed Starting Date:

12/01/2026

Location of Vacancy:

Outside Georgia

EEO Policy Statement:

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([e-mail]).

USG Core Values Statement:

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02.
Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

Classification Title:

Research Engineer-Env III

FLSA:

Exempt

FTE:

1.0

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 5 years of professional experience

Preferred Qualifications:

Be an Engineering in Training (ENT) or licensed Professional Engineer (PE).

Position Summary:

The University of Georgia (UGA) is seeking applications for a Private Lands Engineer (Water Resources) to support implementation of the Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) Aquatics Connectivity Framework. This project is a collaboration between UGA and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) WLFW program. This position will serve as a key implementation lead and primary point of contact for the Regional WLFW Southern Waters Framework in Kentucky, will be responsible for developing and implementing multi agency and NRCS workshops within the state, will engage in regional coordination aligned with broader program goals, and will serve as a key engineering resource for Kentucky NRCS state leadership.
Through the Farm Bill, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners/managers who voluntarily undertake conservation practices on working lands. WLFW systematically targets conservation efforts to enhance wildlife habitat on agricultural landscapes while improving agricultural and forest productivity. Hellbenders face many threats from conventional agricultural practices that lead to loss of forested riparian habitat and degraded water quality from sedimentation and pollutants.
This high-level Staff position will be under the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS), at the College of Engineering’s School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering (ECAM). The successful incumbent(s) will join a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists and designers at the University of Georgia who are engaged in collaborations between IRIS and the USDA, other universities, and private sector partners. These projects are highly specialized due to the incorporation of natural infrastructure systems and nature-based solutions.
The successful incumbent will collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment and will lead, conceptualize and implement high-quality and high-impact engineering research and/or design projects through extensive knowledge and experience of environmental/civil engineering