ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37010738

Requisition No: 841829 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 37010738

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 37010738 

Salary:  $46,350.00/annually 

Posting Closing Date: 12/06/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Environmental Specialist II – 37010738

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

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:

The Environmental Specialist II performs specialized work under the Program Manager for the Division of Waste Management’s District Support Program.  The ideal candidate will have a solid foundation in science or engineering and contaminated site assessment, an aptitude for process efficiency and a desire to continually expand their areas of expertise. The position provides review comments and support on an as-needed basis. The position provides technical assistance to other DEP staff, consultants, local program staff and the public regarding technical issues relating to contamination assessments, site hydrogeology and the application of Risk Based Corrective Action Principles.  The position processes “Initial Notice of Contamination beyond Property Boundaries” notification packages and activities in support of the “Initial Notice function including researching property owners & addresses, quality checks on weekly notice list, updating overall notice list and responding to inquiries regarding “Initial Notice”.  The position assists with processing and issuing special notice letters including those for schools and special requests.  The position manages the contract and requests for potable well surveys through the Department of Health (DOH).  This position coordinates “Ability to Pay” (ATP) tracking.

The Difference You Will Make:

The Environmental Specialist II assists in all areas of the division and the FDEP’s six district offices to support efficient cleanup of contaminated sites.  As a group, the district support program works to build strong knowledge, expertise and partnerships among the public and private entities engaged in contaminated site cleanup. These projects help ensure safe, clean drinking water, and prevent chemical exposures that could adversely affect human health or the environment.

How You Will Grow:

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:

Tallahassee, Florida’s Capitol City, lined with rolling hills, oak trees, and canopied roads combines old world charm with a modern pace of life. Home to two major universities as well as state government, Tallahassee is a mid-sized city in the heart of Florida’s Big Bend. Tallahassee is a highly desirable location for both those seeking their first job or those ready to enter the next exciting chapter in their career.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida: (Please choose either FTE or OPS language, as appropriate**):

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 click www.myfrs.com);
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

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

Pay:

$46,350.00/annually

Your Specific Responsibilities:

• Provide review comments and support on an as-needed basis.
• Provide technical assistance to other DEP staff, consultants, local program staff and the public regarding technical issues relating to contamination assessments, site hydrogeology and the application of Risk Based Corrective Action Principles.
• Works with and advises DEP project managers responsible for cleaning up contaminated sites; provides technical assistance to DEP staff responsible for rule formulation related to contaminated site cleanup; advises consultants who are performing data collection and contamination assessments; may carry out field oversight of assessment activities. This assistance may include participation in technical meetings, enforcement activities and on-site visits.
• Consolidate and coordinate technical guidance documents for the Division of Waste Management contaminated site cleanup programs. Coordinates with District managers and staff, Local program managers, and Division cleanup staff to ensure the technical documents are complete and conform to Chapter 62-780 requirements. Includes development and organization of central repository for contaminated site cleanup reference material. Promote consistent use of guidance by providing regular webinars on pertinent topics. Assist with maintaining guidance by identifying and working to correct any deficiencies, omissions or errors in the guidance documents. Anticipate the need for proper guidance and coordinate the development of necessary documents.
• Processing “Initial Notice of Contamination beyond Property Boundaries” notification packages and activities in support of the “Initial Notice function including researching property owners & addresses, quality checks on weekly notice list, updating overall notice list and responding to inquiries regarding “Initial Notice”. Assist with processing and issuing special notice letters including those for schools and special requests.
• Coordinate and implement the recommendations made by the Contaminated Media Forum (CMF) that have been approved by management. This includes soliciting, coordinating and organizing information for reference and retrieval.
• Serve as district liaison for responsible party cleanup sites. The district liaisons work with the regulatory districts to review site progress, make recommendations for improving the speed of the cleanup and closure, check for consistency in site management decisions among the districts and assist with the verification of accurate and up-to-date data in program databases using established reports and metrics.
• Assists in clean up rule development, including serving as rule manager as required. Collates and organizes recommendations for rule changes. Assists with rule text development.
• Managing requests for potable well surveys through the Department of Health (DOH). The requests must be reviewed for completeness and accuracy (site location, analyses needed) prior to assignment to DOH and then tracked for completion of the survey and forwarding of the results to the appropriate project manager. This responsibility also includes tracking the assignments for processing invoices.
• Coordinate “Ability to Pay” (ATP) tracking. These are requests for the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to evaluate the ability of a person or corporation to pay any costs or fees that may be required. The task includes tracking receipt of ATP packages, check for completeness, preliminary review, forwarding to OIG as appropriate and forwarding of the completed reviews to the correct parties with scanning of the package into the file management system.
• Performs other duties as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of geology, hydrogeology, chemistry and Florida’s groundwater.
• Knowledge of contaminated site cleanup techniques and methods, including Chapter 62-780, Florida Administrative Code.
• Skill in use of computers and software including MS Office, Word, Excel, Power Point, and Windows Operating System.
• Ability to write effectively, in a well-organized and understandable manner.
• Ability to communicate orally in a clear and effective manner.
• Ability to evaluate comprehensive technical documents.
• Ability to organize a complex workload and independently complete assigned tasks.
• Skill in problem solving and effective use of available resources.
• Skill in producing technical documents.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of professionals.
• Ability to work with the public, government officials, and co-workers.

Required or Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in engineering, environmental science or one of the natural sciences; or Any combination of post-secondary education or verifiable related experience, as described above, for a total of four years.

Other Job-Related Requirements for this position: 

• Valid Driver License

POSITION OF SPECIAL TRUST 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 transferrable 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.

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.