Julia Biertempfel
Water Science And Conservation Specialist
Pittsburgh,PA
Summary
Environmental science specialist with 3 years experience (1 in consulting, 2 in academia) implementing natural resources analysis to address environmental problems. Specializes in water resources issues. Eager to work both in the field and in the office as needed while making use of knowledge covering natural resource management, data management, field assessments, and environmental remediation.
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
Education
Master of Science - BioRenewable Systems (Watershed Management Focus)
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA 08.2020 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Resource Management
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA 08.2016 - 05.2020
Work History
Environmental Scientist I
Rhea Engineers & Consultants
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
10.2022 - Current
- Assisted the company's PWIS in all wetland delineation jobs by identifying the presence of hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and wetland indicators.
- Responsible for writing wetland reports and Environmental Assessments.
- Utilized ArcMap to create water resource figures for clients.
- Sampled groundwater for 3 private and federal clients.
- Technical consultant on environmental policies to maintain regulatory compliance, working knowledge of Chapter 102 and 105 permits. Used experience with the Federal Clean Water Act to contribute knowledge on constantly changing water and wetland government regulations.
- Served as a contact between government personnel and clients for permit applications.
- Performed field work in normal and adverse weather conditions
Graduate Researcher
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA
08.2020 - 08.2022
- Worked with an integrated project team in a collaborative work environment focused on Pennsylvania-specific non-point source pollution remediation.
- Independently collected, organized, and performed accurate quantitative analysis on targeted water quality data for 20 watersheds to draw relevant environmental assessment conclusions. Solely responsible for database management and quality checking.
- Familiar working with precipitation, stream flow, and nutrient measurements and calculations.
- Utilized GIS data to create water resources map regarding statewide pollutant levels, watershed delineations, and related issues.
- Presented work at regional and international research conferences.
- Experience authoring professional written reports and informal scientific reporting.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA
05.2019 - 05.2020
- Primary author of GIS assets used in project presentations and published literature, responsible for creating maps of emerging contaminants in PA stream networks.
- Collaborator on water quality data organization, correction, and analysis; maintained good documentation practices.
- Assembled over 50 water sampling kits field use in citizen science projects.
EcoRep Environmental Leadership
Penn State Sustainability Institute
State College, PA
09.2017 - 04.2020
- Weekly engagement and education of peers on sustainable living practices, both during and after college.
- Created projects and presentations relating to recycling, energy, water, and sustainable consumption; collaborated with university groups such as Penn State Housing and Dining and Food Services.
Student Collaborator
Centre County PA Senior Environmental Corps
State College, PA
08.2018 - 12.2018
- Partnered with the Senior Environmental Corps to analyze field data collected with hydrological monitoring tools to determine best methods to sustain the environmental conditions of Spring Creek and its tributaries.
- Responsible for presenting findings to project stakeholders and the community at large at the Sustainable Communities Collaborative.
- Experience setting up data loggers and water quality sensors in the field, sometimes in adverse weather conditions, and assessing retrieved data.
- Hands-on implementation of the basic principles of environmental and water laws.
Skills
Quantitative analysis
Microsoft Excel proficiency
ArcGIS competency
Best Management Practice familiarity
Watershed delineation
Stakeholder engagement
Invasive species identification
Written and oral presentation skills
Planning and coordination
Informal scientific education proficiency
Water quality monitoring
40 Hour HAZWOPER Training
Additional Information
- Experience removing invasive species and planting riparian buffers
- Further outreach and teaching experiences include working as a teaching assistant in an undergraduate-level soil science class and volunteering as a natural history docent with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
- +15 articles published through the student-run publication The Daily Collegian, mostly focusing on sustainability issues and science-related topics