ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III - 42003369 (FOR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES ONLY)

Requisition No: 870534 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III - 42003369 (FOR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES ONLY)

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42003369 

Salary:  $52,530.14 

Posting Closing Date: 02/26/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL WATER POLICY

BUREAU OF FIELD SERVICES

***INTERNAL AGENCY OPPORTUNITY--
ONLY CURRENT EMPLOYEES OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES WILL BE CONSIDERED.***

CONTACT:

Sheila Kitaif, 850-901-5055

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A high school diploma or its equivalent and two (2) years of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; engineering or agriculture; or

A high school diploma or its equivalent and one and a half (1.5) years 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 and six (6) months of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; engineering or agriculture.

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:

In carrying out the duties of this position, the incumbent is expected at all times to be aware of and abide by the Department's Standards of Conduct, as well as any and all departmental and/or work unit rules, directives, policies, procedures, and/or general orders applicable to performing the duties of this position.

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 a professional team-oriented intermediate level position under direction of the Biological Administrator II A in the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) Okeechobee Field Office, assisting with the coordination and implementation of the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP) and the agricultural component of the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) programs established by the Florida Watershed Restoration Act, working in close cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), water management districts (WMDs), soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs), and private landowners.

Conduct BMP implementation verification site visits for the NEEPP and other WMD areas.  Duties may include soil sampling, data collection, analysis, implementation status determination, corrective measure determination, progress tracking, and report writing. Collect nutrient application records for retention.

Implement the FDACS responsibilities under the Florida Watershed Restoration Act and the NEEPP through producer enrollment in the Best Management Practice (BMP) program and through coordination with the WMDs, Agricultural Advisory Committees, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, FDEP district staff, local SWCDs, and University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) within the Northern Everglades boundaries and other WMD areas.   This includes conducting BMP Notice of Intent (NOI) enrollments by performing on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations using BMP manuals, checklists, and other tools to assist producers. Priority for enrollments shall be within the NEEPP boundary.   Duties in support of this would include generating maps, data collection and analysis, and cross-checking parcel identification information, as appropriate.      

Manage producer cost share agreements in accordance with the applicable cost share contracts and cost share SOP.  Perform on-site evaluations of specific soil and water conservation-related projects during and after BMP construction or implementation. Assist with mapping cost share projects using the BMP mapping application, as needed. Assist producers in coordination of cost share from various sources to implement BMPs as needed.

Perform other-related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of data collection and analysis principles.
• Ability to use personal computers, prepare technical reports, deal with the public in a tactful and courteous manner, communicate effectively and plan, organize, coordinate and complete assignments in a timely manner.
  
  

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.