Environmental Inspector-In-Training

State of West Virginia; West Virginia; On-site; USD 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Insurance

Flexible benefits

Annual leave

Sick leave

Job summary

State of West Virginia, through the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, invites applications for an Environmental Inspector-In-Training in the Division of Water and Waste Management, Office of Environmental Enforcement. The role supports field inspections and regulatory enforcement across Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Ritchie and Wirt counties.

The selected candidate will train and/or perform inspections, respond to emergencies, collect samples, and assist in enforcing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in natural or applied science, engineering, or occupational safety and health.
• Substitution: related inspection/technical/professional work may substitute for the degree on a year-for-year basis.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Note: hazardous waste/solid waste roles may require examinations within six months of employment.
• Areas of Assignment include multiple environmental domains across the state.

Responsibilities

• Inspect sites to determine compliance with laws, rules, regulations, and permit conditions.
• Investigate complaints and respond to suspected environmental harm.
• Respond to emergencies such as spills and hazardous discharges.
• Collect soil, water, waste and effluent samples for laboratory analyses.
• Initiate enforcement actions and prepare inspections and reports.

Skills

Oral communication

Physical endurance

Valid driver’s license

Education

Bachelor’s degree in natural/applied science, engineering, or occupational safety/health

Job description

Nature of Work

Environmental Inspector-In-Training

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Water and Waste Management; Environmental Enforcement; Water & Waste

Designated Region: Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Ritchie & Wirt Counties

Office Location: 1000 Technology Drive, Suite 3220, Fairmont, WV 26554

This position is classified exempt; therefore, does not fall under the classified service.

We welcome you to join our team where we value work/life balance and diversity. We offer a great benefits package that includes 12 paid holidays, insurance and flexible benefits, ample annual and sick leave accrual, flexible work schedules, an Employee Assistance Program, Wellness Initiatives, an optional 457 defined contribution retirement savings plan and more.

Click here for more information on benefits

Employee will be assigned to the Division of Water and Waste Management, Office of Environmental Enforcement (EE). Under limited/direct supervision, works in a training inspector capacity or in a full performance inspector capacity (dependent upon experience) performing technical and field inspection duties related to solid waste management and water pollution control programs.

Duties include:

• Employee will make regular inspections of sites and facilities to determine compliance with laws, rules, regulations, permit conditions, etc.
• Employee will investigate complaints pertaining to suspected environmental harm from regulated or non-regulated sources.
• Will respond in accordance with procedures to emergency situations, such as spills, truck wrecks, hazardous substance discharge, etc.
• Employee will be responsible for the initiation and follow-up of appropriate enforcement actions, collecting soil, water, waste and effluent samples for laboratory analyses.
• Initiation of criminal prosecution, utilization of administrative procedures or other action provided by law to affect prosecution / compliance with established procedures.
• Written and electronically submitted inspections, reports and other data.
• Responsibilities may also include other duties as assigned regarding water pollution control and solid waste management.

Employee may be required to attend public meetings and provide technical assistance to program staff. Will receive training in the areas of environmental investigation and inspection and will be provided training directive in the area of personal protection, use of equipment necessary for job performance. May be subject to emergency response, being on-call and temporary assignment to a different geographical area of the state as necessitated be environmental conditions and/or agency needs. Employee will perform other duties as required.

This position has responsibilities for multiple counties, this may require a considerable amount of overnight travel.

Employee expectations:

• The selected employee must reside within a reasonable driving distance of one of the above offices.
• Must be eligible to be licensed to operate a motor vehicle in West Virginia.
• Must be able to communicate orally in an effective manner.
• Must be able to walk long distances in adverse weather over rugged terrain and to lift and carry equipment for a considerable distance.
• Must take and pass a physical examination with the first six months of employment and submit to annual follow-up examinations. Failure to pass the initial examination will result in termination of employment. Failure to pass the annual examination may result in reassignment of duties.
• Preference may be given to applicants possessing job related experience as an environmental inspector and/ or environmental inspector-in-training.

Notes:

• The geographic area of assignment of this position is subject to future variation.
• The recommended candidate will be subject to a search of his or her motor vehicle record (MVR) prior to being hired.

Minimum Qualifications

Training: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in natural or applied science, engineering, or occupational safety and health.

Substitution: Full-time or equivalent part-time paid inspection, technical, or professional employment in one of the areas of assignment may substitute for the required training on a year-to-year-basis.

Special Requirements: Must possess a valid driver's license. For work in the areas of hazardous waste management and solid waste management, must take and pass physical examination within the first six months of employment and submit to annual follow-up examinations. Failure to pass the initial examination will result in termination of employment. Failure to pass a subsequent examination may result in reassignment.

Note: Personnel engaged in activities associated with hazardous wastes risk exposure to situations or chemicals which may cause illness or injury if proper procedures are not followed.

Areas of Assignment:

• Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation
• Environmental Compliance Monitoring
• Hazardous Waste Management
• Surface Mining Reclamation
• Solid Waste Management
• Water Pollution Control
• Air Quality

Other Information

Note: DEP’s maximum hiring salary for the Environmental Inspector-in-Training title is $45,500 due to title/salary progression opportunities after being hired.