civil engineer

engineer

USDA NRCS

There's no such thing as a typical day. I get to work each morning knowing it's going to be different from the day before. The pace is inconstant, but there is always change in the wind. Sometimes the reasons for that change are political. Sometimes they're technological. But more often then not, the change comes from shifts in personnel. There has been a lot of turnover in my time, mostly from the top. 

And the biggest thing that has taught me is the value of tenacity. With turnover comes shifts in the level of interest in a project or pursuit. When you're in charge of that project, it is critical to always be ready to catch the wind when it picks up again and get as much progress as you can while you can. 

With all the changes, with shifting priorities and personnel, leadership can feel like they're flailing and indecisive. But that's only because they've got to wrap their heads around all the swirling issues. Nobody has the time or attention span to manage all of it, so things fall off the radar just due to the limits of human capacity. 

But that has not dwindled the passion of the workplace culture. Everyone who I have worked with in the agency has a passion for what they do. Everyone wants to do everything they can to help, even when it's not their job. It's endearing in many ways, but as often as it leads to tremendous outcomes, it also leads to conflicts of jurisdiction and disagreements about how things need to go. We sometimes draw camels when we're trying to draw horses. But at least we get where we're going.

The hardest part of the job is managing your own passions. Tempering  your own enthusiasm. The wheels of bureaucracy turn slow. But you've got to keep your own fire burning just enough to keep that wheel turning without letting yourself burn out.

The most enjoyable part of the job is the satisfaction you get when you can deliver for your customer. At headquarters, we don't get to see the producers face-to-face to see how our technical and financial assistance has changed their operation for the better. But I do get the satisfaction of knowing how what I do keeps the wheel turning without wearing out the axle. Sorry for all the metaphors, but this government work can be dull without a little poetry.

Working as a Soil Conservation Technician with the USDA NRCS has been a highly rewarding experience that allowed me to apply both technical and practical knowledge of natural resource conservation in a meaningful, hands-on way. The role bridges fieldwork and administrative duties, contributing directly to the mission of protecting America’s agricultural lands and natural resources.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:
Assisted in developing and implementing conservation plans for private landowners under Farm Bill programs.

Collected and analyzed soil, water, and land-use data through field visits and GIS software.

Conducted site visits to assess erosion, drainage, and soil health concerns.

Supported the installation of conservation practices like grassed waterways, terraces, and cover crops.

Maintained detailed records and documentation in NRCS systems (e.g., ProTracts, Conservation Desktop).

Pros:
Mission-Driven Work: It’s fulfilling to help landowners and producers make decisions that benefit both their operations and the environment.

Learning Environment: Great opportunity to build technical skills in soil science, hydrology, agronomy, and conservation engineering.

Mentorship & Support: The NRCS fosters a collaborative team environment with experienced conservationists always willing to teach and mentor.

Outdoor Balance: A healthy mix of fieldwork and office time keeps the job varied and engaging.

Job Stability: As a federal role, it comes with solid benefits, job security, and opportunities for career advancement.

Cons:
Bureaucracy: Like most federal roles, there’s a fair amount of paperwork and policy updates to keep up with.

Rural Placement: Many field offices are in rural areas; great if you love the outdoors, but could be isolating for some.

Workload Fluctuations: Seasonal surges (especially around application deadlines or planting/harvest seasons) can lead to periods of heavy workload.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, working as a Soil Conservation Technician for NRCS is a strong entry point into the world of conservation and federal service. It’s ideal for individuals passionate about sustainable agriculture, ecology, and helping communities manage natural resources wisely. I would recommend the role to anyone seeking meaningful work at the intersection of science and service.



I did many things in the Augusta, Maine Field Office in a day. Duties in a day varied from month to month depending where we were in our annual contracting process.  My contract worked spanned from application to obligation. I put together new contracts with all appropriate paperwork in the correct tabs and noted what else was needed. Maintained and created spreadsheets that tracked project planning, financial payouts, and producer file archiving to ensure data accuracy and workflow efficiency. Made copies, filed paperwork, managed and ordered office supply inventory, and maintained organized records and work space. I generated detailed monthly compliance reports in spreadsheet fashion for three field offices to track practice implementation  and contractual obligations for multiple producers. The office culture was dynamic and team oriented. Respect, Farmers first, professionalism and inclusion were hallmarks of our team. I learned so much about the conditions in the environment that are critical to follow for the health and sustainability of our natural resources. Supporting our small family farms was enjoyable, valued, and true to our mission of "Helping People Help the Land".

What is the best part of working at the company?
Tribal Liaison last 8 years.  Given responsibility to deliver USDA  NRCS Conservation programs to Sioux Tribe in South Dakota.   2 promotions during that time.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It was not stressful at all.  I enjoyed my job and was very interesting with  all of the diversity and it made time go by very fast.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Working with basic tools.  Ex. Planting a field of feed with a pickup instead of a tractor.  Culture was even more different.  What the tribal people had was usually shared with everyone else.  They laughed out loud when someone said Columbus discovered America

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Work at 8 am.  Support Tribe in plans for present projects and future projects.  Plan how we are going to accomplish the project and proceed. Many  times  project is for many days and a planned approach is decided on the work is began.  Some projects are paperwork some are planning and some are actually working on a project

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working with the landowners. Completing the necessary paper work for each case. Listening, learning and observing the various programs in the office. Researching each file and seeking further information. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The necessary drive time between offices.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
At first it was very comfortable and easy to meet people and work together. Then COVID hit and the sense of community disappeared. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
The first part was working case files, data entry, meeting farmers....
After COVID started there was a request to get files in order for upload to cloud and removal from each office in district. I then spent start andcend of day driving to Willmar to get truck to drive to area office and work on file prep.

National Soil Mechanics Center,  Lincoln,  NE.  Local coworkers were fantastic.  Dealing with anyone outside Lincoln was excruciating,  demeaning, and horrible. "Leadership" in DC had no clue what we did and what it took to get our jobs done.  The girls in the Budgeting department were the worst I've ever dealt with, complete with nasty attitudes and being fake if a supervisor were on the video call with us.  The procurement process was also extremely mismanaged,  unrealistic, and burdensome.  Overall, it was extremely difficult to get trained or to even locate someone to explain what to do.  Too many bad attitudes,  ego, and "working" from home damaged the potential of this job.  I hadn't planned on retiring until over 2 years of dealing with these people.  The mismanagement and attitudes were the push that made me retire. Thus, locally it was one of the best jobs ever, but otherwise, the worst. 

The agency is high regards to customer service, state and local partners, and some sister agencies.  It lacks sincerity to people of color diversity and inclusion.  It limits to a seriousness towards recruitment and support into diverse communities.  And it often transcends political recognitions.  It does lack maintaining being current in technologically importance due to supportive funding and consistent level training.  It assures an appearance to equal opportunistic but lacks the will to becoming diverse with people of color.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The job itself was a good job but the culture was horrible. I was one of the unlucky ones to be put into a very bad office, especially for newcomers. I spoke up against the problems and I was backstabbed into termination.   Massive attrition in this agency.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Massive workload, incompetent training, unfriendly people.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
I was put into the #3 busiest field office in the country. Very little training, massive workload and many double standards. High turnover office, no one wants to work there.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Nonstop busy, mostly sitting behind a computer for long hours, sometimes doing 5 or 6 things at once. Little time for field visits.   Severly under staffed.

The culture of the organization is very consistent throughout the organization from top to bottom.  The agency's tendency to promote from within the agency results in managers having had similar experiences as the staff. 

The Agency's mission statement is "Helping People Help the Land" and is representative of the organization.

The Agency provided quality engineering tools, equipment and software to complete the work.  Formal training opportunities varied from year to year based on the budget.

Variable work schedule was very beneficial and sick leave and vacations were appropriate for the time for the length of service.

I enjoyed working for NRCS because it showed me how a work environment operates, and it was a good break from the farming life. We did much more surveying than I expected and it was a bit of a challenge that I appreciated. We interacted with other farmers in the area, and this also offered a chance to see how other farmers operate. The job also opened my eyes to many of the programs that NRCS offers for assistance to the farmers of America.   The only problem was that I didn't work there long enough to learn more.  I worked there for almost 3 months, and then I went back to Virginia Tech to finish out my degree.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
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Engineer 1 salary reported	$59,000 per year

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