ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST IV

Position Overview

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Water (BOW), Field Operation Section Champaign Regional Office is seeking to hire an Environmental Protection Specialist IV (Working Supervisor).  This position will serve as a working supervisor of professional staff engaged in pollution control or pollution abatement programs in the field or office setting or serves as a staff member of consulting agency personnel on complex or difficult problems or studies which have program or policy impact.  In this position, you would be the technical division expert on hydrology related issues within the unit.  The successful candidate will have experience independently working on studies which have a number of unknowns and require advanced knowledge and/or experience to complete.  As an EPS IV, you will be reviewing technical and scientific information regarding a particular case and providing technical assistance to staff inspectors, professional staff, and mine operators.

The benefits of working at the IEPA include a 37 ½ hour work week, a generous salary and benefits package (paid time off for vacation, sick or personal leave, holidays) pension and other retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement, and insurance eligibility on day one (medical, dental, vision, and life). We invite all qualified candidates to apply.

Essential Functions

• Serves as Working Supervisor to the Field Operations Section staff in the Bureau of Water, Water Pollution Control, Field Operations Section, Champaign Regional Office.
• Directs highly technical site inspections/investigations, complaint and incident inspections, and special investigations.
• Provides technical support for the enforcement process.
• Reviews highly complex and technical scientific documents.
• Conducts meetings and communicating with internal and external stakeholders. Interpreting and explaining Agency policies and water pollution control regulations.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned, which are reasonably within the scope of duties.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to the completion of four years college with coursework in physical, life, or environmental sciences, engineering or geology.
• Requires two years supervisory experience in the field of pollution abatement or related field.

Specialized Skills:

• Of the two years’ experience required; requires two years’ experience in conducting inspections of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities and in interpreting and applying State and federal laws and regulations governing water pollution control; in the review of technical documents associated with federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and State water pollution control permitting,  facility plans and specifications, long term control plans (LTCP), Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) plans, wastewater operator contracts and loan projects.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers a bachelor’s degree in civil, environmental, or agricultural engineering
• Prefers at least (3) three years of experience in supervising a professional staff in a public or private organization.
• Prefers at least (3) three years of experience in review of technical documents associated with federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and State water pollution control permitting, facility plans and specifications, long term control plans (LTCP), Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) plans, wastewater operator contracts and loan projects.
• Prefers at least (3) three years of experience in conducting inspections and/or investigations and the techniques, equipment, and procedures involved in conducting inspections and/or investigations of water pollution sources.

Preferred Qualifications (Continued)

• Prefers at least (3) three years of experience of engineering experience interpreting and applying the laws, regulations, and permit requirements concerning water pollution control or abatement.
• Prefers the ability to explain the process of enforcing laws, regulations, and permit requirements to internal and external stakeholders.
• Prefers at least (3) three years of experience of engineering experience, in preparing comprehensive and timely reports of inspection findings.
• Prefers at least (3) three years of engineering experience in analyzing and interpreting complex technical scientific data relating to facilities, installations, equipment, and water pollution control systems and processes.
• Prefers at least (3) three years of experience in establishing and maintaining liaison with and communicating inspection or investigation findings to government officials, facility owners, operators, plant managers, or their representatives and the general public.
• Prefers the ability to utilize a personal computer with knowledge of software applications.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires a valid and current appropriate drivers’ license
• As required by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120, this position will be required to take (within 90 days of employment) and maintain working knowledge of (8-hour annual refresher) and/or certification to ensure position is up to date with laws, rules, and regulations to maintain compliance with IL Department of Labor Occupational Safety Regulations:  24-hour OSHA HAZWOPER training.
• Requires the ability to travel in performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
• Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This requires the ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Requires ability to attend seminars, conference, and trainings to stay current on methods, tools, ideologies, or other industry related topics to the job duties.
• Requires ability to lift equipment up to 50 pounds.
• Requires the ability to operate field water testing and sampling equipment.
• Requires the ability to pass a name-based background check.
• Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.