Urban Waters Coordinator

For full consideration, please attach a cover letter, resume, and three references.  Please detail how your experience addresses the criteria listed in this job announcement.  

The review committee will promptly review applications and solicit interviews after the application deadline of DATE. If you have job specific questions, please contact brent.a.hart@usda.gov 

Funding for this position has been provided since 2013 by USEPA and US Forest Service through a cost-share agreement with Purdue University Northwest. 

Urban Waters is a federal initiative that seeks to break down siloes between federal agencies and state and local partners that have common projects or at least common interests on the same waterways. There are 21 Urban Waters partnerships located around the country. Northwest Indiana was one of the original pilot locations. Each partnership operates independently and chooses which local issues and challenges to work on. More info on the national program and the other Urban Waters partnership locations is available at https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters.   

Since 2011, the Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partnership has brought together federal, state, and local government agencies as well as non-governmental organizations to share information, resources, and technical expertise. The main goals of the Northwest Indiana partnership are to improve equity and access to clean local waters by increasing collaboration among agencies and organizations working in the region, and to attract needed resources to waterway-related projects that local partners identify as priorities. Over time, the partnership has helped find needed funds and other resources for a variety of projects while encouraging collaboration among the 60+ participating agencies and organizations.   

The partnership’s ‘territory’ is flexible and, by consent of the local partners, covers the Lake Michigan sub-watersheds of Trail Creek, the East Branch of the Little Calumet River, Salt Creek, Deep River, and special locations within the Grand Calumet Area of Concern. The partnership also discusses projects and issues on the West Branch of the Little Calumet River as needed. Projects and issues that directly or indirectly impact the Lake Michigan shoreline in Indiana are also included.  

All agencies, organizations, businesses, and residents that have a shared interest in northwest Indiana waterway projects can be on the email list and attend and participate in meetings. No formal commitment to belonging to the partnership is required.   

The partnership has had a dedicated Coordinator since 2013 to organize partnership activities, convene meetings, keep federal partners apprised of local events and project progress, and help match available resources to local needs. Since 2014, this position has been hosted with office space on Purdue University Northwest - Hammond campus. 

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a student-centered university that transforms lives through innovative education, impactful research and community engagement. Located in Northwest Indiana in the greater Chicago area and near the Indiana Dunes National Park, PNW serves approximately 9,000 students, including 6,000 core students, in a wide range of academic programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and applied doctoral levels.   

Purdue Northwest employs more than 1,000 faculty and staff members for operations at its main campus in Hammond, Ind., and its branch campus in Westville, Ind., plus additional sites in Northwest Indiana including the Gabis Arboretum near Valparaiso, Ind. PNW’s values reflect the university’s commitment to respect, innovation, a student-centric university, and excellence.   

PNW is consistently ranked among the best public regional universities in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges report and is recognized as a First Scholars institution as well an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. With its vision to cultivate leaders, inspire excellence, and impact our world, PNW advances the socioeconomic mobility of its students and positively impacts regional development.