ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST IV

Job Overview

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Water (BOW), Field Operation Section Marion Regional Office is seeking to hire an Environmental Protection Specialist 4 (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 EPS4, 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, Southern Regional, Marion 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, including:
• Conducts meetings and communicates 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 enumerated
  above.

Minimum Qualifications

•  Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to the completion of four years college with coursework in
  the physical, life, or environmental sciences, engineering, or geology.   
•  Requires four (4) years of professional experience in the field of environmental protection or a related field.

Specialized Skills (Used for certain BU Employees only)

• Requires four (4) years’ experience in conducting compliance inspections of facilities associated with the federal National
  Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) water pollution control program. 
•  Requires four (4) years’ experience in drafting technical inspection reports.   
•  Requires four (4) years’ experience in applying water pollution control laws, regulations, and permit requirements to
  facilities associated with federal NPDES and State water pollution control programs.   
•  Requires four (4) years’ experience in reviewing technical documents associated with federal NPDES and State water
  pollution control programs.   
•  Requires four (4) years’ experience in analyzing and interpreting complex and technical scientific data associated with
  water pollution control facilities, installations, equipment, and processes.   
•  Requires four (4) years’ experience in establishing and maintaining liaison with and communicating technical information to
  government officials, facility owners, facility operators, and the general public.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers at least four (4) years’ experience in conducting inspections of facilities associated with federal NPDES and State
  water pollution control programs.
• Prefers at least four (4) years’ experience in drafting technical inspection reports.
• Prefers at least four (4) years’ experience in applying water pollution control laws, regulations, and permit requirements to
  facilities associated with federal NPDES and State water pollution control programs.
• Prefers at least four (4) years’ experience in reviewing technical documents associated with federal NPDES and State
  water pollution control programs.
• Prefers at least four (4) years’ experience in analyzing and interpreting complex and technical scientific data associated
  with water pollution control facilities, installations, equipment, and processes.
• Prefers at least four (4) years’ experience in establishing and maintaining liaison with and communicating technical
  information to government officials, facility owners, facility operators, and the general public.
• Prefers a bachelor’s degree in civil, environmental, or engineering.
• Prefers the ability to explain water pollution control laws, regulations, and permit requirements to internal and external
  stakeholders.
• 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 the 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.
  *The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.