Local recruitment: Drought and Water Resilience Specialist

State of Hawaii

Honolulu, HI, USA 🇺🇸

  • Salary: See Position Description
  • Location: State of Hawaii Executive Branch
  • Job Type: Non-Civil Service
  • Job Number: EX113074
  • Department: (NCS) LAND & NATURAL RESOURCES
  • Opening Date: 02/04/2026
  • Closing Date: Continuous

Recruitment Information

This posting is for the State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Commission on Water Resources Management.

This position is located in Downtown, Oahu.

Salary:  Commensurate with training and experience.

If you have any questions regarding this non-civil service exempt position, please contact Katie Roth, Hydrologic Planning Program Manager, at (808) 208-0317 Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (HST) or via email at katie.c.roth@hawaii.gov.

The State Recruiting Office will refer all inquiries regarding this exempt position to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Duties Summary

The primary purpose of this position is to accomplish the State’s drought and water resilience planning program goals and objectives through involvement and collaboration in climate change research and policy development; water conservation, drought, alternative water sources (reuse, wastewater, stormwater), and water shortage plan development, implementation, and update; interagency and stakeholder coordination; and working with the appropriate entities to implement relevant plans related to climate change, drought, and water resilience; and performing other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Citizenship Requirement: Applicants must be citizens, permanent resident aliens, or nationals of the United States. Non-citizens with unrestricted employment authorization from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service may also apply.

RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:  Principles and practices of general planning, natural resources planning, and water resources planning; current research activities on climate change in Hawaii and potential climate change impacts to water resources in Hawaii; principles of the mechanisms, characteristics, and impacts of drought in Hawaii; drought mitigation and planning principles and practices; principles and practices of water conservation and alternative water programs, strategies, and methodologies; and State of Hawaii procurement and contracting procedures and rules.
 
Skills/Abilities to:  Understand risk assessment, vulnerability studies, climatological and hydrological (ground and surface water) data; communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing to individuals and groups at various levels of government and to the general public; develop and maintain effective working relationships with peers, subordinates, supervisors, drought council members and other relevant stakeholders; use and care for standard meteorologic and hydrologic monitoring instruments and equipment; analyze materials and arrive at sound conclusions and recommendations; gather necessary information and identify problems accurately; read, comprehend and interpret complex written materials such as laws, rules and regulations; prepare clear and concise reports; prepare, execute, and administer contracts for professional services; and use current computer applications for word processing, spreadsheet, and database management.
 
Required Education:  A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four (4) year college or university with major coursework in climatology, meteorology, hydrology, planning, natural resource management, or a related field.
 
Required Experience:  Five (5) years of experience in planning related to the following disciplines: drought mitigation, hazard mitigation, water resource management, climatological or hydrological research, water conservation, and alternative water planning.

Substitutions Allowed:

  1. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for two (2) years of Experience.
  2. A Ph.D. from an accredited college or university may be substituted for three (3) years of Experience.

License Requirement:  Applicants must possess a valid license, type 3 or higher, to drive in the State of Hawaii. 

Quality of Experience:  Possession of the required number of years of experience will not in itself be accepted as proof of qualification for a position.  The applicant’s overall experience must have been of such scope and level of responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that they have the ability to perform the duties of the position for which they are being considered.


Physical and Medical Requirements:  Applicants must be able to perform the essential functions of the position effectively and safely, with or without reasonable accommodation.
 
Qualified applicants with disabilities who can perform the essential functions of the advertised position are encouraged to apply. The State of Hawaii is committed to making reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Applicants seeking reasonable accommodation should be ready to discuss the accommodation sought so that a determination can be made that such accommodation is reasonable and would not cause the employer undue hardship.

Other Information

This position is exempt from the civil service and considered temporary in nature.  Therefore, if you are appointed to the position, your employment will be considered to be “at will,” which means that you may be discharged from your employment at the prerogative of your department head or designee at any time.

HOW TO APPLY:


Please submit a completed Non-Civil Service Application (HRD 278) to:

Department of Land and Natural Resources

Human Resources Office

Attention:  Jodi Kurashige

1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 231

Honolulu, HI 96813 

Applications may also be submitted through email to: dlnr.jobs@hawaii.gov.  Applicants must submit, at the time of application, evidence of the appropriate training (e.g., transcript or diploma) in order to be given credit for education and/or copy of appropriate license(s), as applicable.

Click here (Download PDF reader) for the Non-Civil Service Application (HRD 278).  Recruitment number is EX113074.

Direct all inquiries regarding this position to:

Katie Roth, Hydrologic Planning Program Manager

Email: katie.c.roth@hawaii.gov

Phone: (808) 208-0317

Monday – Friday, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm (HST)

NOTE: The State Recruiting Office will refer you to the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding this exempt position.

Employer: State of Hawai’i

Address: DHRD – Employee Staffing Division, 235 S. Beretania Street, 11th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813-2437

Phone: 808-587-1111 or 1-877-447-5990 (TTY) *******

Website: http://jobs.hawaii.gov/


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

IHE Delft - MSc in Water and Sustainable Development