The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution.  DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees.  DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire a Scientist (Water Ecology) III for a position with the Ecological Research and Assessment Section, Natural Resources Division, Watershed Protection Programs Directorate, located in Kingston, New York.

The Ecological Research and Assessment (ERA) Section provides an array of services to the Bureau of Water Supply and other bureaus in the fields of invasive species, wetlands, restoration, aquatic ecology, and project review.  Through research and monitoring programs, ERA supports management of City lands, regulatory reviews, partnership programs and a wide range of watershed protection and management programs.  Understanding and managing the wetlands, streams, lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the watershed and their relationship with the uplands is very important for assessing their condition and identifying and mitigating potential water quality threats.

Under direction, of the Wetlands and Aquatic Ecology Program Supervisor, the Scientist (Water Ecology) III serve as Field Ecologist and will help plan and perform field surveys, management activities, data collection and analysis, project reviews, and procurement-related and administrative tasks to support the completion of goals and tasks in the Aquatic Ecology Program Work Plan and the Wetland Protection Strategy. Specific duties include:

• Assisting in planning and conducting field surveys to assess the ecological condition and water quality functions of wetlands, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, including but not limited to, stream biomonitoring, aquatic macrophyte, wetland vegetation, invasive species, and fisheries surveys.
 
• Assisting in managing aquatic invasive species such zebra mussels and Hydrilla.

• Assisting in delineating wetlands to support forest management and other projects.

• Assisting in conducting fish kill and other aquatic investigations as needed.

• Reviewing project plans, environmental impact statements, and other technical documents to provide recommendations for avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating impacts to aquatic resources resulting from the proposed project.

• Entering, maintaining, analyzing, and summarizing field, Geographic Information System (GIS), and Global Positioning System (GPS) data to support the preparation of presentations, maps, reports, and other deliverables.

• Assisting with various administrative functions such as procurement, equipment inventories, and memoranda preparation to support program initiatives.

• Providing information to the public in the form of educational programs, presentations and outreach events.

(This is a brief description of what you might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position.)

Some of the physical activities performed by Scientists (Water Ecology) and environmental conditions experienced are: lift and carry packages weighing approximately 20 pounds for a distance of 30 feet; perform duties in confined work areas; wear protective garments such as gloves, lab coats, goggles, and life vests; handle and manipulate laboratory equipment and instruments/tools such as glass test tubes, slides, beakers and other glassware, scalpels, scissors, etc.; adjust settings on machines, which requires fine finger and hand coordination and control; and collect samples at sites in all weather conditions.

Special Working Conditions: Scientists (Water Ecology) may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.