Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wetland Specialist

💰 $60,000 - $95,000

Environmental ScienceWetland EcologyRestoration

🎯 Role Definition

As a Wetland Specialist you will plan, execute and lead wetland delineations, jurisdictional determinations, ecological assessments, restoration design and post-construction monitoring to meet federal, state and local regulatory requirements. You will coordinate permitting (USACE CWA Section 404, state 401/404 equivalents), produce clear technical reports and designs, supervise field crews and contractors, and collaborate with engineers, planners and regulators to integrate wetland science into infrastructure, conservation and mitigation projects. The role emphasizes field surveys, hydrologic and soils analysis, GIS mapping, compliance documentation, and community/regulatory communication.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Field Technician / Wetland Technician
  • Environmental Scientist / Ecologist (entry-level)
  • Natural Resources or Hydrology Technician

Advancement To:

  • Senior Wetland Specialist / Principal Wetland Ecologist
  • Restoration Project Manager / Mitigation Bank Manager
  • Regulatory Affairs Lead / Environmental Compliance Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Restoration Designer / Habitat Restoration Specialist
  • Environmental Planner or NEPA Specialist
  • GIS Specialist with a focus on natural resources mapping

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and conduct jurisdictional wetland delineations in accordance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual and applicable regional supplements, documenting hydrology, soils and vegetation indicators with GPS-integrated field forms and photo documentation.
  • Prepare regulatory permit applications and supporting packages (CWA Section 404/401, state wetland permits, local permits), including pre-application coordination, permit drawings, avoidance and minimization narratives, and compensatory mitigation strategies.
  • Perform comprehensive wetland functional assessments (e.g., HGM, WET, rapid assessment methods) and prepare technical reports that quantify ecological services, project impacts and mitigation requirements.
  • Design wetland, riparian and floodplain restoration and enhancement projects, producing planting plans, grading/hydrology plans, seed/planting specifications, erosion control details and cost estimates to achieve performance-based mitigation goals.
  • Develop and implement hydrologic and hydroperiod assessments including surface water and shallow groundwater monitoring, installation and interpretation of piezometers, staff gauges, and long-term water level datasets to support design and monitoring.
  • Conduct detailed soils investigations (pit descriptions, texture, redoximorphic features, hydric soil indicators), collect laboratory samples, and interpret soil data for delineation, restoration design and permitting.
  • Lead biological surveys for wetland-dependent vegetation communities, invasive species mapping, and coordinate federally- or state-listed species assessments to ensure project compliance with threatened and endangered species requirements.
  • Produce high-quality technical reports, jurisdictional determination packages, monitoring reports, adaptive management recommendations and regulatory correspondence with clear conclusions, maps, figures and appendices.
  • Use GIS (ArcGIS Pro, QGIS) and remote sensing (LiDAR, aerial imagery) to map wetlands, delineations, watershed boundaries, stormwater influences, and create illustrative plan sheets and GIS deliverables for permit submittals and stakeholder review.
  • Manage field crews and subcontractors: recruit, train and supervise technicians for safe, efficient field data collection; establish field QA/QC protocols; and maintain equipment (GPS units, sondes, sampling gear).
  • Implement wetland mitigation monitoring programs: establish baseline conditions, develop performance metrics, collect vegetation, hydrology and soil monitoring data, analyze results and recommend corrective actions under adaptive management frameworks.
  • Coordinate directly with regulatory agencies (USACE, EPA, state departments of environmental protection, state natural resource agencies) during pre-application meetings, site visits and review periods to resolve technical issues and secure timely permit approvals.
  • Oversee construction monitoring and compliance inspections during restoration or mitigation site installation to verify as-built conditions, contractor conformance with plans/specifications, and to document change orders and non-conformances.
  • Prepare and manage ecological monitoring databases and digital records (field forms, GPS tracks, photo logs), ensuring data integrity and producing summary analytics and visualizations to document mitigation performance.
  • Develop mitigation banking proposals, service area analyses, credit calculations, and bank prospectuses in coordination with business development and regulatory reviewers to support mitigation market strategies.
  • Support NEPA documentation, environmental assessments (EA) and environmental impact statements (EIS) by providing wetland impact analyses, avoidance/minimization alternatives, and mitigation plans integrated into broader environmental reviews.
  • Lead site feasibility studies and due diligence for land acquisition or development projects, assessing wetland constraints, buffer requirements, permitting timelines and potential mitigation obligations.
  • Prepare and manage grant applications, technical proposals and scopes of work for wetland restoration funding, including budgets, deliverables and measurable ecological outcomes.
  • Conduct community outreach and public meetings: present technical findings, mitigation plans and monitoring results to stakeholders, local governments and community groups in accessible language while addressing public comments and concerns.
  • Develop and apply invasive species control plans, native plant installation specifications, seed mixes and nursery sourcing strategies to achieve targeted plant community composition and long-term restoration success.
  • Use statistical and data analysis tools (Excel, R, Python) to analyze monitoring datasets, water-level records and vegetation metrics, producing trend analyses and statistical summaries to inform adaptive management.
  • Provide construction cost estimating, schedule development and contractor oversight for restoration and mitigation projects to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
  • Maintain and enforce field safety plans, wetland sampling protocols and regulatory compliance standards, ensuring team safety and environmental protection during site work.

Secondary Functions

  • Support proposal development by providing technical appendices, estimated scopes, and schedule inputs for wetland-related work streams.
  • Contribute to organizational best practices for wetland assessment, reporting templates, standard operating procedures and training materials for staff development.
  • Assist senior leadership with business development activities, client presentations, and technical demonstrations to win new wetland work and mitigation contracts.
  • Participate in inter-disciplinary project teams to integrate wetland science with civil engineering, stormwater design and land-use planning.
  • Maintain continuing education and professional certifications; track changes in wetland policy, jurisdictional guidance and permit requirements to keep the organization compliant and competitive.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Wetland delineation and jurisdictional determination expertise under USACE manuals and regional supplements.
  • Regulatory permitting knowledge: CWA Section 404/401 applications, state wetland permitting and mitigation compliance.
  • Wetland functional assessment methods and ecological services evaluation (e.g., HGM, WET, other regional tools).
  • Restoration design skills: grading, hydrology design, planting plans, seed mix development and construction specifications.
  • Hydrology/hydroperiod analysis, groundwater monitoring, installation and interpretation of piezometers and water-level sensors.
  • Soils analysis and hydric soil identification, including field pit descriptions and lab sample chain-of-custody procedures.
  • GIS mapping and spatial analysis (ArcGIS Pro, QGIS), GPS data collection and map production for permit and design submittals.
  • Construction monitoring and oversight of restoration/mitigation site installations; experience with as-built documentation.
  • Monitoring program development, ecological performance criteria, data collection protocols and statistical analysis (Excel, R, or Python).
  • Invasive species management techniques and native plant community establishment practices.
  • Technical writing and report preparation for permit submittals, monitoring reports, regulatory correspondence and EIS/EA contributions.
  • Experience with mitigation banking, credit calculations, bank establishment processes and financial/proposal documentation.
  • Familiarity with NEPA processes, environmental assessment preparation and interdisciplinary environmental review.
  • Proficiency with field equipment: Trimble/GPS units, sondes, soil probes, and field data-collection apps.

Soft Skills

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills to translate technical findings for regulators, clients and the public.
  • Excellent project management: scheduling, budget control, scope management and vendor coordination.
  • Attention to detail and strong organizational skills for multi-site project documentation and permit tracking.
  • Leadership and team-building capabilities to supervise field crews and mentor junior staff.
  • Problem-solving and adaptive management mindset to respond to field surprises and regulatory feedback.
  • Stakeholder engagement and public speaking experience to lead community meetings and agency negotiations.
  • Time management and prioritization skills for simultaneous permit-driven deadlines.
  • Professional demeanor and conflict-resolution skills when working with contractors, regulators and the public.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Biology, Wetland Science, Soil Science, Hydrogeology or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Ecology, Wetland Science, Hydrology, Environmental Science, Landscape Architecture or related discipline; professional certifications (e.g., Certified Wetland Delineator, Certified Ecologist) preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Wetland Ecology
  • Environmental Science / Biology
  • Soil Science / Hydrogeology
  • Restoration Ecology
  • Natural Resources Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–7 years of professional wetland field and permitting experience for mid-level roles; 7+ years for senior positions.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of combined field delineation, permitting (CWA 404/401 and state), restoration design and monitoring experience.
  • Demonstrated history of successful permit approvals, mitigation implementation, or mitigation bank development.
  • Prior experience coordinating with USACE, EPA and state resource agencies; experience supervising crews and managing multiple concurrent projects.
Explore More Careers