Scientist Water Ecology, Bureau of Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Scientist Water Ecology, Bureau of Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Join to apply for the Scientist Water Ecology, Bureau of Environmental Sciences and Engineering role at NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The Office of Building Water System Oversight (BWSO) within the Bureau of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE) is responsible for conducting inspections to ensure compliance with various rules and regulations aimed at improving the operating conditions of engineered systems such as cooling towers, water tanks, evaporative condensers, internal plumbing, and wastewater systems to prevent risks associated with these systems.

• Lead field inspections that include travel through the five boroughs to various building types for building water supply and distribution systems such as cooling towers, evaporative condensers, building plumbing, and wastewater systems.
• Review of water management plans, equipment operation records, physical inspection of mechanical and chemical treatment equipment, water sample collection, and water quality analysis.
• Generate and check field inspection reports for accuracy in accordance with the Bureau's inspection protocols and conduct follow‑up compliance inspections, as needed, to mitigate potential risks to the public.
• Provide customer service to our regulated community including building owners, facility maintenance personnel, superintendents, and other responsible parties.
• Issue recommendations to improve regulatory compliance and corrective actions to eliminate environmental health hazards promptly in accordance with the NYC and NYS regulations.
• Review and summarize inspection findings and prepare necessary evidence used by the Department at the Office of Administrative Tribunal Hearings convened to adjudicate notice of violations and summonses.
• Lead rapid response to signals triggered by the Department's Legionnaires' disease surveillance system and implement our response protocol.
• Prepare and train others to collect water samples for drop off or shipping to analytical laboratories including completion of all necessary laboratory forms and documents.
• Conduct field surveys associated with identifying potential risks for Legionella exposure.
• Provide technical assessment of process schematics, engineering plans, drawings, and specifications for cooling tower systems and building water supply and distribution systems.

• Academic background in environmental or chemical engineering, limnology, environmental science, marine science, geology, biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or health science.
• Prefer to work in the field including travel throughout the five boroughs.
• Must be able to climb ladders and work in tight spaces, work in high altitudes (building roofs) to perform field inspections and water testing.
• Knowledge or study in hazard mitigation, risk assessment, environmental investigations, or public health.
• Experience with or interest in team leadership.
• Pass medical clearance and FIT testing for wearing proper PPE respirators. Must complete and pass Agency required trainings and be in compliance with the position related certificates and licenses.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to perform data entry and navigate inspection programs on a portable device (iPhone or Tablet).
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Access).

• A master's degree from an accredited college or university in one of the following areas of study: environmental or chemical engineering, limnology, environmental science, marine science, geology, biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or health science.
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with 24 semester credits in one or a combination of the areas of study described above, at least 12 of which must have been in one of these areas of study; and at least one year of satisfactory full‑time experience, which may not have been part of graduate or undergraduate coursework, working in the field of water quality planning, management, research, performing environmental laboratory analyses, and/or environmental…