Job Description

Water Resources Planning - Resource Planner III

The Water Resource Planning Section of Colorado Springs Utilities’ Water Services Division is seeking to fill a position for Resource Planner III. This position is for an experienced professional with education and knowledge dedicated to water resource management, water system operations, water rights administration, and/or other similar work related to coordinating and managing water supply. To be successful in this position, you must have strong attention to detail while still able to assess large-scale issues, have excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and possess the ability to work both independently and in teams by leveraging strong interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinate with field operations staff across our raw water collection systems and conveyance mechanisms, as well as coordination with other water providers and water administration officials, to monitor conditions on numerous rivers and reservoirs
• Develop and maintain water accounting programs and databases to track water use and supplies derived from various data sources, including flow meters, level sensors, manual reads, SCADA, DOMSAT, PI, USGS gages, State/National data, and other water control instrumentation telemetry
• Compile and analyze data reports, historic records, and other datasets to meet regulatory requirements and organizational objectives, at times utilizing statistical and modeling techniques to develop and present forecasts and projections of the water supply, demands, and system performance
• Interpret and implement existing water right decrees and work with special legal counsel and engineering consultants to develop, utilize, and protect the City’s water rights in compliance with local, state, and federal law
• Participate in project teams to develop and evaluate engineering solutions related to water resource planning, raw water infrastructure, system modeling, water rights, and resource economics
• Analyze studies, reports, data, historic records, regulations, laws, statutes, policies, environmental conditions, risks, and institutional procedures to determine their impact on Colorado Springs Utilities’ interests
• Develop, recommend, and implement policies and best practices, as they relate to system operation, water rights administration, water agreements and contracts, asset management, water resource planning, or other related subject areas
• Represent Colorado Springs Utilities while building and maintaining collaborative interagency relationships with project partners, state and federal agencies, legislative bodies, and leadership from across the state
• Collaborate within multiple Colorado Springs Utilities work groups, teams, and committees to champion Water Resource Planning values and mission by working closely with members from Water Conservation & Demand Management, Watershed Planning, Water Infrastructure Planning & Design, Water System Operations, Water Construction & Maintenance, Water Instrumentation & Control, Operational Engineering, Billing, Development Services, and other sections within Colorado Springs Utilities’ System Planning & Projects Division

Who should apply? If you have solid analytical skills, are experienced with the principles of Colorado water law, are a team player, and are eager to dive into the complexities of operating and planning for one of the largest water providers in Colorado, we want to hear from you! This position provides an excellent opportunity to take ownership in providing water to Colorado Springs Utilities’ customers while forging relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders within the Colorado water professionals community.

The typical candidate will have a Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering, science, resource management, or planning-related discipline from an accredited institution. While candidates with advanced degrees and/or relevant coursework are preferred, other factors such as previous work experience and interpersonal skills are perhaps equally important. The ideal senior-level candidate should have 5-10 years of direct experience with water rights administration, water resource planning, analysis, modeling, hydrology, and/or Colorado water rights. Experience working for utilities or water resource consulting in Colorado or the Rocky Mountain West will also be viewed favorably.

Additional requirements: Colorado Springs owns and operates an extensive water collection and transmission system that extends across eleven counties in Colorado. As a result, some travel is required to attend meetings, conduct field work in remote watersheds, or participate in regional committees and work groups. Although most of the work is sedentary in nature, the employee may occasionally be required to perform light to moderate physical activity (e.g., walking, hiking, lifting, bending over, etc.) to support project activities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Exerts up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently, and/or a small amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those required for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a small amount, a job should be rated Light Work when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree or when it requires sitting most of the time, but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls and/or when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is small. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding work, even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.
• Positions in this class typically require talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions within an office working environment.

Who We Are:

• Check us out on our YouTube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/@SpringsUtilities)
• One of the largest four-service public utilities in the nation (over 500,000 customers)
• A national leader in reliability (power on an average of 99.991% of the time)
• Diamond Designation recipient from the American Public Power Association – a utility sector leader in reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvements

Our Commitment to Our Employees…
Our people are the heart and soul of Colorado Springs Utilities. They keep the lights on, gas flowing, water coming in, and wastewater leaving. We don't just say people are important – we prove it! That’s why we are honored to invest in protecting the health and financial security of our employees and their families through our rich benefits program.

Time Off to Recharge

• Vacation – Start with 13 days annually, increasing to 24 days with tenure
• Personal Leave –3 days per year
• Paid Holidays –12 paid holidays per year
• Sick Leave – 12 days per year for personal or family health needs
• Vacation Buy – Option to purchase up to 40 additional hours annually

Health & Wellness – Benefits elected are effective the first of the following month

• Medical Plans: Three comprehensive options, including a $0 premium High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility
• Zero Health: Access to hundreds of medical services at no cost
• Dental & Vision: Two dental plans and one vision plan
• Family Building-Benefits: Support for fertility, preservation, adoption, and surrogacy
• Wellness Program: A voluntary program that rewards you for prioritizing self-care! If you're enrolled in our medical plan, you and your spouse can earn up to $600 in HRA or HSA contributions by completing healthy activities
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Pre-tax contributions for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Health Savings Account (HSA): Available with HDHP

Financial & Retirement Security

• Pension Plan: Colorado PERA provides retirement benefits and peace of mind
• Supplemental Retirement Plans: PERAPlus 401(k), MissionSquare Roth IRA, and 457 plans
• Disability Coverage: Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance available
• Life Insurance: Employer-paid coverage with optional supplemental plans
• Long-Term Care Insurance: Available for purchase to support extended care needs

Additional Support

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for mental health, stress, legal, financial, and work-life balance
• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $5,250 annually to support continued education
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: As a qualifying employer, your student loan payments may be eligible for loan forgiveness