Application Developer / Analyst

Job Description:

Stream Compensatory Mitigation Accounting Calculator (SCMAC) Application Developer / Analyst

Position Overview

The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) seeks a contractor to evaluate, select, adapt, and beta‑test a new application for the Stream Compensatory Mitigation Accounting Calculator (SCMAC). The SCMAC is currently built in Excel and must be remastered into a more user‑friendly, automated, and secure application that supports DSL’s updated stream compensatory mitigation rules (effective May 3, 2027).

This role requires a blend of technical application development, data modeling, requirements analysis, and environmental program understanding. The contractor will work closely with DSL mitigation staff to ensure the new SCMAC is accurate, robust, accessible, and easy for both internal and public users.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess the current Excel‑based SCMAC to understand its formulas, logic, workflows, and intended regulatory use.

• Research and compare alternative applications/platforms (including Excel) using DSL’s selection matrix.

• Recommend the most appropriate application based on usability, automation, accessibility, cost, security, and adaptability.

• Convert the existing SCMAC into the selected application while preserving all foundational formulas and accounting logic.

• Build automated calculations for:

  • Value‑weighted stream function changes (baseline vs. predicted conditions)

  • Temporal loss adjustments

  • Administrative protection adjustments

  • Impact‑site vs. mitigation‑site SCMAU comparisons

• Ensure the tool is:

  • User‑friendly and intuitive

  • Accessible across devices without specialized software

  • Locked against formula manipulation by external users

  • Easy for DSL staff to update without external support

• Conduct beta testing using DSL‑provided project examples.

• Provide written and verbal summaries, documentation, and final deliverables.

• Participate in three required 1–2 hour meetings with DSL staff throughout the contract.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Strong experience developing calculators, assessment tools, or decision‑support applications.

• Expertise with Excel, low‑code/no‑code platforms, or commercial off‑the‑shelf applications (e.g., Power Apps, Tableau, custom web apps, etc.).

• Ability to evaluate multiple software platforms using structured criteria.

• Experience converting complex Excel models into automated applications.

• Strong understanding of data modeling, formulas, and structured calculations.

• Ability to design user‑friendly interfaces with error‑flagging and guided data entry.

• Experience building secure tools where internal logic is protected from external modification.

• Excellent documentation and communication skills.

• Ability to collaborate with regulatory or environmental program staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in environmental science, stream assessment, mitigation, or regulatory programs.

• Familiarity with Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) or similar regulatory frameworks.

• Experience with SFAM (Stream Function Assessment Method) or compensatory mitigation tools.

• Prior work with government agencies or public‑facing applications.

Deliverables

• Written and verbal summary of SCMAC functionality.

• Evaluation of alternative applications using DSL’s selection matrix.

• Recommendation and justification for the selected application.

• Fully adapted SCMAC in the new application format.

• Beta test results using DSL‑provided project scenarios.

• Final SCMAC tool ready for public release.