State of Maryland

ASTD17

SKILLED SERVICE BARGAINING UNIT: B

A Soil Conservation Engineering Technician Lead/Advanced is the lead or advanced level of technical soil and water conservation engineering work. Employees in this classification apply engineering and soil and water conservation principles and practices to assist landowners and farmers in planning, designing, recommending, and implementing agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) based on established standards, specifications, policies, program requirements, and laws. Employees in this classification with lead worker responsibilities assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians. Employees in this classification with advanced level responsibilities perform technical engineering tasks at an advanced level of proficiency and exercise independent judgment within broad guidelines and under limited supervision. Employees perform the most difficult subprofessional engineering duties and provide both broader and more in-depth levels of technical knowledge to other Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians within their districts or regions. Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees in this classification receive general 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 Lead/Advanced is differentiated from the Soil Conservation Engineering Technician III in that the Soil Conservation Engineering Technician Lead/Advanced assigns, reviews, and approves the work of and trains lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians or functions as a technical resource expert within a district or region while the Soil Conservation Engineering Technician III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Soil Conservation Engineering Technician LEAD

Assigns, reviews, and approves the work of lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians;

Trains lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians;

Provides advice and guidance to lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians to proposed solutions to resource concerns or best management practices (BMPs) status;

Reviews and recommends feasibility studies, field work, engineering calculations, drafting and records management of lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians;

Coordinates with representatives of soil conservation districts, and local, state, and federal agencies responsible for carrying out soil and water conservation projects, plans or structures;

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

Interprets and applies engineering and soil conservation standards, specifications, policies, cost sharing programs, and laws;

Conducts 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);

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

Utilizes AutoCAD software functions during the development of BMP designs;

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

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

Completes As-built design plans for final approval;

Assists in the fulfillment of incentive program requirements and other programmatical needs;

Performs other related duties.

Soil Conservation Engineering Technician ADVANCED

Serves as a technical resource expert in a district or region;

Serves as an expert consultant throughout the program to provide advice on a wide range of BMPs within various MDA programs, such as MD Agricultural Water Quality Cost Share Program, Nutrient Management, Manure Transport and Cover Crop Grant Programs;

Directs, coordinates, and develops comprehensive soil and water conservation engineering projects for the optimum utilization of resources on a regional or statewide basis;

Provides technical advice and assistance on all phases of BMP projects and on qualifying procedures to be followed under federal assistance engineering programs;

Consults with State and federal agency officials on matters of interest and intergovernmental environmental and natural resources matters and serves on state and national engineering committees;

Approves applications, agreements, claims for payment information and other required documents submitted by lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians;

Provides programmatic guidance to lower-level Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians, field operations staff, farm operators, agricultural landowners, and federal, State, and local employees to clarify program requirements and resolve complex technical and administrative questions;

Monitors grantees’ compliance with federal and State program requirements and standards and arranges for periodic checks of funded and constructed BMPs;

Conducts computer and file management of projects and assists with maintenance of databases of technical and administrative information pertaining to Resource Conservation programs;

Makes presentations about the Resource Conservation Programs to farmer groups, environmental groups, staff of local, State, and federal agencies and other interested parties;

Meets with landowners, operators, and contractors to recommend or apply conservation practices;

Interprets and applies engineering and soil conservation standards, specifications, policies, cost sharing programs, and laws;

Conducts 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);

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

Utilizes AutoCAD software functions during the development of BMP designs;

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

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

Completes As-built design plans for final approval;

Assists in the fulfillment of incentive program requirements and other programmatical 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;

Knowledge of associated agriculture land conservation practices and systems common to the work area, and how practices function in a conservation system to address soil erosion, water quality, wildlife habitat, and other resource concerns;

Knowledge of Job Approval Authority (JAA) policy and procedures;

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

Skill in recognizing soil erosion and water quality problems;

Skill in preparing and presenting reports;
Ability to perform technical engineering tasks at an advanced level of proficiency and exercise independent judgment within broad guidelines and under limited supervision;

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 apply laws, rules and regulations concerning soil and water conservation and grants programs;

Ability to use program manuals, forms, web-based resources, and guides to assure BMPs and conservation measures meet program requirements;

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;

Ability to make sound recommendations;

Ability to assign, review and approve the work of Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians;

Ability to train Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians.

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

Experience: Three years of experience in the field of technical soil and water conservation work.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, natural resources, civil engineering or other related discipline from an accredited college or university for the required education and one year of experience.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

July 1, 2026

Director, Division of Classification and Salary