ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37020632

Requisition No: 863058 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37020632

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 37020632 

Salary:  agency to update 

Posting Closing Date: 10/19/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Environmental Specialist II

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

Internal Agency Only

This position is located in Eastpoint, FL

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

This first level intermediate environmental position is responsible for maintaining the Reserve’s biological sampling programs including its fisheries monitoring program. This includes the monitoring of important recreational and commercial estuarine and marine species.  Duties include field collection, identification of fish (both adult and juvenile), data entry and QAQC, maintaining appropriate permits, statistical analysis of data, and writing reports or journal articles.   This individual is also responsible for the maintenance of the Reserve’s plankton program, including identification, data entry and analysis, and further sampling efforts as requested by the research Coordinator.

This position actively participates in and provides support to research, monitoring, and resource management programs within the Reserve to help address priority research and management issues. This includes support for the Reserve’s System-Wide Monitoring Program consisting of water quality dataloggers, nutrient sampling, and weather stations, providing support to the Reserve’s Wetland and Water Level program including Surface Elevation Table sampling, porewater loggers, and emergent vegetation sampling. This also includes scheduling and working with outside researchers, collaborators, and graduate students, as well as regulatory agencies to help support and document research, monitoring, and resource management programs and issues within the Reserve. This includes field work involving the use of boats, as well as laboratory work, data analysis, data management, and reporting results.

This position assists the research coordinator in development, implementation, and evaluation of research, monitoring, and resource management programs, including the writing of papers, reports, and grants. Reviews scientific literature to remain current in knowledge relative to the Reserve, estuarine ecology, and resource management issues.  This position will assist with data dissemination and scientific communication of the Reserve’s research and monitoring program results.

Scuba dive and snorkel as needed and must pass the DEP approved training course and have prior approval to snorkel for the Department.   Incumbent must adhere to the DEP Snorkeling Policy and Directive 710.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of estuarine ecology and the dynamics of how estuaries function regarding the interaction of physical, chemical, and biological components.

Knowledge of the procedures, techniques and equipment used in a scientific laboratory.

Knowledge of field techniques involving the sampling of physical, chemical and biological parameters using dataloggers, water samplers, trawls and other gear needed in the field.

Knowledge of statistical methodology and familiarity with statistical software.

Skill in the operation of boats ranging in size from 16 feet to 29 feet in open water.

Skill in various software programs, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.

Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and written.

Ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve a singular goal.

Ability to work in harsh field conditions on occasion.

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least six years of verifiable related experience in/of biological, aquatic, marine, natural resource conservation, environmental sciences, or similar. Post-secondary degrees from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the biological sciences, aquatic, marine, natural resource conservation, or environmental sciences may be used as an alternative for the required years of experience on a year-for-year basis

• Valid Driver’s License.

Position of Special Trust Requirement:

This position is designated as a Position of Special Trust in accordance with DEP Directive 422, Positions of Special Trust or Responsibility. Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

Applicable Job-Specific License or Certifications:

• Nationally recognized open water SCUBA diver certification.
• Willingness to participate in the DEP dive program (requires medical monitoring), and willingness to dive and snorkel in conditions of low visibility and strong currents.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with electronics, computer hardware and software systems, including the ability to troubleshoot issues while in the field, especially those specifically related to telemetry and data logging systems. This is preferred but not a required qualification for hire.
• Experience with ecological data analysis and scientific communication. This is preferred but not a required qualification for hire.
• Experience with plant identification (marsh and upland) and working in the salt marsh environment.This is preferred but not a required qualification for hire.

Pay:

The approved pay rate for this position is $23.12 per hour. Schedule is 40 hours/week, Monday – Friday usually 7:30-4:00, with occasional earlier start times required; occasional (<5% of the time) work outside this schedule is required but schedule will not exceed 40 hours/week. Overtime is not approved for this position.

Our Organization and Mission: 

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship - protecting our air, water and land. The vision of DEP is to advance Florida’s position as a world leader in protecting natural resources while growing the state’s economy. DEP encourages its leaders to constantly innovate and seek efficiencies. We believe in supporting and encouraging you as you take on important and often complex projects while offering you the opportunity to gain valuable experience quickly.

Where You Will Work:

The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, located in Eastpoint, Florida, is in Franklin County. Franklin County is a rural area dominated by a working waterfront across the bay from Apalachicola and St. George Island.  Eastpoint is small area reliant on tourism and the fishing industry.

The Reserve is located directly on the coast of the St. George Sound and the Apalachicola Bay. Due to the location of the Reserve in the heart of Franklin County, less than 5% of a working day is required to travel to locations within the county to perform mission critical duties.

There is no state income tax for residents of Florida.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida: 

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s benefits package for eligible OPS employees includes:

• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements*).  
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan, for more information, please visit Corebridge Financial).
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

*Seasonal and part-time OPS employees (less than 30 hours average per week) refer to the links above for detailed eligibility requirements.

Special Notes: DEP is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce. Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following email addresses:

HR_VeteransPreference@dep.state.fl.us

HR_Recruitment@FloridaDEP.gov

An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DEP Human Resources (HR) Office at (850) 245-2511. DEP requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.