Property Specialist

Do you have an interest in protecting and restoring the Lake Whatcom watershed? Apply to join the Public Works Natural Resources team as a Property Specialist. 

This position inspects, monitors and provides recommendations for maintaining and restoring city owned properties primarily in the Lake Whatcom watershed. Implements and/or coordinates property maintenance and restoration projects and performs project work as appropriate. Initiates enforcement of property management objectives through education of the public and coordination with law enforcement agencies. Assists with the coordination and supervision of citizen land stewardship activities.

This position is allocated to the Natural Resources Program Technician I/II series. Pay placement will start at Step 1 and advancement is dependent on the experience and training requirements outlined in the job classification specification.

Hourly Rates: 

• Natural Resources Program Technician I: Step 1 ($29.21/hour) for full time positions. The current full hourly range for this position is $29.21/hour- $35.91/hour.

• Natural Resources Program Technician II: Step 1 ($30.96/hour) for full time positions. The current full hourly range for this position is $30.96/hour - $38.10/hour. 

These positions are represented by a union.  For external candidates, placement within the range is based on qualifications and professional experience in accordance with City policy.  For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. 

City of Bellingham employees receive medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as life insurance and long-term disability. Additional benefits include flexible spending accounts, a medical insurance opt-out program, and access to our employee assistance program. All eligible City employees are enrolled in a Washington State Department of Retirement Systems pension plan. Additionally, employees may elect to participate in the City’s 457 deferred compensation retirement savings plan.

Employees will receive 12 paid holidays in addition to one paid floating holiday each year. Employees accrue 8 hours total of contract and state sick leave per month in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and Washington State Law. At the time of hire, employees will accrue 7.33 hours of vacation per month. Vacation accruals increase based on years of service. Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employee to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

For additional information regarding benefits and compensation Information please visit the following:

• Labor Agreements, Pay Schedules and E-Team Employee Handbook - City of Bellingham (cob.org)
• Employment Benefits - City of Bellingham (cob.org)

Closing Date/Time: Mon. 4/8/2024 4:30 PM Pacific Time

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:

1. Inspects and monitors properties to ensure compliance with appropriate property usage, and reports on assigned City-owned properties identifying any issues that are inconsistent with the determined land usage. Educates the community on property destruction, trash dumping, encroachments, illegal camping, etc. and coordinates with law enforcement or other appropriate agencies in control of the incident as needed.
2. Conducts research and develops recommendations for land enhancement activities consistent with determined land usage for assigned properties. Ensures recommendations are within provided budgetary restrictions. 
3. Identifies land management issues such as hazard trees, water erosion, property encroachments and unauthorized property uses. Coordinates and performs property maintenance or restoration activities on assigned properties including coordinating with other City staff, volunteers, contractors, consultants and/or other agencies.
4. Coordinates the preparation of permit applications and documents necessary for conservation projects. Assists in the preparation of grants or other funding sources for property acquisition, restoration and maintenance.
5. Assists in the implementation of Lake Whatcom Management Program and Restoration Program projects and tasks. Assists Natural Resources staff with coordination, support and supervision of citizen watershed stewardship activities.
6. Attends assigned public meetings as well as staff meetings and forums, to provide program information as needed. 

ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:

1. Performs other related duties within the scope of this classification.
2. Provides instruction and training to new hires, lower classified technical staff and support staff.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: 
Work is performed outdoors in all weather conditions and on uneven terrain. Hazards may include encountering domestic animals and wildlife, sometimes in fairly isolated areas. Some work will be performed in an office environment, often at a computer workstation or when attending meetings off-site.

Ability to perform the essential functions of the job including:

• Adequate hearing, correctable vision, physical strength and agility to operate power equipment safely.
• Ability to lift moderately heavy equipment and materials up to 50 lbs.  Equipment and materials in excess of this weight are lifted with assistance.
• Ability to hike in a forested area, traverse uneven steep slopes and streams, haul equipment and use power tools.
• Ability to work in all weather conditions for extended periods of time.

• Minimum five (5) years' experience in natural resources/open space/forestry management or related field.
• Bachelor's degree in natural resource management or related discipline desirable.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to provide the applicant with the skills, knowledge and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the job will be considered. 

 

• Valid Washington State driver’s license and good driving record.   A three (3) year driving abstract must be submitted prior to hire.
• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check.
• Ability to secure an Arborist certification within 12 months of hire. 
• Ability to secure and maintain a First Aid and CPR certification within six months of hire.
• Ability to secure and maintain a CDL within one year of hire. 

**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**
 
Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and required supplemental questions). Provide as much detail as you believe will fully describe your experience and training.
 
 Application Review Process:

1. Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around April 9, 2024 
2. Application Review: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through a Application Review. Relevancy of your experience and training, together with composition, grammar, spelling and punctuation will be considered when evaluating responses. Applicant status will be updated on or around April 19, 2024. 
3. The top eight (8) scoring applicants from the Application Review will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for week of April 29th, 2024.

Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following: Application Review 40% and Oral Board Interview 60%.

The final candidates will be referred to the department for additional assessment.
Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher from the Oral Board Interview to be placed on the eligibility list.
 
This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in Public Works Natural Resources. This position is represented by a union.  
 
Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:
Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40 ), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.
 
 Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment. 
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made. 
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied. 
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.