The San Juan Bay Estuary Program (ESTUARIO) is seeking a highly-motivated, critical thinking professional with a proven and successful track record in the Natural infrastructure discipline to lead the development and implementation of the Green Infrastructure Master Plan for Stormwater Management in the San Juan Bay Estuary Watershed. The Stormwater Management Green Infrastructure Specialist will help us tackle the challenges of restoring and conserving natural water resources within the context of the San Juan Metropolitan Area’s urban setting. The ideal candidate is an expert in collaborating with stakeholders to plan, design and implement highly-successful green infrastructure projects that work in concert with gray infrastructure systems to properly manage the quantity and quality of storm water runoff, reduce flood risk to safeguard life and property, and wellbeing and public health.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop a Green Infrastructure Master Plan for Stormwater Management in the San Juan Bay Estuary Watershed that:
- Seamlessly integrates into ESTUARIO’s Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan for the San Juan Bay Estuary Watershed and all related studies to consider risks such as erosion, landslides, flooding and food insecurity as a key strategy.
- Evaluates regional needs and proposes natural infrastructure projects to effectively address several issues, including but not limited to, deforestation, heat island effect, land uses, land cover, vacant/environmental liability sites, carbon sources/sinks, ecosystem connectivity, and water pollution hotspots.
- Demonstrates how green infrastructure’s ecosystem services provide additional benefits beyond those of gray infrastructure, such as managing and treating water quality and quantity, improving air quality, consolidating wildlife habitat and promoting biodiversity, cooling urban heat islands, preserving health and safety, sourcing food, and expanding recreational opportunities.
- Implements a comprehensive public participatory process where municipalities, state agencies, policy makers, professional guilds, academia, communities, and cross sector stakeholders may significantly contribute to defining a comprehensive green infrastructure strategy at different scales and identifies capacity-building needs.
- Supports municipalities and state agencies in complying with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and the San Juan Municipality (DNER/DTOP/PRASA) Consent Decree Agreement by upgrading their natural infrastructure systems.
- Clearly defines how municipalities and state agencies may integrate proposed capital improvement projects into their own CIP and adaptability plans and collaborate in implementing the GIMP to ensure the integration of functional green infrastructure into existing gray infrastructure as an asset management strategy. Identifies and provides access to financial and technical resources available to municipalities and state agencies to promote the concept of green infrastructure and implement the GIMP. (i.e. FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, CDBG-MIT Program, etc.)
- Establishes a clear and feasible action plan for implementation, including coordination, planning, design, development and process oversight of functional green infrastructure capital projects.
- Assist the Project Manager in overseeing ESTUARIO’s green infrastructure program by:
- Preparing and presenting reports to track the progress of the Green Infrastructure Master Plan development and implementation.
- Serving on and leading various planning and design teams working on the development of capital improvement projects in ESTUARIO’s priority areas.
- Proactively represent ESTUARIO’s interests and vision for green infrastructure for the achievement of high-quality urbanism on identified priority/opportunity sites, restoration, mitigation and reconstruction plans.
- Facilitating communication, building and maintaining positive relationships between ESTUARIO and its partners and other watershed stakeholders.
- Identifying a framework for localized greening sponsorships opportunities.
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
- Master’s degree in Planning, Urban Design, Urban/Environmental Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Agronomy, Water Resources Engineering or related field or equivalent.
EXPERIENCE
- Ten (10) years of professional experience in engineering, landscape architecture, urban design, environmental sciences, or a related field which has included exposure to the practices and procedures of comprehensive green infrastructure projects for storm water management.
- Proven experience in the Development of a Regional Green Infrastructure Plan with experience in the integration of gray-blue-green hybrid alternatives.
- Storm water management hydrologic-hydraulic studies.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Well-versed in innovative storm water management, including Grey-Blue-Green Infrastructure integration.
- Functional experience in designing storm water best management practices.
- Experience interpreting and evaluating land use plans and public policy.
- Experience in asset management and adaptability programs.
- Communication and capacity-building at different levels.
- Use of water management and green infrastructure modelling tools such as HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS and EPA’s SWMM.
- Experience designing and implementing projects in an urban setting with multi-disciplinary teams.
- Strong technical and graphic skills on standard design, planning, and presentation software platforms, for example ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Sketch Up, Rhino, the Adobe Suite, and Microsoft One Suite.
- Good negotiator and problem solver, with experience in a fast-paced work environment.
- Strong oral, written, and graphic communication skills.
- Ability to collect, compile, analyze, and evaluate a complex set of inputs and present the findings and conclusions clearly and effectively.
- Ability to work in a collaborative, team-based environment.
- Ability to prioritize time efficiently, work independently and manage competing priorities.
OTHER
- Available to start on or before December 1, 2021.
- Provide their own personal computer and transportation.
COMPENSATION
Commensurate with experience.
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates please submit a cover letter and resume/CV by email no later than November 30, 2021 to: [email protected]. The email must be directed to Brenda Torres, Executive Director, and must specify in the subject the title of the position, «Stormwater Management Green Infrastructure Specialist».
Source of funding: State Revolving Fund Grant C-72-250-04
ABOUT ESTUARIO
The San Juan Bay Estuary Program (Estuario) is a private non-profit organization in charge of restoring the quality of waters within its watershed whose catchment area includes the Bayamón, Carolina, Canóvanas, Cataño, Guaynabo, Loíza, San Juan, Trujillo Alto and Toa Baja municipalities. The San Juan Bay estuary watershed houses many of the municipalities with the highest population density and the most heavily urbanized areas related to the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico. Over 70% of its territorial extension is developed and paved over, which represents a constant stressor to this impacted, yet diverse and valuable estuarine ecosystem.
