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Available positions and employment application

Employment benefits package

Frequently asked questions

Degreed positions and non-degreed positions

Engineering programs

Environmental science programs

Hydrology programs

Professional and administrative careers

Student experience program

Hydrology programs

Hydrologic careers at the St. Johns River Water Management District are devoted to water supply management. More than 90 percent of District residents obtain their drinking water from groundwater sources. Entry-level positions require a bachelor’s degree in hydrology, geology or related field. Higher-level positions require increasing amounts of related experience. Knowledge of geographic information systems, mapping techniques (global positioning system), statistics, and technical writing skills are beneficial in performing a hydrologist’s duties. A hydrologist at the District may be involved in one of the following areas:

Water use regulation

Hydrologists analyze data from consumptive use permit (CUP) applications, apply rule criteria and recommend either issuance or denial of the permit. Hydrologists also work with the applicants to bring planned withdrawals of water into compliance with the rule criteria and develop site-monitoring plans.

Theoretical research

In order to ensure maximum water resource protection, hydrologists must make educated predictions of future water needs and identify the sources to fulfill those needs. This information is obtained through groundwater modeling. Research is also being performed on lateral and upconing saltwater intrusion of tributaries and waterways.

Data collection

Information gathering is a necessary component of water supply management. A hydrologist obtains, researches, analyzes and interprets hydrologic and geologic data and prepares reports on the findings to aid in future water supply management decisions. This data is obtained through geophysical logging, ground penetrating radar, water quality sampling, pump test data and mapping.

Applied research

Entry-level hydrologists are involved in the inspection of abandoned artesian wells for inventory purposes and the collection of water quality samples. Higher-level hydrologists are involved in the quality assurance and quality control of the data collected.

The District Observation Well Network allows hydrologists to construct wells, collect and analyze water samples, and monitor and analyze water levels and water quality in various areas within the District’s boundaries. This data is used to make statistical and geostatistical impact determinations on water use and discharge regarding saltwater intrusion into the Floridian aquifer.