State of Maryland

A Hydrographer IV is the managerial level of professional competency highly technical and administrative work in the field of hydrography, geodesy, photogrammetry, and cartography.  Employees in this classification serve as the senior hydrographer in the Department of Natural Resources and provide expert advice to the Secretary and his staff in these technical specialties, as well as overall technical supervision, support and advice to all hydrographic operations.  Employees in this classification initiate, plan and determine the need for undertaking natural resources surveys, which would be in the best interest of the State and the Department.  Employees in this function independently and recommend Department policy in all related matters. Employees in this classification provide technical management supervision to lower-level Engineers and technicians and general supervision to the lower-level Hydrographers in the Hydrographic Engineering Unit with the Department.

Employees in this classification receives general supervision from the Secretary and reports administratively to the Assistant Secretary for Capital Programs.

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 Hydrographer IV is differentiated from the Hydrographer III in that the Hydrographer IV has managerial responsibility for lower-level Hydrographers and serves as the hydrography technical expert for the Department of Natural Resources while the Hydrographer III has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Hydrographers.

Acts as the highest-level technical advisor in the Department of Natural Resources to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary and their staff in matters pertaining to hydrography, geodesy, cartography, and photogrammetry;

Acts as a unit head within the Capital Programs Administration of the Department;

Reviews plans and specifications and provides technical direction to survey operations within the Department that pertain to the above disciplines;

Recommends adoption of Department policy involving hydrographic operations;

Represents the Department in public or private hearings involving hydrographic proposals at the federal, state, local level or involving private proposal of a hydrographic nature;

Conducts liaison with local, state, and federal agencies on survey matters that affect Maryland’s natural resources;

Formulates plans and specifications for surveys conducted by Department agencies in accordance with directives and policies established by the Secretary;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the theories, principles, and accepted practices employed in survey planning and operations in hydrography, cartography, aerial photography and geodesy;

Knowledge of the practices and procedures involved the accuracies required in specification writing, and in preparing interim and final reports on the hydrography, cartography, aerial photography and geodesy operations;

Knowledge of tides and currents; Knowledge of geodetic triangulation procedures and computations;

Knowledge of the theory of map and chart projections scales to be employed, the accuracies desired to accomplish the operation of the most economical means;

Knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay and other Maryland tidal waters;

Knowledge of the State Boat Act;

Ability to plan and direct an engineering program;

Ability to supervise and train professional and technical employees;

Ability to interpret departmental policies and procedures;

Ability to evaluate the objectives of the agency and to implement plans to achieve these objectives as they relate to marine engineering projects;

Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in applying and interpreting departmental policies and procedures;

Ability to communicate effectively;

Ability to gain and retain the confidence and cooperation of Hydrographic Engineering Associates and the general public;

 Ability to supervise and train professional and technical employees.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the field of civil engineering or geology.

Experience: Two years of experience performing supervisory level hydrographic, oceanographic, or civil engineering work for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

                                                                      OR

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree in a different engineering field from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Eight years of hydrographic/oceanographic and/or civil engineering experience, four years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity in hydrographic engineering work.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master’s degree in civil engineering from an accredited college or university for one year of the non-supervisory required experience.

3.  Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in hydrology classification or hydrology specialty codes in the hydrology field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.