Coastal Resources Scientist Supervisor; Enforcement

About This Job

Office of Enforcement – Ecology

The Office of Enforcement (OENF) is dedicated to ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting public and environmental interests through rigorous inspection programs, timely enforcement actions and transparent oversight. The Office emphasizes proactive monitoring, consistent regulatory enforcement and transparent reporting. Its operations are designed to uphold compliance standards, swiftly address violations and maintain trust and accountability within Louisiana's regulated community. OENF consolidates all inspectors and enforcement staff into one office to maximize efficiency, consistency, and accountability.

District inspectors, pipeline safety, UIC, coastal field services, and mining enforcement now operate under a unified structure that emphasizes cross-training, career progression, and consistent enforcement decisions. The office issues compliance orders, oversees damage prevention, and coordinates with Revenue, DEQ, and Wildlife & Fisheries for joint enforcement. Leveraging data analytics, automation, and tools like drones and sensors, OENF implements a proactive, risk-based enforcement model that prioritizes public safety while ensuring fair treatment of good operators.

This position serves in a supervisory capacity and is responsible for the direct supervision of three to four Coastal Resources Scientist positions ranging from Coastal Resources Scientist I to Coastal Resources Scientist III. These staff members are geographically distributed throughout Louisiana's coastal zone and are responsible for conducting environmental assessments, permit compliance investigations, enforcement activities, and ecological field operations.

A bachelor's degree in one of the following fields: biological sciences, physical sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences, natural sciences, engineering or a related field plus three years of experience in coastal resource management, wetland resource management, environmental science, natural resource management, or biology; OR A master's degree in biological sciences, physical sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences, natural sciences, engineering or a related field plus two years of experience in coastal resource management, wetland resource management, environmental science, natural resource management, or biology;

OR A Ph.D. in biological sciences, physical sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences, natural sciences, engineering or a related field plus one year of experience in coastal resource management, wetland resource management, environmental science, natural resource management, or biology.

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

LOCATION AND POSITION INFORMATION:

This position is located in the Lafayette Field Office within the Office of Enforcement (OENF), Ecology Section. Position location may change based on the hire. The position serves in a supervisory capacity and is responsible for the direct supervision of three to four Coastal Resources Scientist positions ranging from Coastal Resources Scientist I to Coastal Resources Scientist III. These staff members are geographically distributed throughout Louisiana's coastal zone and are responsible for conducting environmental assessments, permit compliance investigations, enforcement activities, and ecological field operations.

This position is within the Ecology Section of the Office of Enforcement and is responsible for coordinating and overseeing field-based ecological activities associated with Coastal Use Permits.

Additional duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Hires, trains and supervises the work of subordinate Coastal Resources Scientists engaged in field operations of an environmental regulatory agency; operations include biological assessments, permit compliance investigations, enforcement reporting, data collection and regional monitoring.
• Supervises the development of standard operating procedures to ensure accurate and consistent work outcomes; establishes minimum…