Natural Resources Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Natural Resources Specialist
Department: Water & Natural Resources
Reports To: Water & Natural Resources Director
Classification: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Compensation Range: $65,000 to $75,000
Benefits: Employee Benefits | Lake County, CO 
Why join our team?
Join a workplace where public service meets opportunity. At Lake County Government, employees are empowered to grow, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact every day. We offer a supportive environment that values innovation and connection, with reliable compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to helping you succeed both professionally and personally.
Cultural Expectations

• Assume Good Intent: Approach each interaction with positive mindset and openness to understand others.
• Model Professional: Maintain high standards in behavior and communication that reflects our values.
• Apply County Wide Lens: Consider the broader impact of decisions on our community and organization as a whole.
• Be Solutions-Oriented: Focus on finding constructive solutions rather than dwelling on problems or challenges.
• Practice Servant Leadership: Prioritize the needs of others, fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment.
• Support Meaningful Work-Life Balance: Encourage boundaries that support personal well-being while achieving professional responsibilities.

Position Summary
Lake County is seeking a dynamic and dedicated Natural Resource Specialist to support the stewardship and sustainable management of county-owned natural resources, including open space, forested lands, and water resources. This position will work directly under the supervision of the Water & Natural Resources Director and play a key role in planning, coordinating, and implementing resource management initiatives that align with the county’s social, economic, and environmental goals.
Approximately 75% of Lake County is public land, managed by agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. In recognition of this, the Natural Resource Specialist will also coordinate closely with public land agencies to support and complement their existing programs and projects, ensuring that county-led efforts are aligned and cooperative across jurisdictional boundaries.
In addition to land and water stewardship, this position will aid in the development and implementation of a county-wide sustainability program, with a focus on reducing the environmental footprint of county operations and the broader community through energy efficiency, waste reduction, and other sustainability initiatives.
General Duties and Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Essential Functions

• Develop and implement natural resource management plans for county-owned open space, forested lands, and water resources.
• Lead the design and implementation of a county-wide sustainability program to reduce the environmental impact of Lake County’s internal operations.
• Assist the Water & Natural Resources Director with administrative, operational, and strategic tasks as needed.
• Collaborate with public land agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and others to support and coordinate overlapping initiatives, resource planning, and shared stewardship.
• Coordinate with other County departments including Public Works, Community Planning & Development, Parks and Recreation, and Tourism & Economic Development.
• Serve as a key liaison with local and regional organizations including the Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative, Cloud City Wheelers, Central Colorado Conservancy, Lake County Conservation District, and others.
• Manage natural resource and sustainability projects, from planning and public engagement to execution, reporting, and evaluation.
• Conduct fieldwork, data collection, and site assessments to inform project design and monitor outcomes.
• Research and pursue grants, write proposals, and manage grant implementation and reporting.
• Assist with budget planning and tracking for natural resource and sustainability efforts.
• Promote public engagement and environmental education through outreach materials, workshops, and collaboration with local stakeholders.
• Field work managing water resource infrastructure and natural resource assets including hiking, clearing ditches and other structures, resource surveying and inventory management, trash pickup, and visitor management.
• Facilitates and supports the Lake County Open Space Initiative (LCOSI) and any Regional Partnership Initiatives related to the work area.
• Assists with Friends of Lake County stewardship volunteer program
• Supports wildfire mitigation, habitat restoration, and sustainable land use practices on Lake County properties
• Coordinates land acquisition and conservation and public access easement projects in collaboration with land trusts, state/federal agencies, and private landowners.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Not applicable

Requirements
Compensation will be determined by the applicant's full skillset with consideration of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Ecology, or a related field.
• 2–3 years of professional experience in natural resource management, sustainability, or related environmental work.
• Strong skills in project management, inter-agency coordination, and stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work in both field and office environments, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Proficiency with GIS, data collection tools, and office software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within the county.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with public land agencies and understanding of federal land management frameworks.
• Familiarity with Colorado ecosystems, forest health, watershed management, and sustainable development principles.
• Experience with grant writing, sustainability metrics, and community outreach.
• Spanish language proficiency is a plus.

Hazard Notice
Not applicable
Physical Activity & Work Environment

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Prolonged periods of standing, walking or hiking.
• Frequent bending, kneeling, reaching, or climbing.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Occasionally pushing, pulling, or moving objects.
• Use of hands for repetitive motions such as typing, writing, or operating equipment.
• Operation of standard office equipment (computers, phones, copiers, etc.).
• Visual acuity to read and produce accurate documents and materials.
• Hearing ability sufficient to respond to spoken communication.
• Ability to operate motor vehicles and/or machinery.
• Standard office environment with controlled temperature and lighting.
• Exposure to varying outdoor weather conditions.
• Work in or near traffic, construction zones, or industrial equipment.
• Interaction with the public, sometimes in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations.
• Occasional travel to offsite locations or satellite facilities.
• Work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, or high-volume environment.
• May be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or be on-call.

Applicant Notice
Lake County Government posts all official employment opportunities on its careers page linked here. Positions may also appear on external job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter through our applicant tracking system.
Please be aware that unauthorized third parties may repost or imitate job listings. The most accurate and up-to-date information will always be available on our official website. Applicants are recommended to apply directly through our career page and should not provide personal information outside of the official application process.

EOE Statement

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.

Notice of Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description does not intend to cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Expected Duration of the Application Process

Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately two (2) to four (4) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.

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