Natural Resources Planner

Division of State Parks - Headquarters

Hiring Range: $20.00 - $24.00 per hour

Apply here: https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/jobs/a5490af5-6850-4756-99f3-0df972842bd7

https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/jobs?j=2025-10-01-12-19-54-053186-o3b

Closes on 10/09/2025

Job Duties

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is the state’s lead conservation agency, and it takes a diverse agency to conserve resources for a diverse commonwealth.

Virginia’s award-winning state park system, a division of DCR, boasts an incredible and diverse array of natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources including parks in the mountains, on the ocean, on the Chesapeake Bay, on 8 major rivers, on 4 major lakes, 4 rail trails, 3 battlefield sites, and 32 sites listed on the National Historic Registry. Our parks encompass over 75,000 acres, offering campsites, cabins, trails, shorelines, lakes and ponds, international dark sky sites, and over 20,000 educational programs and workshops each year.

As the Natural Resources Planner, you will assist DCR's State Parks Planner in facilitating the development of park resource plans and other products in a manner that ensures the sustainability and long-term viability of the Commonwealth's cultural and natural resource base while providing and enhancing appropriate public utilization.

In this position, you will:

• Lead the development, management, and routine updates of Natural Resource Management Plans for Virginia State Parks, including plan preparation, coordination with Resource Management and Operations staff, field work, writing, and data management utilizing ESRI Hub and GIS StoryMaps.
• Complete the development of specialized natural resources-related planning efforts, such as comprehensive trail plans or invasive species plans for Virginia State Parks.
• Assist the State Parks Planner with the development, writing, design, editing, and/or review of manuals, reports, documents, guidelines, and policy related to resource management topics in partnership with a variety of Virginia State Parks teams.
• Aid the State Parks Planner through the DCR Master Planning process as assigned.
• Provide additional field support for the Resource Management Team, such as assistance with field work, studies, surveys, data collection, and maintaining various geospatial and non-geospatial databases on an as-needed basis.
• Attend staff meetings and employee training as required.

This position is based in our Richmond, VA office, with partial telework options available.

DCR’s Mission is to conserve the natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources of the Commonwealth. We invite you to learn more about DCR’s efforts to CONSERVE.

Minimum Qualifications

• Expressed knowledge of Virginia’s natural resources, ecosystems, invasive species, and associated resource management techniques.
• Familiarity with ESRI Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software products such as ArcPro and ArcGIS Online.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft applications, including Microsoft Suite, including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated skills in document writing, design, editing, and review intended for a variety of internal or external audiences.

Additional Considerations

• Education, training, or experience in Resource Management, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Park Planning, Landscape Architecture, Geographic Information Systems, or a related field.
• Experience in resource management planning for parks, wildlife refuges, natural areas, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and related projects through ArcGIS Online, ArcPro, and/or HUB.