Environmental Technician I – Aquatic Invasive Species Watercraft Inspector

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Environmental Technician I – Aquatic Invasive Species Watercraft Inspector

Chico, CA

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Who We Are
Dudek is a leading environmental, planning, and engineering firm that help public and private clients plan, design, and build projects that improve communities’ built and natural infrastructure. Founded in 1980, Dudek has grown steadily to more than 800 professionals across the U.S. and received the Top Workplace Award for 2024.

As a 100% employee-owned company, Dudek’s culture rewards smart, productive team members with ownership, professional development, and financial benefits. We seek creative, pragmatic problem-solvers working at the intersection of science, engineering, regulations, and multiple stakeholders’ interest to help clients achieve project goals.
We encourage collaboration, sustainability, and innovation.

At Dudek, we abide by shared values:
Trust:  We trust each other to use good judgment.
Respect:  We act professionally and treat each other fairly.
Teamwork:  We come together, share openly, and apply diverse perspectives.
Fun:  We take our work seriously…not ourselves.
Well-Being:  We care about each other’s health, safety, and total wellness.

Our culture is the foundation of who we are and how we work.

Learn more about our culture.

About The Job
Dudek is seeking temporary environmental technicians to conduct watercraft inspections, watercraft decontamination services, documentation, reporting, on-site surveys, customer service, outreach and education, and interaction with the public and partners of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and California State Parks. Work will be conducted in the field at DWR locations at Lake Oroville, CA in Butte County. Watercraft inspectors will conduct outreach and education for each boater and will physically and visually inspect all watercraft for aquatic invasive species and assess risk in accordance with control guidance and according to established protocol. Training will be provided by Dudek. Inspectors will be required to decontaminate higher risk vessels to remove the biological risk of infestation. The number of hours will be dependent on project needs and does not guarantee 40 hours per week. This project is slated to end in September, but has the possibility to go through the end of 2026.

Learn more about the projects you will have the opportunity to shape.

Who You Are
To thrive at Dudek, you should be comfortable with accountability, collaboration, flexibility while being a resourceful and independent thinker. We look for curious, solution-focused people who can adapt quickly to an ever-changing industry. There is no single way to solve a problem, so we encourage innovation.

Duties and Responsibilities (may include some or all of the below): 

• AIS outreach and education of boaters.
• Perform watercraft inspections and decontaminations according to protocol.
• Documentation, data entry, reporting.
• Clear communication with public, staff, partners, and professional demeanor.
• All work will be conducted under the guidance of Dudek senior staff, and complete background information and instructions will be provided for each project and site.
• Equipment needed for data collection will be provided by Dudek.

Minimum Requirements

• Driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a team and manage high-traffic situations.
• Basic computer literacy.
• High school degree, some college or university completed or currently enrolled.
• Liability insurance by first day of employment.
• The ability to work on weekends and holidays as needed.

* As a federal contractor, successful candidates are required to pass the following pre-employment requirements prior to beginning employment: pre - employment drug test and background check.
Preferred Qualifications

• Interest in natural resources and conservation.
• Previous experience with outreach and education.
• Customer service and conflict resolution experience.
• Knowledge of watercraft.

Physical Requirements
Working Conditions:

• This job operates in a fully outdoor environment and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as mobile phones.
• This job requires project site visits which are based outdoors which can include excessive noise, uneven walking surfaces, extreme weather, moving vehicles and equipment.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met in order to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

• This job may require working on a mobile phone, standing for long periods of time in an outdoor environment.
• Employees must be capable of bending, squatting, climbing ladders, and lifting up to 35 lbs. unassisted; 50lbs in a team lift (two or more employees).
• This job requires attending meetings, both in person and virtually as well as speaking on the phone with government agency representatives, members of the public, and others. Speaking, hearing and listening are required.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Outdoor activity may involve walking/trekking in uneven terrain over long distances in extreme weather conditions for extended periods of time.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Proposed Salary Range: $20.00 - $23.50 per hour*
*Final agreed upon compensation will be based on a variety of factors including but not limited to an individual’s related experience, education, certifications, skills, and work location.

Perks of Being a Dudekian
At Dudek we will provide you with a competitive salary in an environment that promotes growth, career development, and a flexible work–life balance. Dudek offers an array of benefits, from medical, dental, and vision coverage, to the discretionary bonuses, based on firmwide, divisional, and individual performance.

We also offer a yearly merit review, an employee stock ownership program, and dog friendly offices! To honor our key value of well-being, Dudek provides generous Paid Time Off (PTO) packages for both salaried and hourly employees. If you’re tired of an overly bureaucratic decision-making process and want to be part of a work culture that puts its employees first, speak with your recruiter to learn more about the great perks of being a Dudekian.

*As-needed and part-time employees are eligible for our 401(k) plan, sick leave, and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). As-needed and part-time employees have the option of additional benefits like medical benefits and ESOP participation provided they meet minimum hours worked during the 12-month look back measurement period.  Speak with your recruiter to learn more.

Dudek is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by applicable law.

Dudek is a U.S.-based employer. All positions are based in the U.S. and require U.S. work authorization.