Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Water and Lands Specialist. You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment. Duty Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon

Duties

Serves as the Senior Water and Lands Specialist, and principal Area Office liaison to other governmental agencies, water districts, State water agencies, and the public for all Lands and Water Service contract administration in the Klamath Project. Negotiates and administers contracts for water service, distribution systems, and refuge conveyance agreements or contracts. Advises and provides recommendations regarding planning of water management programs. Administers a wide range of realty functions, including land acquisition and disposal, use authorizations, and trespass, for internal and external projects involving Reclamation facilities and interests. -Serves as the technical expert in Oregon and California water rights (surface and groundwater) and Project water contract matters, including the legal history and nature of Project water rights/contracts and the administration of those water rights/contracts through established Project operations. -Water Rights, prepares and files applications with the states of Oregon and California for appropriative water rights for proposed and authorized projects. -Analyzes new water right applications and water contracts filed by others for appropriation of unappropriated water; and petitions for change of place or purpose of use or point of diversion. -Coordinates with engineers, natural resource specialists, archaeologists, or other specialists to review structures and environmental/cultural-related actions, and coordinates with local governmental agencies to determine the compatibility of requests with local requirements, or other similar reviews. -Serves as the liaison with project principals and coordinates with other agencies and organizations on water and lands issues for Reclamation. -Develops and evaluates data pertinent to riparian water rights, quantification and qualification of these rights, and changes in ownership resulting from land sales which impact the use of water under these rights. -Prepares letters of agreement and other contractual instruments to arrange for payment or reimbursement by applicants of Reclamation's costs to prepare use authorizations and other permits. -Analyzes internal and external applications for use of Project lands and facilities; conducts required investigations, negotiates, and processes use authorizations and renewals (leases, licenses, permits, easements, or entry permits), terminations, cancellations, and assignments. -Performs field review surveys of Project lands to ensure compliance with land use documents, and determine occurrence of unauthorized use, occupancy, or trespass. -Negotiates property rehabilitation with landowners when property damages resulted from Project activities. -Conducts investigations and searches courthouse records for relevant realty information and consults with state, county, or city officials, other Reclamation representatives, water districts, and landowners to negotiate, modify, or amend contract renewals, terminations, cancellations, and issuances. -Interacts with other technical segments of the Regional Office and Reclamation's Denver and Washington offices, and personnel in other Area Offices concerning water and land matters that may affect various planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance, and implementation phases and efforts at the Klamath Basin Area Office (KBAO). -Serves as the technical lead for planning, organizing, and directing the work of lower graded specialists or junior staff for all water and lands program functions (including realty functions).

Requirements

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume. To qualify at the GS-12, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-11 level in federal service having demonstrated experience negotiating and developing water related contracts that are long term, short term, subject to annual renewal, or temporary; negotiating eligibility of water user agreements and how and when water is to be delivered; performs full range of water related contract administration functions to assure compliance with contractual provisions and settlement of problems consequent to water service. These examples are not all inclusive. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Time-In-Grade: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower-grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including time-in-grade restrictions and any selective placement factors if applicable, by 09/18/2024.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience.

Contacts

• Address KBAO Bureau of Reclamation 6600 Washburn Way Klamath Falls, OR 97603 US
• Name: BOR CA Great Basin Human Resources Office
• Phone: 916-978-5476
• Email: [email protected]