OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37979034

Requisition No: 842514 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37979034

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 37979034 

Salary:  $20.00 per hour 

Posting Closing Date: 05/22/2025 

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OPS Environmental Specialist II - Water Quality Specialist 
State of Florida
Department of Environmental Protection

Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection

Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves

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 create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystem.

The Work You Will Do:
This position is a member of the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection’s (ORCP) Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves (BBAP) and will provide technical, planning, procedural and budget recommendations to support the BBAP Manager. The primary duties of this OPS position will be to maintain continuous stations to monitor total algae, hypoxia, salinity change, turbidity, and other parameters of emerging and/or local concern at 15-minute intervals within these Aquatic Preserves. These staff will also coordinate with internal and external partners (both inter and intra agency partners) agencies to share data resources, expand monitoring networks, and avoid duplication. The job duties will include promoting and facilitating research for identifying and quantifying causes of habitat loss, harmful algal blooms and fish kills and will as well as assessing the success of restoration activities. Other stakeholder outreach and programmatic coordination and assistance activities may also be required.

The Difference You Will Make:
As part of the BBAP Team, you would further our goals of: 
• Protecting and enhancing the ecological integrity of the APs.

• Restoring areas to their natural condition. 
• Encouraging sustainable use and foster active stewardship by engaging local communities in the protection of aquatic preserves. 
• Improving management effectiveness through a process based on sound science, consistent evaluation and continual reassessment. 

How You Will Grow:
DEP encourages its employees 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:
Miami is a vibrant city in the Southeast corner of the state of Florida, situated directly on Biscayne Bay and close to beautiful white sand beaches. It is considered a major business center while also known for its museums and cultural offerings as well as its many restaurants and nightlife. It is a sports enthusiast haven as many outdoor activities are enjoyed by people in the area. Also, with no state income tax, Florida is a great place to work regardless of where you find yourself on the career ladder. The ORCP Southeast Region covers 5 counties (Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe). The DEP’s office in Miami is called the Biscayne Bay Environmental Center and is located in the middle of the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve within the Pelican Harbor Park and Marina in Miami-Dade County.

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*).  For more details consult with People First at 877-562-7287 or go to:  https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/health/eligibility_and_enrollment/ops_employees
• Participation in the Florida Deferred Compensation Plan (457b).  For additional details and online enrollment visit MyFloridaDeferredComp.com
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan). (For more information, please click  Social Security Alternative Plan (aigrs.com) and read OPS Social Security Alternative Plan;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• There is no state income tax for residents of Florida.

For a more benefits information, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Pay: $20/hour

Your Specific Responsibilities:
The primary duties of this position will be to maintain continuous stations to monitor total algae, fluorescent dissolved organic matter, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, and other parameters of emerging and/or local concern at 15-minute intervals within Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve (BBAP). Staff will also coordinate with internal and external partners (both inter and intra agency partners) agencies to share data resources, expand monitoring networks, and avoid duplication. The job duties will include promoting and facilitating visiting scientist research for identifying and quantifying causes of habitat loss, harmful algal blooms and fish kills and will as well as assessing the success of restoration activities.

Database Management and Data Reporting:

• Conducts general database management and multi-step quality assurance and quality control of internal databases
• Uploads data to Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection repositories
• Creation and management of Standard Operating Procedures, manuals, and reports
• Interpretation of data with a focus on identifying environmental stressors
• Conducts analysis, including organizing historic information and adding new information collected by BBAP staff and partner organizations into a logically accessible format that can be used to inform management decisions

Datasonde and Telemetry Station Management:

• Datasonde deployment, including boat-based, land-based, and in-water work
• Memorizing and working within procedures and techniques for performing calibrations

• Performing & tracking maintenance scheduling and equipment ordering

• Leads telemetry maintenance and installation, datasonde deployment and maintenance, water quality bottle sampling, etc.

Natural Resource Assessment and Research:

• Conducts resource monitoring and field data collecting including: seagrass/algae assessments via Braun-Blanquet and percent cover methodologies, bird population counts, damage assessments, etc.
• Snorkel or dive or kayak, as required
• Pilots and trailers DEP boats, as needed
• Leads staff and volunteer scheduling and program planning and operations
• Reading and disseminating information gleaned from literature reviewal

Education/Outreach and Other Program Initiatives:

• Assisting with education and outreach events and initiatives
• Coordination and communication with other partners involved in data collection and natural resource monitoring in the area to facilitate and support partner research activities
• Fostering stewardship of and appreciation for Biscayne Bay and informing management actions
• Other administrative needs, as required

May aid in the event of an emergency at the DEP field offices, including pre-storm preparation, post-storm clean-up and replacement of stored goods to ready field office for operation after a storm; or other services assigned.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Experience with Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, and Excel  software

• Experience in underwater field work with a current SCUBA certification
• Experience and comfort with public speaking experience
• Experience with coordination of people and logistical planning
• Experience and comfort working outdoors and in water, as well as working in an office environment
• Excellent organizational and writing skills
• Experience reviewing natural resource and environmental data/literature for status and trends
• Ability to be flexible, multitask, and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to work independently and complete tasks with attention to detail under minimal supervision
• Ability to determine work priorities, ensure proper completion of work assignments
• Ability to swim/snorkel/kayak under rigorous conditions, once given approval, per DEP policies
• Basic CPR/first aid certification and small boat handling and trailering experience, or the ability to acquire these skills
• Must be comfortable interacting with a variety of other governmental offices, non-governmental organizations, the public, and a variety of programs and administrative levels within DEP to successfully complete tasks 
• Ability to communicate courteously and effectively with a diverse range of people
• Must be self-directed and outgoing, take ownership of projects, and work professionally with manager and co-workers to manage responsibilities and resolve challenges that arise
• Ability to lift a minimum of 35 lbs. 
 

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Experience working with datasondes (YSI EXO2) • Experience working with telemetry   units

 • Database management experience, especially with large datasets
• Water quality sampling experience
• Experience with natural resource management
• Knowledge of southeast Florida flora and fauna
• Experience with data analysis and analytical software (Rstudio, ArcGIS, Primer, Python, etc.)
• Experience writing technical reports and publishing reports
• Experience in estuarine ecosystem research

Minimum Qualifications:
A Bachelor of Science degree in one of the marine environmental or biological sciences or education from an accredited college or university; and one year of verifiable related experience; or any combination of post-secondary education or verifiable related experience, as described above, for a total of five years. Local travel throughout Southeast Florida and occasional long-distance travel. Must be certified as a scuba diver who can provide documentation of at least 15 logged dives. Must have prior approval and meet the diving and/or snorkeling validation requirements in the DEP Underwater Operations Manual. This position is medically monitored. Must be able to work flexible schedule including occasional evenings and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications:
A master’s degree in one of the marine environmental, or biological or chemical sciences is preferred. 

Licensure/registration/certification requirements: 
Open Water scuba certification from a nationally recognized agency. Advanced Open Water and Rescue SCUBA certifications, or the ability to obtain these within 1 year, are preferred.

Other job-related requirements for this position: 

Local travel throughout Southeast Florida and occasional long-distance travel.

Background and Screening Requirement: 

This position is designated as a Position of Special Trust in accordance with DEP-422 (Positions of Special Trust or Responsibility). Any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a Level 2 State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency. 

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

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.