ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST IV

Job Overview

Why Work for Illinois?

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No matter what state career you’re looking for, we offer jobs that fit your life and your schedule—flexible jobs that provide the gold standard of benefits. Our employees can take advantage of various avenues to advance their careers and realize their dreams. Our top-tier benefits and great retirement packages can help you build a rewarding career and lasting future with the State of Illinois.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Bureau of Air (BOA), Clean Air Act Permit Program (CAAPP) Construction Unit A is seeking to hire an Environmental Protection Specialist  IV (EPS IV) as a Working Supervisor.  This position will serve as a working supervisor of professional staff engaged in air pollution control permitting in an office setting and serve as a technical expert on complex or difficult problems or studies that have permit program or policy impact.  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 also be independently reviewing technical and scientific applications for a variety of complex permit applications, particularly applications involving major air pollution control construction projects. You will also be applying complex scientific principles to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations and providing technical assistance and oversight to technical staff and external stakeholders on permitting matters.

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 designated working supervisor to the technical and professional staff engaged in performing both highly complex and routine engineering review and analysis, involving the solution to issues related to granting, denying, and rejecting of permits for air pollution sources in the Bureau of Air (BOA), Air Pollution Control (APC), Permit Section, Clean Air Act Permit Program (CAAPP) Construction Unit – Unit A:
• Independently performs review of applications for construction permits at major sources to determine if the proposal for the facility is in compliance with State and Federal laws, rules, and regulations and applicable requirements, including:
• Informs management and assists subordinate staff in the application and interpretation of the New Source Review requirements as they apply to various projects and sources:
• Attends and participates in seminars, workshops, conferences, public hearings and meetings related to the permitting process:
• Assists the Section and Unit Manager in the preparation of presentations, reports, and statistical summaries:
• Performs other duties as required or assigned, 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 (Used for certain BU Employees only)

• Requires four (4) years of experience in the interpretation of State and Federal laws, rules, and regulations for issuance/denial of Clean Air Act Permit Program (CAAPP) construction permits
•  Requires four (4) years of experience successfully addressing progressively more complicated and difficult applications. An emphasis on applications for projects that involve substantive requirements of New Source Review or applicability of New Source Review for complex sources of emissions, e.g., refineries or chemical plants, shall apply.

Preferred Qualifications

•  Prefers four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in air pollution control sources.
•  Prefers four (4) years of experience reviewing construction applications for projects that involve substantive requirements of New Source Review or applicability of New Source Review for complex sources of emissions.
•  Prefers four (4) years of experience in the interpretation of State and Federal laws, rules, and regulations of the Clean Air Act and/or other air pollution control acts.
•  Prefers two (2) years of experience utilizing a personal computer with knowledge of Microsoft Teams, Office, PowerPoint, Word, Access, and Excel, or equivalent software.
•  Prefers a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
•  Prefers thorough knowledge of environmental control systems, facilities, and related techniques, procedures, and processes.
•  Prefers extensive knowledge of techniques relative to the supervision of a technical and/or professional staff.
•  Prefers ability to supervise a sub-unit of a technical activity within the assigned program.

Conditions of Employment

•  Requires the ability to travel.
•  Requires a valid driver’s license.
•  Requires the ability to pass a named-based background check.
•  Requires the ability to sit for extended period of time.

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