Water Resource Specialists

Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Job Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Examples

Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

Salary Salary

Salary at 10th Percentile: $71K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $101K
Median Salary: $137K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $190K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $208K

Demand
Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend
Core Tasks

Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.

Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.

Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.

Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.

Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.

Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.

Develop plans to protect watershed health or rehabilitate watersheds.

Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.

Conduct cost-benefit studies for watershed improvement projects or water management alternatives.

Write proposals, project reports, informational brochures, or other documents on wastewater purification, water supply and demand, or other water resource subjects.

Provide technical expertise to assist communities in the development or implementation of storm water monitoring or other water programs.

Compile and maintain documentation on the health of a body of water.

Identify and characterize specific causes or sources of water pollution.

Compile water resource data, using geographic information systems (GIS) or global position systems (GPS) software.

Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, chemical, physical, and biological water quality monitoring or sampling to ensure compliance with water quality standards.

Recommend new or revised policies, procedures, or regulations to support water resource or conservation goals.

Develop or implement standardized water monitoring and assessment methods.

Monitor water use, demand, or quality in a particular geographic area.

Negotiate for water rights with communities or water facilities to meet water supply demands.

Supervise teams of workers who capture water from wells and rivers.

Identify methods for distributing purified wastewater into rivers, streams, or oceans.

Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Analytical or scientific software
Water flow modeling software
Computer aided design CAD software
Autodesk AutoCAD
Customer relationship management CRM software
Customer relationship management CRM software
Data base user interface and query software
Structured query language SQL
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
Internet browser software
Web browser software
Map creation software
Geographic information system GIS software
Mobile location based services software
Global positioning system GPS software
Office suite software
Microsoft Office
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Communications Devices and Accessories
Multi-line telephone systems
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Personal computers
Consumer electronics
Global positioning system GPS receivers
Fishing and aquaculture equipment
Plankton nets
Laboratory and scientific equipment
Automated water sampling equipment
Measuring and observing and testing instruments
Stream flow gauges
Office machines and their supplies and accessories
Laser facsimile machines
Water and wastewater treatment supply and disposal
Turbidimeters
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Engineering and Technology
93%
Importance

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Mathematics
84%
Importance

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Design
79%
Importance

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Physics
78%
Importance

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Computers and Electronics
71%
Importance

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

English Language
69%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Geography
68%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Building and Construction
66%
Importance

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Law and Government
65%
Importance

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Chemistry
64%
Importance

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
80%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking
80%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension
80%
Importance

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking
80%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing
80%
Importance

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Judgment and Decision Making
78%
Importance

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Time Management
78%
Importance

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Complex Problem Solving
75%
Importance

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Systems Analysis
73%
Importance

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Systems Evaluation
73%
Importance

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression
80%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning
78%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning
78%
Importance

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Problem Sensitivity
78%
Importance

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Written Expression
78%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Information Ordering
75%
Importance

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Near Vision
75%
Importance

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Speech Clarity
73%
Importance

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Top 10 Work Activities
Analyzing Data or Information
91%
Importance

Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
90%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Getting Information
89%
Importance

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
87%
Importance

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Interacting With Computers
86%
Importance

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Processing Information
81%
Importance

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
80%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
80%
Importance

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Developing Objectives and Strategies
79%
Importance

Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
78%
Importance

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Detailed Work Activities

Test green technologies or processes.

Identify opportunities for green initiatives.

Evaluate green operations or programs for compliance with standards or regulations.

Develop environmental remediation or protection plans.

Evaluate environmental or sustainability projects.

Prepare proposals or grant applications to obtain project funding.

Present sustainable products or services information to the public.

Analyze data to determine project feasibility.

Advise others on green energy or related technologies.

Compile operational data.

Maintain operational records.

Identify environmental concerns.

Monitor organizational compliance with regulations.

Evaluate quality of materials or products.

Develop sustainable organizational policies or practices.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Develop procedures to evaluate organizational activities.

Supervise workers performing environmentally sustainable activities.

Negotiate contracts for environmental remediation, green energy, or renewable resources.

Monitor resources.

Work Context
Electronic Mail

How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Face-to-Face Discussions

How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Work With Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Freedom to Make Decisions

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Spend Time Sitting

How much does this job require sitting?

Structured versus Unstructured Work

To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Education
Majors   based on the broader career Natural Sciences Managers
Major
Engineering Physics
Operations Research
Biology, General
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Botany/Plant Biology
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
Zoology/Animal Biology
Genetics
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology
Biotechnology
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
Molecular Medicine
Neurobiology and Neurosciences
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Mathematics
Applied Mathematics
Statistics
Applied Statistics
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
Biological and Physical Sciences
Mathematics and Computer Science
Biopsychology
Science, Technology and Society
Natural Sciences
Nutrition Sciences
Cognitive Science
Human Biology
Computational Science
Marine Sciences
Sustainability Studies
Anthrozoology
Climate Science
Earth Systems Science
Environmental Geosciences
Geobiology
Geography and Environmental Studies
Mathematical Economics
Mathematics and Atmospheric/Oceanic Science
Data Science
Philosophy
Physical Sciences, General
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Chemistry
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Physics
Materials Sciences
Physics and Astronomy
Physical Sciences, Other
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
Business Administration, Management and Operations
History
Interests
Investigative
96%
Importance

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Enterprising
62%
Importance

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Conventional
58%
Importance

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Realistic
39%
Importance

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Artistic
29%
Importance

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Social
24%
Importance

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Top 10 Work Styles
Integrity
93%
Importance

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Analytical Thinking
89%
Importance

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Attention to Detail
86%
Importance

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability
84%
Importance

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Initiative
81%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Achievement/Effort
80%
Importance

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Cooperation
76%
Importance

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Persistence
76%
Importance

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Independence
74%
Importance

Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Self Control
74%
Importance

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Work Values
Achievement
86%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Working Conditions
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Recognition
72%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Relationships
62%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support
58%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.