Careers for Natural Resource Officers

A Natural Resource Officer educates the public while monitoring and enforcing compliance with natural resource legislation.

Careers for Natural Resource Officers (NROs)

Natural Resource Officers protect British Columbia’s great outdoors by engaging in public education while monitoring and enforcing compliance with natural resource legislation. 95 Natural Resource Officers conduct inspections and investigations throughout B.C.

Job requirements and accountabilities

Natural Resource Officers interpret legislation, compile evidence, attend court hearings and take enforcement actions such as issuing Stop Work Orders, conducting seizures and writing violation tickets. More specifically, their work includes:

• conducting investigations, inspections, interviews and audits
• gathering and securing evidence, in accordance with recognized court practices, standards and related information management requirements
• developing plans for inspections and investigations
• analyzing data to assess whether an activity is non-compliant and identifying more complex cases that may require further investigation
• interpreting legislation, case law and evidence to implement appropriate responses to non-compliance
• gathering and analyzing evidence of non-compliance (in accordance with rules of evidence, to support criminal court processes and court proceedings) and preparing reports for Crown counsel
• conducting a wide variety of risk evaluations and inspections in the natural resource sector, including forest practices and agriculture, mining, commercial and private recreation activities
• scheduling and following up on inspection activities
• exercising delegated and statutory authorities such as Stop Work Orders, seizures of property and violation tickets, and/or recommending a course of administrative penalties or prosecution
• preparing and presenting evidence to support decisions
• providing technical information to Crown counsel regarding program regulations and investigative procedures
• maintaining records of interviews, inspections, audits, investigations and decisions made
• attending court hearings to present evidence obtained during audits and investigations, appearing as an expert witness regarding the regulatory program, and testifying on behalf of the ministry in court or in quasi-judicial hearings 

Qualifications

a degree or diploma in natural resource law education   

            OR 

an equivalent combination of education and related experience that includes a degree or diploma in natural resource management, and spending three of the last five years involved in interpreting and enforcing natural resource law

successful completion of security screening requirements of the BC Public Service Agency, which may include a criminal record check and/or Criminal Records Review Act (CRRA) check and/or enhanced security screening checks as required by the ministry

Preference may be given to applicants with work experience in any of the following areas: 

• experience gained within the last three years in the interpretation and enforcement of natural resource law
• knowledge of natural resource law, regulations and/or policies governing the regulatory program
• effective oral and written communication skills
• thoroughness and attention to detail
• ability to follow instructions

Provisos/Willingness Statements:    

• required to have a valid B.C. Class 5 driver’s license or equivalent, or immediately eligible to attain one 
• willing to travel frequently
• willing and able to work outdoors in all types of weather and in challenging terrain
• willing and able to operate a variety of equipment, including but not limited to off-road vehicles and boats (if applicants do not currently have the relevant certification, they should be willing and able to get certification to operate this equipment) 
• required to hold an Occupational First Aid Level 1 certificate or equivalent (or willing and able to obtain this certificate immediately after being hired) 

Natural Resource Officer Academy

Successful applicants will be scheduled to attend our Natural Resource Officer Academy. During this program (which lasts four to five weeks), new recruits will have access to a variety of training opportunities to ensure that they have the skills needed to be an effective natural resource officer.

How to apply

Submit applications through the BC Public Service Agency. The B.C. government posts jobs for various positions throughout the province and these application drives typically occur once per year. 

Access hiring information and create your profile:

• B.C. Government careers