ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST IV

Position Overview

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Bureau of Land (BOL) is seeking to hire an Environmental Protection Specialist IV, working supervisor, in the Field Operations Section in the Northeast Region.  This position requires and induvial with experience in field operations and enforcement of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, and State and Federal environmental regulations. The successful candidate will supervise, plan and direct activities of assigned FOS staff in the Northeast Regional location of Des Plaines. 

The benefits of working at the EPA 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 a working supervisor responsible for coordinating the activities of the technical and professional staff of the Bureau of Land (BOL), Field Operations Section (FOS) Northeast Region/Des Plaines;
• Independently performs difficult, complex technical and scientific duties related to inspections/investigations of hazardous and solid waste management sites and remediation sites, evaluations and inspections at Resource
• Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulated facilities as assigned by the Region Manager, some of which may be sensitive in nature.
• Assists Region Manager in performing complex technical and sensitive duties.
• Responsible for preparation of documents to refer facilities/sites for legal enforcement, including technical data and documents to be used as evidence.
• Attends technical seminars and workshops and conducts independent research to expand personal knowledge to increase job proficiency and to better assist or disseminate information to staff;
• Reviews permit applications or other projects and provides input to the BOL Permit Section or other sections concerning technical aspects of the application and permit approval.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required, which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

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 four years of professional experience in the field of environmental protection or a related field.

Specialized Skills

Of the four years of required experience; requires four years of experience in the following:

• Conducting complex technical evaluations and inspections at Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulated facilities.
• Developing annual work plans and inspection schedules for hazardous and solid waste management facility inspections.
• Conducting field operations inspections involving land pollution control.
   

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers at least (4) four years of experience in conducting complex technical evaluations and inspections at Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulated facilities.
• Prefers at least (4) four years of experience in developing annual work plans and inspection schedules for hazardous and solid waste management facility inspections.
• Prefers at least (4) four years of experience in conducting field operations inspections involving land pollution control.
• Prefers at least (4) four years of experience preparing complex technical and scientific detailed and comprehensive reports of complex and sensitive field inspection and/or investigations.
• Prefers ability to analyze and interpret complex and extensive scientific data relating to facilities, installations, equipment and environmental control systems and processes.
• Prefers at least (4) for years of experience communicating with municipal officials, facility owners and operators, plant managers, or their representatives, and agency professional staff regarding environmental regulation and compliance.
• Prefers the ability to supervise a sub-unit of a technical activity within the assigned program.
• Prefers the ability to utilize a personal computer with knowledge of Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, and PowerPoint software; and use a State issued iPhone.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires current and valid driver’s license with the ability to travel.
• Requires ability to participate in the medical monitoring program.
• Requires ability to pass a physical examination, which is intended to determine whether a person can wear respiratory protection and function in high heat stress situations while wearing chemical protective clothing.
• Requires ability to wear a respirator or other form of respiratory protection
• Requires ability to wear chemical resistant clothing in high heat stress situations while performing strenuous physical tasks (e.g. carrying equipment up a steep ravine at a temperature up to 100F).
• Requires ability to lift heavy equipment (e.g. 45 pounds).
• Requires ability of hiking, climbing, wading in streams or getting in/out of boats or swimming in emergency situations to get to sites (as required by OHSA 29 CFR 1910.120).
• This position will be required to complete (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: 40-hour OSHA Training.
• Requires the ability to pass a name based background check.
• 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. 

*The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.