State of Maryland

ASTD14

SKILLED SERVICE BARGAINING UNIT: B OVERTIME ELIGIBLE NCP

A Soil Conservation Engineering Technician I is the entry level of technical soil and water conservation engineering work. Employees in this classification learn to apply engineering and soil & water conservation principles and practices to assist farmers and landowners in the planning, designing, recommending, and implementing agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) based on established standards, specifications, policies, program requirements, and laws. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Resource Conservation District Supervisor, Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator, or other designated administrator. Work effectiveness of employees in this classification is determined by review of completed assignments and the soundness of recommended actions. Considerable time is spent out-of-doors under varying climatic conditions, often in isolated rural areas requiring arduous physical activity.

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

Learns to meet with and advise landowners, operators, and contractors to recommend or apply conservation practices;

Learns to interpret and apply engineering and soil conservation standards, specifications, policies, cost sharing programs, and laws;

Learns to conduct on-site inventory and evaluations for assigned projects to confirm the resource concern(s) and proposed best management practices (BMPs) as identified in the soil conservation and water quality plan (SCWQP);

Learns to calculate BMP design components in accordance with the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, or other approved guidelines or specifications;

Learns to utilize AutoCAD software functions during the development of BMP designs;

Learns to perform engineering surveys using various instruments (i.e., laser level, total stations, GPS, theodolite, and/or robotics), download survey points and notes from a data collector, and plot topographic and cross section information;

Learns to inspect and track on-site soil and water conservation construction projects to assure adherence to approved design plans, specifications, and maintenance requirements;

Learns to complete As-built design plans for final approval;

Learns to assist in the fulfillment of incentive program requirements and other programmatic needs;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of techniques of engineering surveying;

Knowledge of soil and water elementary engineering principles and methods relative to the planning, designing, and installation of soil and water conservation agronomic and structural projects;

Knowledge of basic agricultural terminology, practices, crops, and farming systems;

Knowledge of algebra and geometry;

Knowledge of soil and water conservation principles and practices, methods, and procedures;

Skill in the application of engineering practices in the areas of inventory, evaluation, design, and construction;

Ability to read and interpret engineering plans and specifications;

Ability to obtain a designated Job Approval Authority from the NRCS State Engineer;

Ability to perform engineering computations, apply soil and water conservation principles and practices, and utilize agricultural terminology and principles;

Ability to complete engineering designs for conservation practices using AutoCAD, Carlson and/or Civil 3D, and GIS systems such as Arc View, Arc Map, and Property View;

Ability to work and communicate with engineers, architects, conservationists, landowners, contractors, and the general public involved in soil and water conservation projects;

Ability to conduct public meetings or hearings.

Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others;

Ability to perform engineering surveys using variety of instruments and data collectors.

Education: An Associate’s degree in agriculture, natural resources, civil engineering or other related discipline from an accredited college or university.

Experience: None

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute 60 credits towards a degree in agriculture, natural resources, civil engineering or other related discipline from an accredited college or university for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute graduation from an accredited high school and two years of experience in surveying, drafting, soil conservation planning or engineering for the required education.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-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.

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

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 B, Administrative, Technical and Clerical classes. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, 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.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

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.

July 1, 2026

Director, Division of Classification and Salary