Watershed Specialist

[Accepting submissions until 8/28. Position description has been modified to meet word count, please visit our website for full description and application link]

Cannabis for Conservation (CFC) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit that conserves, restores, and educates rural landowners with ecological tools and resources. We turn yesterday's impacts into tomorrow's solutions. From eroding roads to fire-prone forests and from exhausted soils to struggling salmon-bearing streams, we partner with cultivators, landowners, and communities to restore functional and biodiverse agroecosystems, protect clean water, and strengthen resilience to wildfire and climate change.

We are seeking to hire a Watershed Specialist with a strong field background and several years of professional experience in geology, hydrology, environmental science, forestry, civil engineering, natural resources, and project coordination. This role will strengthen CFC's ability to assess rural roads and watershed conditions, develop conceptual sediment reduction treatments, and support implementation across Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties. The right candidate will understand how soil, water, gravity, and rural roads interact on steep, wet landscapes, how to work with a variety of stakeholders including rural landowners, a diverse organizational staff, funders, and agency representatives.

To apply, please read the full position description and application process on our website (www.cannabisforconservation.org/careers) by clicking the "Apply" button above and submitting your materials through the application linked on our site. Questions or issues with the application process may be sent to: [email protected].

Position Overview

The Watershed Specialist supports CFC’s watershed restoration and sediment reduction projects through field assessment, planning, and project and partner coordination. Core duties include assessing rural and forest roads to identify erosion and sediment sources, estimating sediment loads, evaluating hydrologic connectivity, and developing treatment recommendations. The role combines field work with office-based reporting, permitting support, and coordination with staff, landowners, and subcontractors.

This position typically works across several concurrent, landscape-scale, multi-year, multi-parcel grant projects — helping track deliverables and milestones, keep technical and field components aligned with grant requirements, and support communication with landowners and subcontractors. The Specialist also supports engineering design through field data collection and contributes to implementation through construction oversight and inspections, in collaboration with the Watershed Program Manager and the contracted Engineer of Record.

This is not an entry-level position. The successful candidate will bring several years of relevant field-based experience in road assessment, sediment reduction, and watershed restoration planning.

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in geology, hydrology, civil engineering, environmental science, forestry, natural resources, or a related field
• 5+ years of relevant professional experience in restoration, forestry, hydrology, geology, or a related field
• Strong technical background and applicable field skills; ability to conduct field assessments of roads, culverts, ditch relief features, gullies, and other erosion and sediment sources, applying strong field assessment skills to identify erosion processes, drainage patterns, hydrologic connectivity, and sediment delivery mechanisms
• Collect GPS points/tracks, photos, and field sketches using ArcGIS Field Maps, and apply basic working knowledge of ArcGIS for data collection and assessment
• Evaluate planning-level feasibility of standard rural road treatments (rolling dips, outsloping/insloping, critical dips, ditch relief culverts, rock armoring, culvert sizing for fish passage and 100-year flow) and apply erosion hazard rating criteria to prioritize treatment sites
• Working knowledge of watercourse classification (Class I/II/III perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral streams) and its permitting implications
• Familiarity with the Handbook for Forest Ranch and Rural Roads (Pacific Watershed Associates) and road-related sediment source inventory / erosion hazard rating methodologies
• Familiarity with the regulatory permitting landscape — including CDFW Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements (LSAA), Regional Water Board 401 certification / Rural Roads General Order, and CEQA — and the ability to support integration of these considerations into planning and permitting documents
• Translate field observations into treatment recommendations and prescriptions; draft technical sections of work plans, conceptual design plans, reports, permits, and other planning documents
• Work with GIS staff to refine treatments, establish biological buffers, and define construction staging areas; prepare simple diagrams or sketches of conceptual treatments
• Participate in internal design reviews and represent CFC in multi-agency Design Advisory Team / Technical Advisory Committee and partner meetings (e.g., CDFW, Regional Water Board, Resource Conservation Districts)
• Strong knowledge of Northern California ecosystems and environmental issues
• Track tasks, field schedules, and deliverables across multiple concurrent grants (e.g., in Asana), and maintain organized project files, notes, and photos
• Strong coordination skills; ability to coordinate with landowners, contractors, biological and GIS staff, and the Engineer of Record
• Strong and clear communication (written and verbal) skills; experience working with private landowners, subcontractors, and interdisciplinary project teams; support the Watershed Program Director with planning, logistics, and documentation
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple project sites, workstreams, and timelines simultaneously — sequencing field assessments, permitting milestones, and construction across landscape-scale, multi-year, multi-parcel projects, each with distinct funder deadlines and reporting requirements
• Prioritize treatment sites across an entire road network or watershed based on erosion hazard, sediment delivery potential, and funding constraints
• Track cumulative outcomes (e.g., sediment reduced, road miles treated, crossings upgraded) and assist with funder progress reports
• Self-directed problem-solving ability, sound judgment, and adaptability in unfamiliar field situations
• Strong ability to take initiative and contribute meaningfully to project work
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and Adobe PDF Reader
• Valid driver’s license; willingness to use a personal vehicle for field travel intermittently (mileage reimbursed at the current GSA rate) and to travel overnight (Note: field vehicles are available through CFC, but on occasion personal vehicle use for field work may be requested)
• Ability to operate 4WD vehicles and work safely and navigate in steep, remote, rugged terrain for full 10-hour field days, often without cell service
• Ability to hike steep, uneven, and sometimes muddy or overgrown terrain for extended periods, carrying field gear for a full field day
• Ability to work outdoors in variable weather conditions, including rain, heat, and cold
• Comfortable with exposure to poison oak, ticks, and other common backcountry hazards
• Willingness to be adaptive, a team player, and cross-trained in tasks as part of a scaling organization

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in geology, hydrology, civil engineering, environmental science, forestry, rangeland science, or a similar field
• Deep familiarity with Northern California landscapes and environmental history, particularly Humboldt, Trinity, or Mendocino counties
• Additional experience in aquatic biology, soil science, forest management, or another environmental science field
• Strong understanding of permitting processes through CDFW, Regional Water Board, and county agencies
• Established relationships with regional NGOs, watershed organizations, and public agencies
• Wilderness First Aid/CPR certification (willingness to obtain is required if not already certified)
• Familiarity with task management software (e.g., Asana) for task tracking

Location and Work Environment

This position is based out of CFC's office in the Glendale area of Blue Lake, California. The Specialist must reside in or be willing to relocate to the North Coast region and be available for frequent in-person fieldwork across Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties.

This is not a remote position. While some flexible or partial work-from-home scheduling is possible, regular fieldwork, team meetings, and partner coordination require consistent on-site presence.

Compensation

This is a full time, hourly, non-exempt position eligible for overtime, with a compensation range of $40–53 per hour, commensurate with experience, and annual 3% performance-based raises.

Benefits

Benefits include:

• Two weeks paid vacation plus federal holidays (vacation accrual increases with tenure)
• Weekly flex-time, flexible scheduling, and work-from-home options
• Paid sick leave and bereavement leave
• Three months full-paid parental leave and a monthly childcare stipend for employees who have worked for the organization for one year
• Healthcare coverage (Anthem Blue Cross)
• 403(b) retirement plan (2026 match amount pending)
• Opportunities for paid professional development

Equal Opportunity Employment

Cannabis for Conservation is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact Vanessa Salamon, Operations Director, at [email protected].