OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37979068

Requisition No: 859874 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37979068

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 37979068 

Salary:  $20.00/hour 

Posting Closing Date: 09/15/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPS Environmental Specialist II-Marine Debris and Education Specialist

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

This position is located in Miami, FL

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

This Marine Debris and Education Specialist position is a member of the Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection’s (RCP) Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves (BBAP) program and will provide educational outreach, technical, planning, procedural, and budget recommendations to the BBAP Manager. The primary purpose of this position is to coordinate BBAP’s outreach education and marine debris environmental programs, including island management and educational field trip planning. This includes coordination with partners and management of volunteers. You will also be assisting in field work and monitoring program.

Community (Stakeholder) Engagement, Education, and Outreach

• Engage local communities in the conservation and protection of BBAP
• Lead outreach and education activities at community events; engages with partner-led events
• Coordinate with partner agencies and organizations to align outreach and education goals
• Coordinate with local law enforcement to increase regulatory awareness and protection
• Create and give formal presentations to external groups (ie schools, non-profits, law enforcement)
• Recruit, train, engage volunteers and/or interns including members of the designated Citizen Support Organization (CSO)
• Conduct on-site “hands on” training of youth/adults in environmental assessment
• Coordinate volunteer and internship program
• Represent DEP and BBAP in public outreach settings

Communications and Content Development

• Coordinate with departmental communications staff and other state aquatic preserves programs about ongoing informational campaigns and opportunities for collaboration
• Develop press releases, media announcements, and social media content for public dissemination
• Draft social media content for consideration to be posted on DEP’s accounts and for use by the CSO
• Develop banners, posters, brochures, signs, and other promotional content, in coordination with the Communications Department
• Review previous outreach materials and pull relevant information for incorporation into new materials
• Assist in producing outreach materials and activities that are original and engaging, using new technologies and methodologies
• Edit and catalogue photos, organizes electronic share folders, and share as requested
• Review and update BBAP website content

Field Trip Development and Coordination

• Review previous materials and develop an educational/communications plan for a new field trip initiative
• Collaborate with partner organizations and the CSO group to help develop plan and activities
• Plan, coordinate, and implement school field trips at BBAP
• Actively reaches out to and looks for schools and groups that would benefit about learning from the Bay

Marine Debris Coordination

• Coordinate all BBAP-related marine debris activities, removal efforts, and events
• Attend events and meeting relating to marine debris in BBAP
• Coordinate with partners to actively decrease marine debris in the Bay
• Partner with local agencies and organizations on marine debris cleanup events
• Assist with spending marine debris removal grant funds by developing, coordinating, and implementing targeted marine debris removal contracts, when applicable

Island Program Coordination

• Run the Adopt-an-Island Program and work to increase and maintain public island adoptions
• Coordinate with other stakeholder groups and organization to assist in marine debris removal efforts, cleanups, island restoration, signage development and installation, etc.
• Investigate alternative funding sources and opportunities to remove trash and exotic species from the islands

Natural Resource Assessment, Research, and Monitoring

• Snorkel or scuba dive, pilot or trailer a vessel, as required
• Plan, execute, and coordinate field days including, gear and personal preparation, maintenance, and post field activities.
• Conduct resource monitoring and field data collecting which may include seagrass and algae assessments, bird population counts, resource damage assessments, datasonde deployment and maintenance, water quality grab sampling, etc.
• Assist with data handling, data analysis, and report generation including Standard Operating Procedure updating
• Collect data by snorkel, SCUBA, kayak, and small boat

When appropriate represents the DEP by attending all necessary meetings and functions as requested, attends training programs (where funds allow), assists with education and outreach activities as needed.

May assist 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:

Requirements:

• Experience with software including Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access (or similar) and Adobe
• Experience with some statistical software such as R/R studio, PRIMER, ProUCL, ArcGIS, MatLab, etc.
• Experience in underwater field work
• Experience in education of various age groups
• Experience and ability to perform public speaking
• Experience with coordination of people and logistical planning
• Experience with social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and content creation, website design
• Experience and ability to work outdoors and in the water snorkeling and boating as well as working in an office environment
• Experience reviewing natural resource and environmental data/literature for status and trends
• Experience with environmental interpretation, education outreach activities, and presenting information at public events
• Experience creating Power Points, brochures, or other education and outreach materials
• Skill in organizing and verbal and written communication
• Skill with Basic CPR/first aid certification and small boat handling and trailering, or the ability to acquire these skillsAbility 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/SCUBA under rigorous conditions, once given approval, per DEP policies
• Ability to interact 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
• Ability to 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 50 lbs.

KSAs preferred:

• Experience with natural resource management
• Knowledge of southeast Florida flora and fauna
• Experience with underwater photography and DSLR cameras
• Data analysis and experience with analytical and mapping software (R, ArcGIS, PRIMER, etc.)
• Experience in estuarine ecosystem research
• Experience in water quality sampling and seagrass surveying methodologies
• Photography editing software experience (Photoshop, GIMP, GoPro Quik, etc.)

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least five years of verifiable related experience in marine environmental or biological sciences or education. Post-secondary degrees from an accredited college or university with a major in marine environmental or biological sciences or education may be used as an alternative for the required years of experience on a year-for-year basis. A credential evaluation report from an approved agency must be submitted along with all foreign degrees.

• Local travel throughout Southeast Florida and occasional long-distance travel.
• Valid Driver License.
• Must be a certified 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.
• Incumbents may be occasionally required to work outside of normal hours or days as needed. 

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:

• Open Water scuba certification from a nationally recognized agency. AOW, Rescue and Nitrox scuba certifications, or the ability to obtain these within 1 year, are preferred

Pay:

$20.00/hour

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:

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 Preserves 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*).  
• 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.

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.

All responses provided to the qualifying questions for this vacancy advertisement must be verifiable on your State of Florida Employment Application.

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.