Responsible for a variety of duties pertaining to recreation planning, trail and trailhead construction and management, land conservation, land management, and public outreach. The resource specialist position may encompass some or all of the following responsibilities, depending on the applicant’s qualifications and current departmental staffing needs. 

Examples of Duties

Monitors and inventories trails, recreational facilities, and public uses. Collaborates with land management partners to preserve and manage County open space and trails assets and works to advance recreation and conservation goals as outlined in the Open Space and Trails Master Plan. Identifies and manages projects associated with outdoor recreation and conservation on Summit County open space properties, trailheads, paved pathways, and trails. Assists with procuring and managing independent contractor agreements, grant writing and administration to fund open space projects, and GIS mapping. Develops maps, signs, and public messaging to protect natural resources and enhance user experience. Reviews and permits special events and special use requests on County lands and trails. Conducts land use reviews for new development to minimize impacts to open space and trails and evaluates requests for easements on open space lands. Completes other land management, natural resource, and recreation planning projects, and addresses complex project management issues as assigned and depending on the candidate’s skills. This position entails approximately 80% office and 20% field work.

Typical Qualifications

The successful candidate will have excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, be an efficient problem solver and self-starter, and be able to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously with diverse individuals and agencies. They will also have experience in some or all of the following topics: paved and natural surface trail construction and maintenance, project management, recreation planning, visitor use and capacity management, land conservation, land use planning, and natural resource protection. Successful grant writing, GIS/GPS skills, familiarity with local trails and open space, and an understanding of local government processes are preferred. 

The applicant will be selected for either the Resource Specialist or Senior Resource Specialist position based on their experience and qualifications. The specific position will be discussed and determined during the interview and hiring process. 

Resource Specialist: Bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, environmental planning, outdoor recreation, environmental tourism, or similar field, and applicable work experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the job duties; or Master’s Degree in natural resource management, environmental planning, outdoor recreation, environmental tourism, or similar field.

Senior Resource Specialist: Master’s Degree in natural resource management, environmental planning, outdoor recreation, environmental tourism, or similar field, and at least three years of professional-level experience working in recreation planning, land management, or land conservation. Comprehensive knowledge of Open Space and Trails program functions, property and trail assets, management plans and current issues, and experience leading local government processes.