Lead Environmental Technician; Natural Management - Parks and Natural Resources

LEAD ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICIAN (NATURAL AREAS MANAGEMENT) - PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION SALARY

PG 15, $24.18 Hourly, $50,294.40 Annually, Nonexempt

4177 Ben Durrance Road Bartow, FL 33830

Monday - Friday, 6:00AM - 2:30PM

• Direct Deposit, Bi-Weekly Pay Checks
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life Insurance
• FRS Retirement
• 10 Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Education Incentives
• Deferred Compensation Plan
• Wellness Incentives
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Free Employee Gym
• Free Employee Health Clinic

Must have the physical, developmental and mental ability to perform job tasks, work efforts, responsibilities and duties of the job illustrated below:

Skilled technical work within a comprehensive environmental stewardship and control program. Skilled work operating light, medium and heavy‑duty vehicles, air boats and outboard motorboats in addition to spray application equipment controlling nuisance and invasive plants found in public waters and property. Leads and supervises a team of environmental technicians for spray application operations, general stewardship projects and related management activities.

• Primarily responsible for acting as a team leader for the natural areas field management team.
• Assists with managing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Cooperative Aquatic Plant Control Program Contract, Environmental Lands Program and stormwater treatment wetlands. Reviewing and modifying Annual Task Assignments, Weekly Task Assignments and Change Orders, preparing electronically and distributing treatment schedules.
• Assist in ensuring the monthly invoices are in compliance with FWC requirements.
• Assist with coordinating and planning activities related to natural areas management.
• Responsible for training new technicians in treatment of invasive species, equipment operation and stewardship practices.
• Assists with conducting field inspections, monitoring, and surveying for plants.
• Assists with spraying invasive plants as needed in aquatic and upland systems.
• Participate in prescribed burns, water resource management and watershed restoration activities.
• Investigates requests/complaints of natural areas management and responds appropriately and/or takes or recommends actions within prescribed procedures and practices.
• Operates herbicide application equipment from airboats, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), outboard motorboats, trucks and all‑terrain vehicles spraying nuisance and invasive vegetation in compliance with state and federal label guidelines. Responsible for operating other invasive plant treatment equipment such as tractors, mowers and other related invasive species treatment equipment.
• Responsible for ensuring that the proper mixture of herbicides is applied using appropriate drift control techniques.
• Determines and ensures that the appropriate nozzle choice and setting, polymer (spray thickeners) spray applications are utilized on assigned herbicide application areas. Observes operational conditions making any necessary adjustments and/or reports defects.
• Keeps records of work performed and chemicals used. Enters data into computerized database. Reviews data entry for accuracy.
• Responsible for performing simple field repairs of equipment. Provides general and preventive maintenance of spray equipment, boats, and assigned vehicles (i.e.: washes, cleans, polishes and makes minor repairs to equipment and spray apparatus, including welding, brazing, minor engine repairs, fiberglass repairs, etc., as directed by the Aquatic Weed Foreman).
• Advises the public of general operation methods and procedures.
• Reports difficult or unusual situations to supervisor. Assist Supervisor with inventorying, ordering, and maintaining supplies and/or storage/placement of supplies including various herbicides and chemicals. Provides verbal employee performance information to supervisor.
• Secondarily responsible for assisting with management activities on County owned Environmental Lands property. These activities include but are not limited to the following: removal of trash, various building structures, tree stands,…