Environmental Compliance Inspector III

City of Santa Rosa, CA; Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CalPERS retirement

Health plans

Vision and dental coverage

12 paid holidays annually

Wellness program $500/year

Job summary

The City of Santa Rosa is seeking an Environmental Compliance Inspector III to enforce pretreatment regulations and oversee industrial discharges to the wastewater system. This advanced role focuses on inspections, sampling, and ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements.

Ideal candidates will have four years of industrial inspection experience, strong regulatory knowledge, and the ability to manage complex investigations with minimal supervision.

Qualifications

• Experience in industrial wastewater pretreatment regulation and compliance.
• Ability to interpret regulations and enforce permits with accuracy.
• Track record of inspections, sampling, reporting, and enforcement actions.

Responsibilities

• Interpret and implement sewer codes and permitting for industrial dischargers.
• Inspect facilities for compliance with local, state, and federal rules.
• Develop and implement Pollution Prevention Programs with defensible data.
• Prepare technical reports for regulatory bodies and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with City departments on related programs.

Skills

Industrial wastewater pretreatment

Regulatory compliance understanding

Public speaking

Team collaboration

Inspection and monitoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental studies or related field

Sacramento State Pretreatment Facility Inspection course or equivalent

Tools

Sampling equipment

Job description

The City of Santa Rosa announces an exciting opportunity to serve City residents and make a difference in the community as an Environmental Compliance Inspector III.

The City of Santa Rosa is committed to building a workforce reflective of our community and establishing a lasting culture of equity and belonging within our organization. Our collective talents and expertise contribute to high-quality public services that support a vibrant, resilient, inclusive City for our community and visitors. We celebrate a diverse workforce and welcome all qualified candidates to apply.

THE BENEFITS OF CITY EMPLOYMENT:

In addition to offering a rewarding work environment, opportunity for career growth, and excellent salary, the City of Santa Rosa provides a generous suite of benefits, including retirement through CalPERS, a competitive leave accrual package, your choice of three health plans, and top of the line employer paid vision and dental coverage.

• A flexible work schedule: 5/8 or 9/80
• 12 paid holidays annually, plus 1 to 3 'floating holidays' per year, depending on start date and years of service
• $500 annually for wellness

WORKING FOR SANTA ROSA WATER - MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

Santa Rosa Water protects public health and the environment by providing a safe and reliable water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, beneficial reuse of recycled water and biosolids, and storm water management. By providing these critical water, sewer, and storm water services to households, businesses, schools, hospitals, and others, Santa Rosa Water is achieving its overarching mission.

For more information about the City of Santa Rosa Water Department, its divisions, projects, and commitment to the local community, please visit SR CITY WATER.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

The City of Santa Rosa is seeking to fill one Environmental Compliance Inspector III vacancy within the Environmental Compliance Section of the Water Department. This is the advanced journey level position in the Environmental Compliance Inspector classification series, specializing in industrial wastewater pretreatment and source control programs.

Under general supervision, the Environmental Compliance Inspector III enforces local, state, and federal pretreatment regulations governing discharges to the wastewater collection system. Responsibilities include conducting inspections of industrial wastewater dischargers, evaluating building plans for pretreatment equipment, obtaining industrial wastewater samples, evaluating compliance with wastewater discharge permits and determining applicable federal and state pretreatment requirements.

This class is distinguished from the Environmental Compliance Inspector II in the complexity of inspections and the emphasis on industrial wastewater pretreatment compliance. This class is distinguished from the Environmental Compliance Supervisor in that the latter has supervisory and administrative responsibilities for the Environmental Compliance Section.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Demonstrated experience in an industrial wastewater pretreatment program, including evaluating and implementing new local, state, and federal regulations to anticipate the impacts on the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) and regulated industrial dischargers. This includes experience with industrial wastewater discharge permit development, modification, and compliance monitoring.
• An aptitude for being detail oriented, self-motivated, exercising good judgement, and is thorough in regard to follow through on inspections, investigations, sampling, reporting, and enforcement activities.
• Experience delivering effective presentations, performing complex industrial compliance monitoring projects with minimal supervision, and interpreting industrial processes, wastewater discharge characteristics, and related technical documents.
• A proven track record of establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with industrial or commercial dischargers, internal staff, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.
• The ability to be proactive in conflict resolution, communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; and demonstrate characteristics of a team player, leader, and mentor to co-workers.
• The ability to review and interpret building plans to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal pretreatment regulations.
• Working knowledge of wastewater collection system and treatment plant fundamentals with a strong understanding of the EPA Pretreatment Program, including Significant Industrial User inspections, categorical standards, and source control principles.
• Four (4) years of increasingly responsible experience performing commercial and/or industrial inspection and monitoring of discharges to wastewater treatment systems.

Essential Duties:

• Interpret and implement Title 15 of the Santa Rosa City Code (Sewers) and the sewer codes of the sub-regional system partners;
• evaluate industrial sewer discharges to classify and prepare permits for industrial or commercial discharger;
• inspect industrial and commercial facilities to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, ordinances, standards and laws;
• develop and implement Pollution Prevention Programs to ensure legally defensible data and actions;
• keep inspection records and documents current;
• plan non-compliance enforcement actions;
• respond to spills that involve the sanitary sewer and storm water collection systems;
• respond to complaints and meet with industrial and commercial dischargers regarding industrial waste problems;
• reviews development plans and blueprints for new and tenant improvements from other departments and public entities for appropriateness with wastewater containment and discharge into the sanitary sewer and storm water systems;
• conduct a variety of required sampling programs and chemical and biological laboratory and field tests;
• conduct investigations to provide support for legal action in response to permit non-compliance;
• track industrial and commercial user discharge volumes and loadings for billing and data collection.

Additional Duties:

• Prepare technical reports for the State Water Quality Control Board and the Environmental Protection Agency;
• prepare compliance letters to industrial waste dischargers;
• maintain and update Industrial Questionnaire and Permit file;
• prepare and conduct presentations to industrial users and the general public;
• collaborate with other City Departments implementing various programs;
• and perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of

Applicable local, state, and federal ordinances, standards and laws; chemistry and biology as they relate to environmental compliance enforcement; principles of the operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment facilities; chemicals and their safe use; laboratory equipment and procedures; industrial waste flow and sampling techniques.

Ability to

Effectively communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; maintain harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of business; work effectively in a team based organization; prepare and maintain correspondence and reports; apply wastewater control principles and techniques to the solution of difficult environmental problems; conducting sanitary and environmental studies; analyzing complex environmental situations; understand basic hydraulic and environmental engineering concepts; read engineering drawings; interpret rules, regulations and laws relating to environmental compliance; comprehend and make inferences from written material; enter data into a computer terminal or PC device; conduct required sampling programs and laboratory tests; enforce regulations with tact, firmness and consistency.

Experience and Education

Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: Experience - Sufficient experience in environmental compliance inspection or related field to demonstrate possession of the above knowledge and abilities; Education: Equivalent to four year degree of Environmental studies or related field including course work in chemistry, biology, wastewater treatment, or related course work. Completion of Sacramento State Pretreatment Facility Inspection course or other course work approved by the Utilities Department within two years of employment.

License or Certificate: This classification requires the use of a personal or City vehicle while conducting City business. In order to drive, individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicles safely and must possess a valid class C California motor vehicle operator's license. An Environmental Compliance Inspector III Certificate issued by the California Water Environment Association is highly desirable.

Working Conditions:

Incumbents assigned to this classification communicate with industrial and commercial users orally, face to face and using a telephone. Work is performed indoors in an office setting and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions. In the office, incumbents enter data or information into and retrieve it from a computer terminal, PC or other keyboard device when performing such tasks as tracking laboratory data and updating quarterly EPA reports. During site visits, incumbents walk over uneven or rough surfaces while setting sampling equipment, and lift and carry a full sampler weighing up to 75 pounds unassisted for short distances. Analysis of discharges can require differentiating between colors on a strip chart or in solution. During site inspections, inspectors may use and draw maps, graphic schematics, or blueprints of site layouts; inspectors also examine written records in order to determine compliance with regulations.

SANTA ROSA - A WONDERFUL CITY TO CALL HOME:

The City of Santa Rosa is nestled in the center of famous Sonoma Wine Country, located just 55 miles north of San Francisco and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean with a population of approximately 180,000. Santa Rosa serves as the County seat and the center of trade, government, commerce, and medical facilities for the North Bay. The surrounding area is home to over a hundred wineries and vineyards and many beautiful parks and recreational facilities, including golf courses. Santa Rosa is in the center of a nationally recognized cycling area. We boast many attractions associated with large cities, including a symphony, performing arts center, theater productions and internationally recognized restaurants, yet still retain the warmth and small town feel of decades past. Santa Rosa has been named one of the 50 greenest cities in the United States with one of the top five mid-sized downtowns in California.

The City of Santa Rosa is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.