ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 42004317

Requisition No: 876664 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 42004317

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42004317 

Salary:  $42,561.74 

Posting Closing Date: 06/04/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

DIVISION OF AQUACULTURE

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***

CONTACT:

Tara Lauder
850-617-7600

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A high school diploma or its equivalent and one (1) year of experience in youth and/or adult education, outreach, program planning, environmental protection, regulation, or conservation; one of the physical or natural sciences; agriculture; or engineering; or

A high school diploma or its equivalent and six (6) months of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or

A bachelor's degree (4 years) from an accredited college or university.

Requires possession of a valid Class E 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:

This position has regulatory responsibilities and is subject to the provisions of s. 112.313, Florida Statutes, and Section 60L-36.003, Florida Administrative Code.

Moderate 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:

Coordinate with the supervisor and other Division staff as appropriate to assist in the development, management, and execution of projects, policies, procedures, and performance measures related to aquaculture education, policy, and scientific development. Keep up to date on relevant scientific, technical, and policy developments in the field of aquaculture, including primary literature. Coordinate with the Biological Administrator, program staff, and project partners to successfully develop and execute projects and host meetings, workshops, and other engagements.

Assist the supervisor and other program staff with education and outreach programs, including trainings, workshops, site visits, lectures, and development of public communications and educational materials for a variety of audiences. Assist with creation and updating of Division publications as assigned. Assist with creation and updating design materials for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and perform site visits to schools for troubleshooting as necessary.

Assist management with strategic planning and process improvement for all program areas, including education and public outreach initiatives, data identification, collection and analysis, program documentation, and developing or updating standard operating procedures. Produce and update technical reports, comment letters, and deliver presentations for a variety of audiences related to Division priorities and projects in the program. Develop alternative recommendations, solve problems, and document workflow for improvement of operational and management practices.

Assist with grant procurement, management, and administration in coordination with the supervisor. Assist with maintaining existing partnerships within and external to the Department and actively build a network of partners for collaborative initiatives in Florida and the region. Attend meetings, webinars, workshops, trainings, conferences and other engagements in Florida and the region as deemed appropriate to enhance program areas and build partnerships.

Perform other related duties and projects as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the terminology and principles of aquaculture, environmental science, marine science, or a similar field.
• Knowledge of best practices for data collection and management and ability to work with large datasets.
• Ability to efficiently collect, evaluate and analyze information and data from a variety of sources, including scientific literature, to prepare reports and presentations, develop recommendations, solve problems, and document workflow for improvement of operational and management practices.
• Knowledge of the principles of effective public science communication.
• Knowledge of the basics and principles of aquaculture RAS system design and maintenance, aquaria design and maintenance, or similar (hydroponics, flow-through systems, etc.).
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively through all written and spoken means, including preparation and delivery of technical reports, comment letters, grant proposals, progress reports, training and educational materials, data summaries and presentations for a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to write scientific and education grant proposals, manage grant funding and coordinate project teams.
• Ability to interact with a variety of public stakeholders, coworkers, and other local, state or federal employees in a tactful, courteous, and professional manner at all times, both in person and virtually.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to effectively work independently as well as cooperatively with coworkers in large and small teams.
• Ability to travel throughout the state and region to perform job duties, and ability to work occasionally during nights and weekends.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments and schedules with competing deadlines.
• Ability to coordinate and execute meetings projects, events, and other engagements with coworkers and collaborators internally and externally.
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques and exercise best professional judgement at all times.
• Ability to proficiently operate personal computers, printers, cell phones, vehicles, and all issued equipment.
• Proficiency with Adobe suite and Microsoft Office suite to prepare work products (Excel, Word and PowerPoint), to create content.
• Proficiency with virtual video conferencing platforms.
• Ability to work during times of emergency, including nights, holidays and weekends.
• Ability to understand and follow legislative policy direction as established in Florida Statutes.
• Ability to understand and apply all applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures related to program areas.    

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:

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.