ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT - 42000879

Requisition No: 867277 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT - 42000879

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42000879 

Salary:  $55,000.00 - $70,000.00 

Posting Closing Date: 01/27/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL WATER POLICY

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***
 

CONTACT:

Kathryn Holland, 850/617-1736, Kathryn.Holland@fdacs.gov

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and two (2) years of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; or engineering; or

A master’s degree from an accredited college or university and one (1) year of experience as described above; or

Three (3) years of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or

Three and a half (3.5) years of experience as described above.

Requires possession of a valid Driver License.

EDUCATIONAL NOTE: Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained. Foreign trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an Approved Credential Evaluation Agency.  A list of approved agencies can be viewed at “Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies, Florida Department of Education.” Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies (fldoe.org) 

***ATTENTION CANDIDATES***

To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.
  
  

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values
and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified
individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Occasional travel required.

NOTES:

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

JOB DUTIES:

This is an environmental professional position that will serve as a point of contact for Binding Determinations (BDs) and program complaints and provide support to program initiatives within OAWP. This role requires strong analytical skills, the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and a solid understanding of Florida agriculture, water resources, and environmental regulations. The successful candidate will contribute to scientific evaluations, policy implementation, outreach efforts, and the advancement of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) research and technology.

While you will be part of a collaborative team, you should feel comfortable establishing relationships with OAWP staff and cooperating with other agency staff independently. You are expected to represent the core mission, directives, and goals expressed by FDACS, as well as any of the Commissioner’s office initiatives. As an Environmental Consultant within the Programs and Practices section, you will be responsible for variety of assignments and will be expected to:

• Serve as a contact for Binding Determination (BD) inquiries and requests, and ensure all activities align with statutory authority. Coordinate and conduct site visits, review and evaluate submitted information, verify requester eligibility, and identify additional data needs. Synthesize findings, prepare recommendations for leadership and the Office of General Counsel, and transmit final draft documents for review. Maintain accurate case files and deliver final determinations to applicable parties involved. Maintain and update standard operating procedures related to BD activities.
• Assist the environmental administrator with technical, scientific and professional interpretation of information on groundwater modeling, surface-water modeling, or crop modeling that quantify the nutrient use efficiency and water conservation benefits achieved through the implementation of FDACS BMPs and cost-shared technologies.
• Provide technical support for producers and Agricultural Water Field Services staff regarding BMP and cost share implementation. Support may include on-site assistance, evaluation of cost share nutrient use efficiency and water conservation benefits and sharing relevant research findings. Collaborate with Extension staff to identify innovative BMPs and cost share technologies producers are implementing. Contribute to educational programs, assess producers understanding of BMP requirements, and represent FDACS at meetings, workshops, and public events.
• Utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) such as ArcGIS Pro and MS-Office Excel to summarize and analyze environmental datasets (land use, permitting info, water quality monitoring, etc.). Develop dashboards and web-based tools to support BD investigations, complaint tracking, and to share program metrics.
• Contribute to the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) Best Management Practices (BMP) research literature, review peer-reviewed publication and determine applicability to the (BMP) program; add relevant publications with annotations relating to findings to current or new BMPs.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all complaints directed to the OAWP. Communicate effectively with agency partners, complainants, and program staff. Review and evaluate all complaint information, identify and request any additional details needed to verify BMP program enrollment or determine enrollment eligibility, assess OAWP’s authority for each complaint. Synthesize and compile findings, communicate results or suggested next steps with staff and leadership, and follow up with program staff to confirm complaint closeout. Maintain and update the complaint-tracking dashboard.
• Participate in the solicitation for new BMP research, evaluate applications, collaborate with Principal Investigators on contract documents, conduct site visits, review and approve deliverable and reports, work with OAWP Contracts team to execute contract and address project issues. Assist with the preparation and development of research projects as needed.
• Perform related duties as required.
   

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

(Note: The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) identified in this class specification represent those needed to perform the duties of this class. Additional knowledge, skills and abilities may be applicable for individual positions in the employing agency.)

• Knowledge of Florida’s agricultural industry, water resources, and agricultural BMPs for conservation, nutrient management, irrigation management, and water resource protection.
• Knowledge of Florida statutes, policies and regulations related to environmental resource permitting, and water resource protection.
• Knowledge of the terminology, principles, and analytical techniques of the physical or natural sciences, including surface water and groundwater hydrology.
• Knowledge of data collection and analysis, and of environmental simulation models such as DSSAT, MODFLOW, SWAT, or WAM.
• Skill with MS Office Software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe, and ArcGIS software (ArcMap, ArcPro, or ArcGIS Online/Portal).
• Skill with briefing various levels of management and providing recommendations, facilitating discussions, and communicating technical information to a general audience.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external entities, and to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to prepare technical reports and give public presentations.
• Ability to compile, evaluate, analyze and interpret scientific or technical data.
• Ability to use interpersonal skills when interacting with the public in a professional manner.
• Ability to use independent judgement, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques to effectively make decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, shift priority as needed and meet tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
  
  

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

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

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the “Total Compensation Estimator Tool” located above under the “Posting Closing Date.”

SPECIAL NOTES:

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.