Scientist; Water Ecology), Bureau of Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Scientist (Water Ecology), Bureau of Environmental Sciences and Engineering

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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.

• Directing and planning activities to achieve annual field inspection targets for the BWSO unit including scheduling and logistical support, providing work assignments to field staff, solving issues that arise during field work, monitoring field task progress and evaluating data to measure inspection results.
• Supervising and leading a team of Scientist Water Ecologists II, Scientist Water Ecologists I, and Scientist Water Ecologists Trainees including organizing workflows and ensuring that employees understand their duties or delegated tasks.
• Overseeing program projects relating to new registrations, registration issues, decommissioning, general compliance follow-up, monitoring of field visits, and field operations team professional development.
• Setting performance goals, mentoring and meeting with staff individually and in teams, and providing performance evaluations for the staff members.
• Managing and coordinating rapid response activities during community investigations and building evaluations based on the Department’s Legionnaires’ disease surveillance system and response protocol.
• Utilizing technical writing and analysis skills to assess and understand water management programs and plans and associated operation records, drawings and specifications of water treatment systems to establish regulatory compliance.
• Serving as a primary customer service liaison for the Bureau of ESE in corresponding with building owners and managers to address questions and to provide education on our regulatory program and best management practices for building water systems.
• Taking a leadership role in identifying and performing actions to eliminate environmental health hazards promptly in accordance with NYC regulations.
• Representing the Department in an enforcement capacity by serving violations/summons to business owners or owners’ representatives and attending Tribunal hearings to adjudicate notice of violations and summons. Will be responsible for reviewing inspection findings and preparing necessary evidence to represent the Department.
• Leading field inspections that include travel across 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.
• Performing quality control on inspections for accuracy in accordance with the Bureau’s inspection protocols and managing completion of follow-up compliance inspections, as needed, to mitigate potential risks to the public. This includes contacting facilities, assigning cases to staff, and case management and documentation in our database.

• Academic background in environmental or chemical engineering, limnology, environmental science, marine science, geology, biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or health science.
• Experience in environmental sciences, water testing, supervising field staff, and designing drinking and/or wastewater plans.
• Knowledge or study in hazard mitigation, risk assessment, environmental investigations, or public health.
• Experience with supervising staff and/or leading teams of inspectors.
• Ability to climb ladders and work in confined spaces, work in high altitudes (building roofs) to perform water testing.
• Pass medical clearance and FIT testing for wearing proper PPE respirators.
• Complete and pass Agency-required trainings and be compliant with position-related certificates and licenses.
• Strong interpersonal and customer…