Environmental Scientist

Job Overview

The Environmental Scientist 3 position is located in the Bureau of Air Quality Planning Ambient Air Monitoring Branch in Carson City, Nevada. It conducts program research, planning, and development, and provides technical support related to ambient air quality across the state. The role requires up to 50% travel.

• Conduct regular site visits to operate and maintain ambient air monitoring equipment.
• Maintain and troubleshoot monitoring equipment in the laboratory and evaluate new and existing sampling sites for usefulness.
• Assist in development and maintenance of branch programs such as the smoke management program and air sensor program.
• Prepare internal and external technical documents and reports.
• Review existing program standards and outcomes, research, compile, and verify available data.
• Analyze data and trends, including projected impacts of federal, state, and local regulations.
• Provide information and technical assistance to the general public and regulated community.
• Prepare reports for planning or in response to requests from the legislature, general public, regulated community, EPA, or NDEP administration.
• Conduct research using technical, scientific, and historical data to support administrative and resource planning decisions.
• Coordinate with other agencies involved in environmental program implementation.
• Represent the division at meetings with federal, state, and local regulatory and resource agencies, the public, NGOs, and the regulated community.
• Contribute to policy and regulation development, including grant applications, proposals, budgets, contracts, and mandates.
• Develop and draft permits for industry and governmental entities; compile facility data, examine permit applicability, establish limitations, review for compliance, perform public notification, and issue final permits.
• Perform compliance monitoring, analyze submitted environmental reports, and recommend actions to ensure compliance.
• Respond to environmental complaints through investigation, determination of validity, and appropriate action.
• Conduct inspections to verify compliance with regulations, prepare detailed reports, and recommend enforcement actions.
• Provide technical services such as calculating pollutant concentrations, calibrating sampling equipment, and preparing monitoring sites.
• Input and access data to/from national systems maintained by the EPA and conduct computer modeling.
• Lead, organize, and delegate work responsibilities to lower-level staff and oversee progress.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in physical, natural resource, life sciences, engineering, or a closely related field and three years of professional environmental experience involving program research and planning.
• Or high school graduate or equivalent and five years of relevant professional environmental experience.
• Or at least one year as an Environmental Scientist 2 in Nevada State service.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Working knowledge of legal procedures related to pollution control enforcement and EPA and state grant requirements.
• Ability to communicate technical, scientific, environmental, regulatory, and legal information verbally and in writing to a range of audiences.
• Ability to evaluate radiological, chemical, and biological hazards and advise on safety.
• Ability to recognize and report problems, manage priorities, and enforce department policies.
• Ability to draft comprehensive enforcement and mitigation documents and implement procedures.
• Ability to negotiate with regulated and natural resource communities to ensure compliance and resolve issues.
• Ability to analyze complex data and apply concepts to challenging problems.