Water Rights Advisor (Natural Resource Specialist 4)
Oregon Department of Human Services
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Oregon Water Resources Department seeks a Water Rights Advisor to support the Water Rights Division with evaluating complex water right proposals and helping develop policy. The role involves collaboration with internal teams and external customers, preparing orders, and contributing to protest and litigation strategy.
Hybrid work with 1-2 days in Salem, occasional travel, and a focus on ensuring sustainable water management in Oregon.
Qualifications
- Four years of experience in natural resources or related field.
- At least one year at technical/professional level in natural resources programs.
Responsibilities
- Assist in evaluating complex water right transactions and related documents.
- Prepare policy memos and orders; support litigation strategy with agency leadership.
- Coordinate with Protest program to resolve disputes and improve defensibility of documents.
Education
Job description
Initial Posting Date: 09/25/2026 Application Deadline: 10/11/2026 Agency: Water Resources Department Salary Range: $6,276 - $9,644 Position Type: Employee Position Title: Water Rights Advisor (Natural Resource Specialist 4) Job Description: Working Title: Water Rights Advisor Classification: Natural Resource Specialist 4 Position Type: Permanent, Full Time Representation: Service Employees International Union FLSA Status: Exempt and not eligible for overtime and compensatory time Monthly Compensation: The monthly salary range before PERS* will be $6,276-$9,644 | after PERS* will be $6,713-$10,318 Work Location: North Mall Office Building, 725 Summer St. NE Suite A, Salem Oregon 97301. Hybrid/Remote Work: Hybrid work eligible. 1-2 days per week in office, hybrid schedule agreed upon by manager. Quantity of office days may be adjusted based on business need with notice. Some in-state travel is required with infrequent overnight travel.
About the Oregon Water Resources DepartmentThe Oregon Water Resources Department is committed to creating a workplace culture that understands and appreciates differences among people and is welcoming and inclusive to all. By fostering fairness and equity in its work culture, the Department strives to improve services for all Oregonians. We acknowledge that not all people have experienced equitable opportunities or fair treatment. We are committed to increasing our awareness and understanding of historic injustices and building a foundation for meaningful change. We value a wide range of professional and lived experiences, and people of underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The vision of the Oregon Water Resources Department is to assure sufficient and sustainable water supplies are available to meet current and future needs.
The Department's mission is to serve the public by practicing and promoting responsible water management through two key goals: To directly address Oregon's water supply needs To restore and protect streamflows and watersheds in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of Oregon's ecosystems, economy, and quality of life
- Integrity – We are accountable for all that we do. We act with honesty and promote transparency.
- Service – We are dedicated to providing outstanding service and treating everyone equitably in our management and stewardship of state resources.
- Technical Excellence – We base our resource decisions on law, science, and expertise.
- Teamwork – We are united in our mission, relying on one another and working together with the communities we serve.
- Forward-Looking – We seek innovative and practical solutions to the water challenges of today and tomorrow.
- Modernize our management of Oregon’s surface water and groundwater resources to meet instream and out-of-stream uses
- Work to secure Oregon’s instream and out-of-stream water future in the face of increasing water scarcity
- Foster a forward-looking team dedicated to serving Oregonians with integrity and excellence.
The Water Right Services Division is responsible for the evaluation of all water right, transfer, extension of time (for both permits and transfers), instream lease, allocation of conserved water and limited license applications. In addition, the Division administers the following water right-related programs: water right certification; permit cancellation; adjudication of pre-1909 vested water rights; water management and conservation planning; hydroelectric licensing; water right information and customer service; and water right program and policy development. The Division also shares administration of the Deschutes Basin Groundwater Mitigation Program. The Division is responsible for public notice of applications and for responding to public-interest inquiries and concerns. The Division receives and evaluates comments and protests concerning proposed water uses. The Division must ensure coordination with local governments and other state and federal agencies concerning proposed water allocations. Final determination of water right applications involve a legal property right and may involve litigation in Oregon or federal court. Water right transactions can be complicated, with legal and property-value implications that affect virtually all human endeavors directly, including but not limited to the following types of water uses: municipal, irrigation, agricultural, industrial, domestic, instream, wildlife habitat, and power generation. As such, they are a critical aspect of economic activity and maintenance of ecosystem services in Oregon.
The Water Rights Advisor provides Division-wide support by helping each section with evaluation of complex water right transaction proposals brought forth either internally or externally and by participating in rulemaking, legislative concept development and bill review, and the water rights transaction fee workgroup. The position regularly collaborates with internal and external customers to build relationships and problem solve. The Water Rights Advisor also interfaces with the Protest program, which resolves disputes resulting from agency decisions before they reach court. This position supports the Protest program either directly by resolving protests, or indirectly by improving the defensibility of documents (orders) before they reach the protest or request for reconsideration period. The Water Rights Advisor supports litigation resolution by coordinating with agency leadership and the Oregon Department of Justice on case strategy and, as needed, by providing written or in-person testimony. This position prepares order language, policy memos, and other documentation to record lessons learned and decisions made, and interprets and summarizes water right transaction data to support monitoring and communication about water right transaction program workloads. While the Water Rights Development Manager provides the day‑to‑day supervisory administrative functions (e.g., timesheet and leave request review and approval) for the Water Rights Advisor, many of the policy and workload decisions for the Water Rights Advisor are made by the Division Administrator or Director’s Office. The Water Rights Advisor will work in a dynamic environment where they will be deployed to the area of greatest need within the Division to serve important, complex, and high‑profile agency and Division priorities.
- Four years of experience in natural resources or related field.
- At least one year of the experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resources program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities.
- A Bachelor’s degree in natural resources or related field, or three additional years of related (pertinent) experience.
- A Master’s degree in natural resources or related field will substitute for up to one year of the required experience.
- A Doctorate degree in natural resources or related field will substitute for up to two years of the required experience.
- Demonstrated attention to detail and quality control in professional correspondence and documentation
- Experience leading technical teams through change initiatives or multi‑faced projects and evaluating the adequacy of their work
- Excellent project management and organizational skills to meet deadlines and monitor and effectively report on deliverables across a project portfolio
- Experience interpreting and summarizing large data sets to support monitoring and communication about various aspects of a program
- Experience collaborating across teams, with members of management, and with external parties to address complex inquiries and move high‑profile projects forward
- Demonstrated effectiveness at consulting with and advising managers on complex program issues and developing subsequent, easy‑to‑understand guidance for staff or external parties
- Extensive experience analyzing and applying water allocation statutes, administrative rules, and policies to agency decisions and developing clear and defensible decision documents
- Experience in development of strategy and testimony in dealing with formal protests (contested cases) or judicial review of agency actions
- Experience with rulemaking and providing feedback on legislative concepts and bills
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships and navigate conflicting interests in a professional, courteous manner
This position is located in Salem, with some remote telework flexibility. Regular attendance is an essential function required to meet the demands of this job and to provide necessary services. In‑office workdays are in a cubicle environment. Work conditions consist primarily of desk work located at a computer terminal for long periods of time, including typing and a considerable amount of reading, researching, and analyzing large documents, statutes, administrative rules, and existing policies and guidance. This position includes periodic attendance at Commission meetings and other public forums to present information or answer questions. This position involves electronic (phone, email, virtual meetings) and in‑person communication with members of the public, some of whom may be frustrated. Occasional lifting of up to 20 pounds may be required. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.
- PEBB Insurance with exceptional medical, vision and dental plans with employees paying 1 to 5% of the total premium.
- Leave accrual starting at 8 hours of sick and 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years.
- Access to an additional four days of discretionary leave - 3 days of personal business leave and one day of Governor’s Leave each year.
- Eleven paid holidays per year.
- Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) including a pension and employer contributions to the Individual Account Program.
- Optional benefits (such as term life insurance, long‑term and short‑term disability, long‑term care, health and dependent care flexible spending accounts, enrollment in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program with a wide variety of investment options).
- The opportunity to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (must qualify).
* NON-PERS ELIGIBLE (Includes most new hires to state government. Employees typically gain PERS eligibility after six months of state service. PERS ELIGIBLE (Typically current or former employees of Oregon state or local government, public schools, universities, etc.) The salary listed will state base monthly salary, which is BEFORE PERS.
If you need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the American with Disabilities Act, we invite you to contact the recruiter for accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), application questions or job‑specific questions please contact our HR team at wrd_dl_hr@water.oregon.gov.
This applicant pool may be used to fill additional vacancies as they occur over the next three (3) months.
The Oregon Water Resources Department does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security Form I‑9, confirming authorization to work in the United States.
Eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. For more information, please visit Veterans Resources. For more information on veterans’ preference points visit www.oregonjobs.org and select Veterans resources under Resources. Please do not attach veteran or Oregon National Guard Servicemember documentation to your initial application, after you have applied you will be sent a task in your Workday account to provide your veteran documentation at that time.
In addition to your related work experience and education, we will use both the minimum and desired qualifications above to determine whom to interview. Please make sure all your relevant qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials. Your application materials may be evaluated on spelling, grammar, punctuation, attention to detail, and presentation.
The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence software during the application process (cover letter and resume) and applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. Unauthorized use of outside resources during the hiring process will result in immediate disqualification.
The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process. The Oregon Water Resources Department is an Equal Opportunity, Affiliated Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity.
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