Project Engineer, Environmental Engineer

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the city.

The Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis (BEPA), within the Bureau of Sustainability, is responsible for implementation of the Unified Stormwater Rule through its Stormwater Construction and Maintenance Permitting Unit. The Unified Stormwater Rule requires stormwater management for construction on public and private properties (1) to help protect City infrastructure from polluted stormwater runoff generated from construction activities, (2) to reduce or slow down stormwater entering sewers during wet weather, and (3) to help improve the quality of NYC’s waterways.

This regulatory structure, the Unified Stormwater Rule, is required by the City’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit, issued by the State pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act, and also incorporated into the City’s commitments to reducing combined sewer overflow (CSO). The City’s stormwater regulations allow new developments to be built while ensuring the City’s compliance with our permit obligations and reducing the flow into our sewer system during larger storm events.

The Stormwater Construction and Maintenance Permitting Unit in BEPA reviews Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans in support of Unified Stormwater Rule compliance, issues Stormwater Construction Permits, and sees sites through the Notice of Termination and Maintenance Permit closeout process. The unit also tracks permitting metrics, identifies opportunities for process improvements, engages with developers, engineering and architectural industry representatives and other agencies implementing capital projects subject to compliance, and tracks compliance with water quality objectives under CSO and MS4 mandates.

Improving permitting review timelines, while also ensuring compliance with stormwater regulations, is a high priority for DEP.

The Stormwater Permitting Team is seeking (2) Civil Engineer Level 02 candidates to serve as Project Engineers for the permitting unit at our headquarters in Queens, NY. Under general supervision, with some latitude for the exercise of independent initiative and judgement, the selected candidate will be responsible for supervising reviews of SWPPPs, reviewing SWPPPs submitted for more complex development projects, supervising projects going through the permit closeout process and supervising and completing inspections.

Tasks include:

• Performs mathematical calculations.
• Works with minimal supervision supervising intern and assistant level civil engineers and project managers and associate project managers.
• Provides direction and engineering oversight for review of stormwater pollution prevention plans and coordinates and oversees field inspection staff for implementation and enforcement of stormwater pollution prevention plans.
• Checks and oversee the checking of as-built plans submitted by applicants to show conformance with rules.
• Participates in field survey operations by acting as instrument person, rodman, chainman or, when necessary, as chief of party on routine surveys to determine if stormwater management practices are constructed in accordance with approved plans.
• Inspects premises, witnesses soil testing and the construction, demolition or alteration of structures for compliance with the provisions of law, rule, or regulation.
• Reviews maps, plans, drawings, and specifications for the construction, demolition or alteration of structures in connection with the issuance of pertinent New York City Stormwater Construction Permit and Stormwater Maintenance Permit and compliance with the provision of law, rule, or regulation.
• Prepares associated…