Join the District
Careers at Klamath Irrigation District
Every role here is public service. The water we move grows the food on the nation’s tables, sustains families who have farmed this basin for generations, and helps shape what the Klamath looks like a hundred years from now. We still move that water the way it was first engineered — by gravity, without pumps or power — so even when the grid goes dark, the basin keeps feeding the country. A job at the District is a chance to do work that matters — to serve your neighbors, strengthen your community, and be part of something larger than yourself. Since 1905, that has been the purpose of this place.
Food security is national security.
- 1905Serving the basin since
- Klamath ProjectThe land & water we serve
- Public ServiceWork larger than yourself
Living the mission
Our mission isn’t carried out in a boardroom. It’s carried out by the people in these roles — the ditch rider moving water to a patron’s headgate, the crew rebuilding a structure in the January cold, the leaders carrying the District’s water rights to the agencies and lawmakers who decide them. Every job here delivers the basin’s water, defends it, or conserves it.
In practice To deliver irrigation water to water users in a professional manner while maintaining control of our canals and laterals with minimal losses.
Current Openings
We’re accepting applications for the roles below. Each position is open until filled, and we keep applications on file for six months.
Director of Conservation
Salaried · Exempt
Few conservation jobs in the West carry this much weight.
Lead the District’s stewardship of water, soil, and habitat at the center of one of the West’s most consequential basins. A director’s seat with real autonomy and real stakes.
View full posting & applyDitch Rider – Maintenance
Union (IUOE Local 701) · Full-time, hourly
Patrol one of the District’s eight rides (about 7,500 acres) — taking water orders, operating gates and checks, and keeping deliveries flowing — plus hands-on maintenance of District facilities. Requires a valid Class C license; pay is set by the CBA.
View full postingMaintenance II
Union (IUOE Local 701) · Full-time, hourly
Keep the District’s canals, structures, and equipment in working order — operating heavy equipment, welding, concrete work, and more. Requires a Class A CDL (no air-brake restriction); pay is set by the CBA.
View full postingWater Management Intern
Spend the summer (June–September) working alongside our team on real projects — technical surveys, data analysis, GIS, and SCADA — as we modernize the District’s system. About 500 hours; $19/hour with access to a work vehicle.
Don’t see your role?
We still want to hear from you. Submit an application and we’ll keep it on file for six months, then reach out when a matching position opens.
Why build a career here
A job at the District is steady, meaningful work with people who look out for one another — backed by benefits built for a long career in public service.
- Retirement A District-funded retirement plan. Non-union staff who contribute 6% receive a District contribution equal to 10% of salary; union contributions are set by the CBA.
- Health coverage The District pays the single-employee premium for medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and short-term disability — with family coverage and an HSA option available.
- Paid time off Paid vacation, sick leave, and recognized holidays that grow with your years of service.
- CDL reimbursement For roles that require a CDL, the District reimburses training and testing completed after you’re hired, plus licensing, endorsements, and the DOT physical — training done before employment isn’t reimbursed.
- Public service As a local public agency, the District is a qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) — and every role serves the basin’s farming families.
- Roots & stability Steady, year-round work with a District that has served the Klamath Basin for generations.
Benefits vary by position. The Ditch Rider–Maintenance and Maintenance II roles are bargaining-unit positions covered by the IUOE Local 701 collective bargaining agreement; under Oregon law, union membership is voluntary. Some supervisory roles also include a District vehicle and phone allowance.
What the season looks like
Water work follows the water. For our field roles, the schedule shifts with the irrigation season — worth knowing before you apply.
Irrigation season · April–October
Field crews typically work 10 days on, 4 days off, keeping water moving across the basin. Overtime can be required, and ditch riders are asked to save vacation for the off-season.
Off-season · Construction season
The hours settle into Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but the work doesn’t let up. This is construction season — pouring concrete, building forms, and replacing and repairing structures, often out in the winter snow and cold.
The District by the numbers
Klamath Irrigation District is a “mega district.” Beyond our own patrons, we deliver water to eight other districts and companies — Enterprise, Pine Grove, Klamath Basin Improvement District (KBID), Poe Valley, Van Brimmer Ditch Company (VBDC), Malin, Shasta View, and Sunnyside — plus portions of Tulelake Irrigation District (TID) and more than 110 individual Warren Act contract holders — landowners within the District’s boundaries who receive Project water under individual contracts authorized by a 1911 federal law.
- 122,000+ Acres the District’s “A” Canal was designed to serve
- 8 Other districts and companies the District delivers water to
- 110+ Individual Warren Act contracts served across the basin
- 8 Ditch rider “rides” patrolling the canal system
- A–G The seven-canal system the District operates and maintains
- 5 Divisions, each electing a director to the District’s board
Life in the Klamath Basin
A job here comes with a place to call home. The Klamath Basin is a working agricultural landscape — a community of farms, ranches, and small towns where the water you’d help move is the lifeblood of everyday life.
A working agricultural community
This is farm and ranch country. Family operations have worked the basin for generations, and the water you’d help deliver is what keeps them going — you’d be part of that story.
Room to breathe
Short commutes and open country, anchored by Klamath Falls and the surrounding farm towns of Malin, Merrill, and Bonanza — places where people still know their neighbors.
The outdoors at your door
The basin sits on the Pacific Flyway, with renowned birding and waterfowl, fishing on Upper Klamath Lake, and Crater Lake and the Cascades a short drive away.
Within reach
Housing and cost of living here remain more attainable than much of the West — room to put down roots, not just get by.
How to Apply
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1
Get the application
Download and print the application form, or pick one up at our office.
Download application (PDF) -
2
Submit it to our office
Drop it off in person or send it to our office staff.
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3
We keep it on file
Applications stay on file for six months. If no position is currently advertised, we’ll hold yours and reach out when something fits.
What happens after you apply
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Step 1
We review
The District Manager and staff review applications and resumes for the open position.
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Step 2
Interview
Qualified applicants are invited to interview with the team.
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Step 3
References & screening
We check references. Safety-sensitive roles also require a background check and a pre-employment drug screen.
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Step 4
Offer
We extend an offer and confirm your eligibility to work in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you keep my application on file?
Six months. If no position is currently posted, we’ll hold your application and reach out when something fits.
What’s the schedule like for field roles?
During the irrigation season (roughly April–October), field crews typically work 10 days on and 4 off. In the off-season it’s Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Overtime can be required.
Is drug and alcohol testing required?
Yes. The District is a drug-free workplace, and all employees are subject to pre-employment and random testing. Safety-sensitive roles also require a background check.
Which positions are union?
The Ditch Rider–Maintenance and Maintenance II roles are bargaining-unit positions covered by the IUOE Local 701 collective bargaining agreement, which sets their pay, hours, and benefits. Under Oregon law, joining the union is voluntary — you can be a member or not. Salaried roles such as Director of Conservation are not in the bargaining unit.
Do I need a CDL?
Maintenance II requires a Class A CDL; Ditch Rider–Maintenance requires a Class C license. The District reimburses CDL training and testing completed after you’re hired.
What benefits do you offer?
Retirement, health coverage, paid time off, and more — see “Why build a career here” above. Benefits for union roles are set by the CBA.
Forms & Resources
Klamath Irrigation District is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.