Jurij was Director of Outreach & Education and Coastal and Watersheds Specialist, Lake Champlain Sea Grant program; Extension Assistant Professor, University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. He was responsible for developing a national Sea Grant program of extension, outreach and research activities to enhance awareness and understanding of coastal development, water quality, aquatic resources, nuisance aquatic species, land use and watershed management issues for NY-VT-Quebéc Lake Champlain Basin. He conducted applied research in participatory, community based watershed management and water quality protection, lay water quality monitoring, and urban stream restoration.