Rangeland Agrologist

Role Responsibilities

At the Department of Forestry and Parks, Lands Operations Division, we manage lands under the Public Lands Act and Forest Reserve Act for agricultural use, providing immense value to Alberta’s agricultural community. These lands offer cultivation, haying opportunities, and forage for grazing.

Reporting to the Rangeland Team Lead, the Rangeland Agrologist manages the public land base, primarily within an assigned district, to ensure and improve the long-term sustainability of the resource, benefiting Albertans, Rangeland users and the agricultural industry by maintaining a balance of development, use and conservation. You will apply your expertise in agricultural crown land management, ensuring ecological integrity while supporting responsible economic development and multi-use opportunities. Your role involves inter-agency referrals, stakeholder engagement, and consultation with First Nations and Metis Settlements.

As a Rangeland Agrologist, your professional, scientific expertise is provided to clients, agricultural producers and other professionals in government and industry on soils, range and riparian health, tame and native eco-systems to achieve rangeland stewardship and sustainability.

Responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Manage and administer public land within existing legislation, regulations, policies and directives to provide a balance of development, use and conservation while maintaining biodiversity.
• Deliver technology transfer individually or through partnerships by way of workshops, publications and individual client contact, as well as to local governments to increase knowledge and enhance skills in specified areas affecting rangeland resources. Examples include Riparian Health Assessment, Range Health Assessment, public access, Stockman's range Management Course, Cows-Fish-Trees workshops.
• Identify and recognize strategic issues that require policy formulation and forward the issues to the Rangeland Team Lead and/or Program Manager.
• Evaluate rangeland dispositions under the Public Lands Act and Forest Reserves Act (Examples: grazing leases, forest grazing licenses, forest reserve allotments, head tax permits, heritage range lands, farm development permits, cultivation permits, hay permits, natural areas and ecological reserves), to ensure fulfillment of regulations, disposition conditions and to evaluate land stewardship, land conservation and reclamation. Communicate with the activity holder regarding deficiencies and required action. Act as a liaison between the grazing associations and industrial companies.
• Evaluate public land within the current policies, directives and procedures to determine agricultural capability or sale and appraise land to determine market value and market rental.
• Examine various conflicting land use requests, evaluate and construct solutions to balance them on the landscape, such as finding a balance between grazing, industrial development, forest production and endangered species.
• Ensure Ministry resources are managed efficiently and effectively.
  
  

The Job Description is provided for further details on this position.

APS Compentencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

How Competencies will apply to this role:

• Creative Problem-Solving: Conflict resolution on recreational access disputes. Seeking to balance social, economic and environmental issues with decision making.
• Agility: Adapting to changing and emerging technology/systems and responding to updates in policies and procedures. Responding to emerging conditions such as drought, flooding, and wildfire.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Working as a team player to facilitate overall goals with inspections and renewals. Providing recommendations for improvements through Rangeland Team Lead and Manager.
• Drive for Results: Plan and complete rangeland inspections. Prioritize and manage workload through readily available tools such as spreadsheets and planners, based on seasonality.

Qualifications

Required:

• A completed university degree in Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of related experience.
• Currently registered as a Professional Agrologist or eligible for in-training status (AIT) from the Alberta Institute of Agrologists (AIA).
• A valid Class 5 Driver’s License (or equivalent) with a clean driving record.
• Defensive driving certificate.
• Standard First Aid and Basic CPR.

Equivalences may be considered: Related Master’s degree considered in lieu of part of the three years of related experience on a one-for-one basis.

Assets

• Experience with ecosystem health, range and riparian management, forage and livestock production, plant identification, soil and weed science, reclamation techniques, water resources, and agricultural capability ratings.
• Comprehensive knowledge of regulatory requirements within acts such as the Public Lands Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Water Act, Weed Control Act, Forest Reserves Act, Species at Risk Act.
• Experience with managing competing land use values, including timber production, wildlife management, industrial activities, and recreational activities.
• Proficiency in contract management, including project tendering, contract issuance, and supervision, especially for partnerships with municipalities.
• Expertise in program-specific software and geospatial processing tools like, ArcGIS Pro, GLIMPS and GRMS.
• Experience with four-wheel drive and off-highway vehicles (OHVs), with wilderness survival and predator awareness.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

• This is full-time permanent position located in Red deer
• Monday – Friday, 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week.

Any costs associated with obtaining required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information
• Professional learning and development
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.