Environmental Scientist

Job Overview

The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Quality Planning, is seeking qualified applicants for an Environmental Scientist 3 position in Carson City. This position is in the Standards, Assessment, and Monitoring Branch. This Branch is responsible for monitoring surface water quality, assessment and reporting of surface water quality, and development of Standards to Protect Designated Uses on surface waters of the State.

Specific duties include conducting chemical, physical, and biological monitoring of surface water throughout the State according to established quality assurance/quality control protocols. Travel for fieldwork can be multi-day as sampling locations are often remote. Working conditions may be variable including changing weather conditions, exposure to wildlife, and traveling long distances through rugged terrain by 4WD and/or hiking. Incumbent is required to operate and perform sampling in watercraft during lake and reservoir sampling.

Additional duties include reviewing water quality standards and drafting regulatory petitions to add new or revise existing surface water quality standards; assessing Nevada’s surface waters to determine support of beneficial uses and development of Nevada’s 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report; analyzing data and writing technical reports to support regulation changes; conducting data analysis and preparing various reports and technical papers required under the Clean Water Act;

and other duties as assigned. Incumbent is required to work with computers, databases, spreadsheets, GIS, and perform data analysis.

Environmental Scientists perform program research, planning and development, permitting, compliance monitoring, inspections/enforcement, and technical support services in relation to air, water, federal facilities, corrective action, mining, biology and waste environmental programs.

Develop program documents such as the annual program plan, quarterly activities report, environmental assessments, technical reports and environmental impact statements in accordance with federal and State requirements; review existing program standards; research, compile and verify available data; analyze data and trends including the projected impact of federal, State and local regulations; propose new or revised standards; develop regulations, procedures and protocols and draft legislation;

provide information and technical assistance to the general public and regulated community; develop and provide training to staff and the regulated community; prepare various reports as required for planning or in response to requests from the legislature, general public, regulated community, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) administration; conduct public hearings; justify with fact sheets and discussion as required.

Conduct research through the use of technical, scientific and historical data to provide a tool for administrative and resource planning and decision making; coordinate with other agencies involved in the implementation of environmental programs; represent the division or agency at various meetings involving federal, State and local regulatory and resource agencies, the public, non-governmental organizations and the regulated community; participate in federal, State and local policy and regulation development.

Develop grant applications, proposals for performance, grant workplans, budgets and applications using federal and State policies and procedures; negotiate commitments with federal, State and local agencies; solicit project proposals; negotiate workplans and draft contract documents and required amendments; monitor grant performance, expenditures and contracts.

Develop and draft permits for industry and governmental entities; compile facility data; examine and adapt the permit to applicable standards; establish limitations; review permits for regulatory compliance; perform public permit notification and final permit issuance.

Perform compliance monitoring; analyze submitted environmental reports in relation to technical, scientific and legal criteria…