State of Maryland

A Soil Conservation Engineer I is the entry level of professional soil and water conservation engineering work.  Employees in this classification provide technical liaison, guidance and assistance to various soil conservation districts Statewide.    Employees in this classification perform work that involves frequent contact with representatives of the soil conservation districts, local public officials, farmers and rural land owners in order to evaluate soil conservation problems, recommend and implement effective solutions and coordinate area-wide conservation activities.  Employees in this classification may independently design soil conservation projects, review designs prepared by Soil Conservation Technicians and other Soil Conservation Engineers, conduct routine investigations and studies, and supervise implementation of conservation projects.  Employees in this classification does not supervise other positions but may provide technical direction and guidance to Soil Conservation Associates and Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from the State Conservation Engineer.  Employees in this class receive more difficult assignments as knowledge and skill are acquired.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Soil Conservation Engineer I, Soil Conservation Engineer II and Soil Conservation Engineer III are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Soil Conservation Engineer I learns to perform duties under close supervision. The Soil Conservation Engineer II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Soil Conservation Engineer III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Under Close Supervision:

Prepares and/or reviews the preparation of conservation engineering designs;

Conducts or participates in investigations and directs surveys for the study and design of conservation problems and projects such as irrigation systems, farm ponds, impoundments and dams, surface and sub-surface drainage systems, sediment and storm water management practices and other agricultural conservation projects;

Specifies types of surveys, degree of detail and kinds of data necessary to meet planning and design needs;

Makes and reviews final engineering computations;

Meets and coordinates with representatives of Soil Conservation Districts, Boards of County Commissioners, members of the public, and local, State and federal agencies responsible for carrying out soil conservation projects, plans or structures;

Reviews sediment control and storm water management plans for technical adequacy;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of soil and water conservation engineering design principles;

Knowledge of the design techniques and construction practices concerning irrigation systems, impoundments and dams, surface and subsurface drainage systems, earthwork, sediment and storm water management, and similar soil conservation practices;

Knowledge of the characteristics of various types of soil and materials used in soil conservation projects;

Knowledge of landscaping and grading;

Knowledge of the basic characteristics of vegetation agricultural crops, and farming techniques useful in sediment control and drainage;

Ability to learn to review technical engineering designs prepared by others;

Ability to develop and apply mathematical formulae;

Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with public officials, farmers, rural land users, developers, consulting engineers and others;

Ability to express ideas;

Ability to reach accurate conclusions based on observation and investigation of engineering problems.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree in agricultural or civil, engineering from an accredited college or university approved by the Engineer’s Council for Professional Development.

Experience: None.

Note: Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in soil conservation classification or soil conservation specialty codes in the natural resources management and biological sciences field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.