Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wetland Supervisor

🎯 Role Definition

The Wetland Supervisor leads on-the-ground wetland restoration, mitigation and monitoring projects across freshwater and coastal landscapes. This role combines ecological science (wetland delineation, hydrology, plant/soil assessments) with project and construction oversight, regulatory permit compliance (Clean Water Act, state permitting), stakeholder coordination and team leadership. The Wetland Supervisor ensures mitigation sites meet performance standards, supervises field crews and contractors, manages monitoring programs and delivers high-quality technical reports and permit documentation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Wetland Technician / Field Technician with hands-on restoration experience
Ecological Restoration Crew Lead or Restoration Specialist
Environmental Consultant (junior field role) with wetland monitoring exposure

Advancement To:

Wetland Program Manager or Senior Wetland Supervisor
Restoration Project Manager or Mitigation Bank Manager
Environmental Compliance Manager or Natural Resources Program Lead

Lateral Moves:

Ecological Restoration Specialist / Habitat Restoration Coordinator
Regulatory Compliance Specialist or Permitting Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead planning and implementation of wetland restoration, creation, enhancement and preservation projects, developing site-specific restoration designs that account for hydrology, soils, native plant communities and long-term resilience to climate variability.
Conduct and supervise wetland delineations and boundary determinations using current federal and state protocols (Manual of Procedure, regional supplements), preparing maps and legal descriptions for permitting and reporting.
Prepare, track and manage permits and compliance documentation including US Army Corps Section 404 permits, Section 401 water quality certifications, state wetland permits, NEPA documentation, county/state erosion and sediment control permits, and local land-use approvals.
Design and execute post-construction monitoring programs to measure hydrology, vegetation establishment, soil development and biological usage; analyze monitoring data, interpret success criteria, and recommend adaptive management.
Supervise field crews, subcontractors and seasonal technicians — set daily priorities, assign tasks, enforce safety and PPE protocols, and provide on-the-job training for wetland delineation, plant identification and data collection techniques.
Oversee installation and inspection of construction-phase erosion and sediment controls, water control structures, grading plans and in-stream or marsh restoration features to ensure compliance with design and permit conditions.
Develop and manage mitigation and monitoring schedules, ensuring seasonal work windows and species-specific timing constraints (e.g., bird nesting windows, rare plant protection) are observed.
Coordinate with regulatory agencies (USACE, EPA, state environmental agencies, USFWS, state heritage programs), providing site assessments, responding to agency requests, negotiating permit conditions and coordinating inspections.
Prepare comprehensive technical deliverables including wetland delineation reports, monitoring reports, as-built documentation, photo-monitoring records, GIS maps and regulatory submittals that meet agency and client requirements.
Manage project budgets, contracts and procurement for field materials, plant stock, erosion control supplies and subcontractor services; track costs, forecast budget needs and ensure fiscal accountability.
Implement invasive species surveys and integrated pest management (IPM) plans, coordinating mechanical, biological and selective chemical control methods consistent with permit and label requirements.
Lead hydrologic assessments and modeling for restoration designs, including development and calibration of simple water-balance models, surface and subsurface flow measurements, and design of water control structures for target hydroperiods.
Ensure quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) for field data collection, chain-of-custody procedures for lab samples, standardized data sheets, QA protocols and digital data entry to maintain data integrity for long-term monitoring.
Use GIS and GPS to map wetlands, mitigation units, sampling transects and project features; maintain spatial databases and produce maps for reports, permits and stakeholder briefings.
Oversee native plant propagation, selection and installation protocols (seed mixes, live stakes, container stock), and supervise contractor/volunteer planting operations to meet performance criteria.
Manage adaptive management responses — evaluate monitoring results, recommend and implement corrective actions such as supplemental planting, invasive removal, grading adjustments or hydrologic modifications.
Prepare and submit grant applications, mitigation bank instrument documents or cost-share proposals that support project funding and long-term sustainability of wetland projects.
Coordinate community outreach, landowner communications, public meetings and site tours to explain project goals, progress and final outcomes while addressing stakeholder concerns.
Ensure site health and safety: develop job hazard analyses, ensure HAZWOPER/first-aid/WPS training as appropriate, maintain incident reporting and enforce environmental health and safety standards on project sites.
Supervise and maintain field equipment (pumps, samplers, water level loggers, GPS units, vehicles) and ensure calibration, maintenance schedules and secure storage.
Conduct or coordinate biological surveys (vegetation, macroinvertebrates, amphibians and birds) and incorporate biological monitoring into mitigation success metrics and habitat suitability assessments.
Manage as-built documentation and sign-off procedures for completed restoration and mitigation construction, ensuring accurate records for long-term stewardship agreements.
Serve as primary point of contact for client updates and deliver high-quality written and verbal communications, including executive summaries tailored to non-technical audiences and detailed technical appendices for regulators.

Secondary Functions

Support technical research and pilot studies to test new restoration techniques, native propagation methods or invasive control strategies and translate findings into practice.
Maintain and update internal project databases, GIS layers and photo-monitoring libraries to support decision-making and corporate knowledge retention.
Contribute to development of corporate wetland policies, best management practices (BMPs) and restoration standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Assist business development by preparing scope-of-work language, cost estimates and technical input for proposals and bid packages.
Mentor junior staff and interns, develop training curricula for field skills, plant ID and safety, and support staff professional development and certification attainment.
Coordinate long-term stewardship arrangements and easements, including development of maintenance plans, funding strategies and third-party monitoring arrangements.
Participate in professional working groups, conferences and agency meetings to stay current on wetland science, permitting changes and restoration innovations.
Support emergency response planning for natural events (storms, flooding) that affect project sites, coordinating rapid assessments and emergency stabilization measures.
Track and report performance metrics, KPIs and lessons learned to senior management, contributing to continuous improvement of field operations and client satisfaction.
Facilitate contract closeout tasks including final reporting, retention release recommendations and documentation transfer to landowners or stewardship entities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Wetland delineation and classification using federal/state manuals and regional supplements; confident preparation of delineation reports and boundary maps.
Strong understanding of hydrology and hydroperiod assessment methods, including water-level logger deployment, piezometers, and basic hydrologic modeling.
Restoration design and construction oversight: grading plans, water control structures, erosion and sediment control BMPs and as-built documentation.
Regulatory compliance and permitting expertise: Clean Water Act (Section 404/401), NEPA, state wetland statutes, mitigation banking rules and permit negotiation.
Plant community ecology and native plant identification (herbaceous wetland plants, wetland shrubs and trees); ability to develop and implement planting plans and seed mixes.
Invasive species identification and integrated control methods (mechanical, selective herbicide application, biological control coordination).
Field monitoring protocols and QA/QC for vegetation, soils, hydrology and biological surveys; sample collection and chain-of-custody procedures.
GIS mapping, spatial analysis and GPS navigation for site mapping, transects and monitoring plots (ArcGIS, QGIS, GPS units).
Data management and reporting: proficiency with spreadsheets, field data apps, relational databases and report writing for regulatory submittals.
Construction contract management, contractor oversight, bid evaluation and budget tracking for field projects.
Familiarity with habitat suitability assessments, wildlife survey techniques (amphibians, birds, macroinvertebrates) and mitigation success metrics.
Permit and grant writing skills, including preparation of mitigation banking instruments, monitoring plans and cost-share/grant proposals.
Equipment operation oversight and maintenance knowledge (pumps, sondes, GPS, power tools) and ability to coordinate rental/purchase logistics.
Certifications preferred: Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS), Certified Wetland Delineator, pesticide applicator license, HAZWOPER and First Aid/CPR.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management: hiring, scheduling, mentoring and performance management of field teams and subcontractors.
Excellent written communication for technical reports, regulatory submittals and client-facing summaries; ability to simplify complex science for diverse audiences.
Effective oral communication and stakeholder engagement skills for working with regulators, landowners, community groups and corporate clients.
Project management skills: scheduling, multi-project coordination, risk management and on-budget delivery.
Problem-solving and adaptive management mindset — ability to interpret monitoring data and implement corrective actions.
Attention to detail and commitment to high-quality documentation and data integrity.
Negotiation and conflict resolution skills for contractor, client and agency interactions.
Time management and organizational skills to prioritize field seasons, permit windows and reporting deadlines.
Collaborative mindset — works cross-functionally with engineers, ecologists, permitting staff and construction teams.
Cultural sensitivity and landowner relations skills, particularly when working on private lands or culturally sensitive areas.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Wetland Science, Biology, Natural Resources Management or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Wetland Science, Restoration Ecology, Hydrology or Environmental Management preferred for senior supervisory roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wetland Science / Wetland Ecology
Restoration Ecology
Hydrology / Watershed Science
Environmental Science / Biology
Natural Resources Management
Soil Science
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10 years of progressive field and project-level experience in wetland delineation, restoration, mitigation monitoring and regulatory permitting.

Preferred:

7+ years with documented supervision of field crews and contractors, multiple completed mitigation or restoration projects, successful permit acquisition and demonstrated ability to meet mitigation performance standards.
Prior experience coordinating with USACE, EPA, state agencies, and experience managing mitigation banks or long-term stewardship preferred.
Demonstrated GIS and data-management experience and possession of relevant certifications (PWS, Certified Wetland Delineator, pesticide applicator, HAZWOPER) are highly desirable.