Employment with NH NRCS
The following resources are available for obtaining employment with NRCS. Positions are advertised on USAJobs If you are interested in working in New Hampshire, make sure to indicate NH as a state you are willing to work when you fill out your application.
Also we are always seeking people to volunteer with us through the Earth Team Volunteer Program, which builds skills while working on natural resource issues in New Hampshire.
We are a technical agency, and therefore the majority of the positions we have require a technical background in natural resources, agriculture, or engineering. The following are brief descriptions of entry-level technical jobs in NRCS. To support our technical assistance programs and services, NRCS also needs people trained in computer and administrative fields.
Typical Positions in NRCS
Soil Conservationists
NRCS soil conservationists spend most of their time in the field working with farmers, and other land users. They offer conservation planning and technical help to everyone from family farmers to local government officials. They suggest ways to conserve the soil, improve water quality, manage nutrients, and protect and improve wildlife habitat.
Qualifications: A degree in a soil conservation, or a related discipline such as natural resources, agriculture, agronomy, soil, plant or crop science. Coursework must have included 30 semester hours in agriculture or the natural sciences. Additionally, you must have at least 12 semester hours in soil, crop or plant science. Of those 12 hours, at least 3 must have been in soil science.
Soil Conservation Technicians
Soil conservation technicians (SCT) work on the land with farmers to show them how to install conservation practices and oversee the quality of those practices. SCTs perform engineering surveys and design standard conservation practices such as waterways, terraces, and agricultural waste management systems.
Qualifications: Knowledge of farm operations. Coursework or experience that involved designing and implementing conservation practices.
Soil Scientists
Soil scientists map and classify soils. They identify problems such as wetness and erosion. They use aerial photographs to map soils and write soil descriptions. They sample soils and evaluate quality, analyze watershed information and record changes in land use patterns.
Qualifications: A degree in a soil science or a closely related discipline. Coursework must have included 30 semester hours in biological, physical, or earth science. Additionally, you must have at least 15 semester hours in courses such as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics or soil fertility.
Engineers
NRCS engineers develop and utilize specialized skills in erosion control, water management, structural design, construction, hydraulics, soil mechanics, and environmental protection. They develop and implement stream bank and erosion control measures and water supply systems. They design waste management systems and concrete and earthen dams. NRCS typically employs agricultural, civil, or environmental engineers.
Qualifications: At bachelor's degree in agricultural, civil, or environmental engineering.
Civil Engineering Technician
Civil engineering technicians (CET) plan, design structures used in conservation practices. They survey the land and lay out the construction measures. CETs gather data, make computations, prepare maps and cross sections of profiles serve as on site inspector during construction.
Qualifications: Coursework or experience in the engineering field.
