Natural Resources Program Principal 2026-02312

State of Wyoming; Cheyenne (WY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Wyoming, Department of Environmental Quality, seeks a lead environmental resources analyst to guide HW, VR, BF, and OS programs in Cheyenne. The role emphasizes leadership, mentoring junior staff, coordinating permitting and corrective action, and interpreting complex rules.

You will represent the agency in meetings, evaluate data from multiple disciplines, and manage contracts and scopes of work while ensuring compliance with applicable laws.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in geology, engineering, environmental or natural science.
• 4+ years of professional work experience in environmental research, evaluation or protection.
• Experience with rulemaking and human health and ecological risk assessment.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects for Voluntary Remediation, Brownfields, Orphan Sites, and Hazardous Waste Permitting Corrective Action programs.
• Mentor junior staff and provide technical guidance.
• Represent the agency in meetings with State, Federal and private entities.
• Develop scopes of work for contracts and manage contracts, contractors, and invoices.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

OpenUntilFilled

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This position is a lead worker position within Hazardous Waste (HW), Voluntary Remediation (VR), Brownfields (BF), and Orphan Sites (OS) Programs. This position plays a leadership role within the programs, is responsible for supporting and mentoring junior staff, as well as supporting permitting/corrective action activities and hazardous waste rules and regulations oversight within the programs.

Cheyenne is a steadily growing community along the Front Range but still true to the Old West's history. Cheyenne is home to the "Daddy of 'em All" - Cheyenne Frontier Days - held every last week of July. Wyoming is one of only seven states with no state income tax.

Human Resource Contact: DEQ HR [e-mail]

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Acts as a lead worker and displays high levels of leadership and communication skills
• Makes independent judgment of compliance through oversight/interpretations of regulations & reports.
• Identifies compliance issues with state-wide entities.
• From environmental perspective, may review, analyze, evaluate and interpret technical (biological, chemical, geological, and hydrogeological) land, water and/or property data.
• Makes recommendations with respect to the technical data and reports and enforcement issues.
• Answers technical questions related to policies, procedures and statutes.
• Resolves conflict between technical opinions and personalities in a positive manner and works cooperatively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve objectives and requirements of the program and department.
• Conducts and evaluates moderately complex modeling of pollutant transport in the environment.
• Evaluate human health and ecological risk assessments, including toxicological review and risk modeling.
• Measures, monitors, regulates and manages resources, and resource utilization in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and court decrees.
• Mentors junior staff.
• Represents agency in meetings with various State, Federal and private entities.
• Makes presentations to various interest groups.
• Conducts complex analysis of problems using data collected through physical measurement, laboratory analysis and results, and field inspection.
• Mediates mid-level disputes between contractors and consultants.
• Participates in decision making process at mid management level.
• Acts as a project manager for Voluntary Remediation, Brownfields, Orphan Sites Remediation and Hazardous Waste Permitting Corrective Action Programs sites state-wide.
• Develops Scopes of Work for contracts, manages contracts, contractors, and approves invoices
• Management includes planning, design, implementation, and/or directing consulting activities or complete responsibility for a specific activity or project.
• Maintains site and project files.
• Develops, coordinates and/or performs environmental compliance assessment audits/inspections thus identifying environmental issues.
• Provides technical environmental guidance and instruction to agency projects.
• Monitors environmental expenditures in context of site and project management for Brownfields and Orphan Sites.
• Responsible for environmental technical writing.
• Participates in policy making and planning efforts, budget matters, and personnel issues.
• Makes presentations at public meetings.
• Makes independent judgment of compliance through inspections/interpretations of regulations & reports.
• Recommends level of enforcement response, penalties and settlement terms.
• Analyzes complex environmental data and draws conclusions.
• Conducts and evaluates moderately complex modeling of pollutant transport in the environment.
• Investigates and oversees complaints and projects.
• Determines accuracy of data collection & computation methods
• Researches records and provides information and technical data to the public.
• Participates in compliance reviews
• Applies and interprets complex rules, regulations, guidelines or standards.
• Lead rulemaking for state hazardous waste rules
• Has ongoing interface with regulated community at mid to senior management level.
• Monitors work with contractors including negotiating solutions and resolving conflicts.
• Manages multiple complex investigation, remediation and permitting projects that serve to protect human health and wildlife and preserve natural resources.
• Manages multiple complex projects for corrective action/remediation activities.
• Applies professional judgment in the interpretation of formulas, templates, or standards as applied to technical data or information and makes recommendations based on results.

PREFERENCES:

Bachelor’s Degree required with a preference in geology, engineering, environmental, physical or natural science PLUS at least four years of professional work experience in environmental research, evaluation or protection. Experience with rulemaking, human health and ecological risk assessment.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Knowledge of and ability to read, research, interpret and apply Federal, State, Local environmental laws and regulations.
• Knowledge of and ability to read, research, interpret and apply state policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of hydrogeologic processes.
• Knowledge of multiple science and engineering disciplines.
• Knowledge of human health and ecological risk assessments, including toxicological review and risk modeling.
• Knowledge of principles of team structure/function and ability to cooperatively participate in and lead a team.
• Ability to work as a team member of professionals, to take direction, and meet deadlines including mentoring junior staff.
• Skill in written, oral, and electronic communication.
• Skill in use of personal computers for word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• Ability to effectively schedule and manage multiple priorities within deadlines.
• Ability to communicate (both oral and written) complex issues in clear, understandable and non-confrontational manner.
• Detail-oriented; strong ability to discern, track, and organize pertinent information in a complex regulatory environment.
• Ability to create, compose, review and edit technical written documents.
• Records maintenance skills.
• Ability to answer technical questions related to policies, procedures and statutes.
• Ability to make presentations to various interest groups and the public.
• Knowledge of OSHA requirements of 29 CFR Part 1910.120
• Basic knowledge of chemical handling and hazardous materials handling as it relates to inspected facilities and potential for generation of wastes.
• Basic knowledge of general industrial practices.
• Ability to learn basic operations of regulated entities to efficiently conduct inspections/compliance assurance.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Bachelor's Degree (typically in The Sciences)

Experience:

1-2 years of progressive work experience (typically in The Sciences) with acquired knowledge at the level of a Natural Resources Analyst

OR

Education & Experience Substitution:

4-6 years of progressive work experience (typically in The Sciences) with acquired knowledge at the level of a Natural Resources Analyst

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

None

PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Some overnight travel is required.
• Must be able to pass and become certified in the 40-hour HAZWOPER training.
• Must be able to walk moderate distances and over rough terrain.
• Must be able to work in all types of weather.
• Must have a valid Driver’s License.

NOTES:

• FLSA: Exempt
• The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality may use a video interview as a mandatory first step of our process. If chosen for a video interview, you will receive an email with all the necessary information to complete the process.

The State of Wyoming is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively supports the ADA and reasonably accommodates qualified applicants with disabilities.

Class Specifications are subject to change, please refer to the A & I HRD Website to ensure that you have the most recent version.