Environmental Specialist II

Agency Dept of Environmental Quality Division Water  Resources Job Classification Title Environmental Specialist II (NS)
Position NumberGradeNC
14

About UsThe primary mission of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is to provide science-based environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the lead stewardship agency for the protection of North Carolina's environmental resources. The organization, which has offices from the mountains to the coast, administers regulatory programs designed to protect air quality, water quality, and the public's health, and works to advance in all-of-the-above energy strategy that fits North Carolina's needs.

DEQ also offers technical assistance to businesses, farmers, local governments, and the public and encourages responsible behavior with respect to the environment through education programs provided at DEQ facilities and through the state's school system. DEQ touches the lives of all North Carolinians in many ways to enhance and ensure our quality of life.

Description of Work Environmental Specialists (ES) with the Water Quality Regional Operations Section (WQROS) of DEQ’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) are our professional “boots on the ground” who go out to the field to inspect facilities, investigate complaints, collect samples, respond to environmental emergences, and provide technical assistance, outreach, and training. The positions require frequent coordination with the regulated community, permit tees, other stakeholders, and the public ld work requires the ability to perform tasks required for physical inspections;

walking through rough, steep, and uneven terrain; and tolerating exposure to noise, extreme weather conditions, dust, fumes, machinery, insects, small animals, snakes, chemical substances, etc. State-owned vehicles are used, so ES must have a valid driver’s license. Occasional overnight travel may be required. Some environmental emergencies may require a response to occur after hours and/or weekends, on a limited basis.

Back in the office, ES complete the required data entry and preparation and/or review of documents related to field inspections, permits and/or certifications, complaint investigations, compliance and enforcement actions, and keep their knowledge of rules and regulations current. This requires proficiency with computers, internet research, word processing software and spreadsheets.

The two primary areas of focus for this Environmental Specialist II position at the Raleigh Regional Office are 401 Water Quality Certifications and Riparian Buffer Determinations and Authorizations. These include specialized tasks that require input from an experienced specialist in streams, wetlands, and water quality impacts associated with construction and development around streams and wetlands.

Key Responsibilities:

- Review and evaluate applications for 401 certifications and buffer authorizations, and draft 401 certification and buffer authorization letters
- Review projects for environmental impacts related to riparian buffer and 401 issues
- Perform stream buffer determinations
- Perform compliance inspections and enforcement for permitted facilities
- Investigate and assess citizen complaints and environmental emergencies (including carrying the emergency phone on a rotating basis), and implement enforcement actions as needed
- Other tasks as assigned by supervisors, which include but are not limited to report review, enforcement actions, permitting, environmental sampling, and public outreach associated with other programs under the jurisdiction of the DWRKnowledge

Skills and Abilities

/Management Preferences Recruitment Range: $52,592.00 - $55,980.00

Important:
This posting closes at 11:59:59 PM the night BEFORE the End Date above. Job posting details will no longer be available after the position closes.

Supplemental Information The Division of Water Resources:

The Division of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for protecting North Carolina’s drinking, surface, and ground water for all water bodies including lakes,…