Environmental Protection Specialist I

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free parking

Flexible working arrangements

PERA retirement options

Medical and dental plans

Defined Benefit or PERA Defined-Contr.

401K and 457 plans

Life insurance

Disability coverage

11 paid holidays

Tuition assistance

Wellness programs

Professional development

Career advancement

Job summary

The Environmental Agriculture Program Unit of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment seeks an Environmental Protection Specialist I to support regulatory compliance, inspections, and data management. The role reports to the Unit Manager and requires working under supervision within the Ag Program to ensure air and water quality requirements are met.

Residency is required for Colorado state employment; travel up to 20% within the state may be necessary.

Qualifications

• Five years of professional experience in regulatory compliance or environmental protection.
• Experience in agriculture, inspections, or technical review.
• Must substantiate experience in the Work Experience section; resume alone not accepted.

Responsibilities

• Review technical environmental reports to ensure permit and regulatory compliance.
• Communicate complex technical information clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Conduct field inspections and sampling using air and water instrumentation.
• Enter data into state and national databases to generate reports and track results.
• Support program staff with regulatory schedules and inquiries and respond to questions.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Environmental protection

Agriculture

Inspections

Technical review

Data management

Job description

Department Information

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado

https://youtu.be/QCVi5n_8HqQ

About Us

At The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) we are dedicated to the Colorado for All philosophy - working toward a Colorado where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

We support the basic human rights of our neighbors regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, education level, disability, socio-economic status, or any other visible or invisible identity. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Be BOLD.....Make a REAL difference . .

join us in serving our communities advancing Colorado's health and protecting the places we live, work, learn, and play, to create a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations thrive.

Mission

To advance Colorado's health and protect the places we live, work, learn, and play.

Vision

To create a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations thrive.

CDPHE Offers

• Free parking and access to RTD bus lines.
• Flexible working arrangements
• Retirement ( PERA options), Medical and dental health plans
• Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year and generous personal time off
• Tuition assistance
• Wellness programs
• Professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. For more information, go to: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/pslfFlow.action#!/pslf/launch

Description of Job

The Work Unit: (PD)

The Environmental Agriculture Program Unit (Ag Program) is under the direction of the Unit Manager and is responsible for assuring compliance with state and federal requirements of air quality and water quality regulations of the State that are applicable to animal feeding operations. The responsibilities of the Ag Program are accomplished through compliance assurance (i.e. inspections, enforcement and compliance assistance), regulatory interpretation, complaint response, permit and plan reviews, permit issuance, and other field-generated information specific to animal feeding operations. The Ag Program determines the appropriate response, including requests for information, meeting with stakeholders, conducting field investigations, developing enforcement cases or establishing corrective action deadlines and requirements. The unit is also responsible for drafting new regulations, guidance documents, and policies related to animal feeding operations.

What You Will Do

Under supervision, this position is to serve as an environmental protection specialist within the Environmental Agriculture regulatory compliance program. In this capacity, this position conducts regulatory inspections, prepares inspection reports, assures timely and accurate compliance determinations, and issues compliance advisories as well as informal and formal enforcement actions. This position provides technical regulatory, permitting, and research assistance to the Program Manager, Work Group Lead, and staff, responds to complaints and inquiries, reviews technical reports and compliance data, and enters data into national and state databases. This position is responsible for communicating regulatory schedules, field observations, and other technical questions or issues to program staff, and other environmental staff as necessary.

Key Responsibilities

• Under supervision, the position reviews technical environmental reports submitted pursuant to federal and state requirements to determine compliance with the applicable permit and regulatory requirements.
• Requires the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
• Under supervision, determines compliance with applicable air pollution and water quality protection regulations by conducting field inspections including compliance testing using technical air quality and water sampling instrumentation, reviewing and performing nutrient calculations, and writing inspection reports that are reviewed by the Work Group Lead
• Performs data entry (i.e. permitting, complaints, inspections data, etc.) into state and national data management systems in order to generate data reports and track environmental results.
• Duties include conducting reviews of compliance data and the legal facts from inspection reports, enforcement referrals, report submittals, complaint forms, and evaluating the compliance issues against the Enforcement Response Guidance.

Residency Requirement

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Class Code & Classification Description

I3A2T* Environmental Protection Specialist I

Minimum Qualifications

Experience Only:

Five (5) years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to this position, including regulatory compliance, environmental protection, agriculture, inspections, technical review, or other closely related work.

Or

Education And Experience

Education and professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to this position, including regulatory compliance, environmental protection, agriculture, inspections, technical review, or other closely related work equal to five (5) years.

NOTE: An applicant may meet the minimum qualifications for this job in one of two ways: They may qualify through their work experience alone or through a combination of education and work experience.

**This experience must be substantiated within the Work Experience section of your application. "See Resume" will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.**

Preferred Qualifications

• Practical knowledge or experience related to agricultural operations, including farming, ranching, crop production, livestock management, or animal husbandry.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, or updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical manuals, or regulatory guidance documents to ensure consistency and compliance with state or federal standards.
• Ability to accurately observe, document, and interpret information using electronic systems.
• Keen attention to detail, with an ability to analyze facts and data, to reach a defensible decision.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Self motivated, with the ability to work well independently as well as in/with a team.
• Ability to perform the physical demands of this active position.

Conditions Of Employment

• A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.
• Cover Letter
• TRAVEL: Ability and willingness to travel independently or with a group throughout the state of Colorado up to 20% throughout the year. Some overnight travel may be required.
• SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS: This position requires the use and operation of state fleet vehicles. Candidate must process a current drivers license.

Appeal Rights

As an applicant who has been removed from consideration during the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board and/or request a review by the State Personnel Director. A standard appeal form is available on the State Personnel Board website, https://spb.colorado.gov/forms-and-filing. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within ten (10) days of your receipt of this notice: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: [phone]. Phone: [phone]. Email address: [e-mail]. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director’s Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director’s Administrative Procedures are available at spb.colorado.gov.

Supplemental Information

• Completed State of Colorado application.
• If using education to qualify for this position a copy of your transcripts (unofficial acceptable) or diploma must be provided with application. Transcripts must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.
• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214 must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.

The Selection Process

• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
• Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager
• E-Verify:

CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

ADAAA Accommodations

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator at [e-mail] or call 303-692-2060, option 5

The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits

Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.