Senior Environmental Specialist - Recycling

City of Folsom; Folsom (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Folsom is seeking a Senior Environmental Specialist to oversee the Waste & Recycling Division’s recycling programs and compliance efforts. The role involves program design, inspections, and enforcement, with responsibilities spanning residential and commercial recycling, education, grants, and contract management.

Candidates should have a strong background in environmental regulations, lead work experience, and the ability to work with the public, contractors, and city staff to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant environmental field.
• Three years of full-time experience in environmental programs with recycling focus.
• Ability to lead and manage staff and projects; strong communication with public and contractors.

Responsibilities

• Lead and monitor the work of lower level staff within the series.
• Develop environmental program designs and operating procedures according to laws and regulations.
• Provide technical assistance for residential and commercial recycling programs and related initiatives.
• Prepare and manage grant applications, reports, and budget support for programs.
• Create outreach materials and communicate with the public and stakeholders on recycling and hazardous materials.
• Develop procurement, RFPs, and oversee contracts for division services.
• Analyze data to prepare reports including state-required ones.
• Prepare clear business correspondence.

Skills

Program management

Technical guidance

Public communication

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in geology, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, environmental science, environmental studies, chemistry, biology, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Anchored in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada - 20 miles east of Sacramento and about 1.5 hours from Lake Tahoe - the City of Folsom is comprised of beautiful parks and trails, and boasts excellent schools, family-orientated neighborhoods, and outstanding shopping, dining, and cultural options. Folsom is a high-tech, forward-looking city, with firms ranging from small to large international corporations. Voted by WalletHub as the Best Place for Families to Live in California, and 2nd Best Lake Town in America, Folsom is recognized for its affordability, fair weather, education, and health.

The City of Folsom is recruiting for a Senior Environmental Specialist to join the Waste & Recycling Division in the specialty area of recycling. This position will focus on recycling compliance programs relating to non-hazardous materials and will spend a majority of time providing technical assistance, inspections, and enforcement within the community, including program development and record keeping. The ideal candidate enjoys a variety of work environments and tasks, including physical outdoor labor, an office environment, and regular interaction with the public.

This is a Monday - Friday in-office position, and occasional weekend and after hours work. This position is non-exempt and represented by the Local 39 IUOE union.

Under the direction of the Environmental Specialist Supervisor, the Senior Environmental Specialist performs a variety of operational tasks (program management, educational training, safety awareness, and environmental compliance and audits) related to environmental services in a specialty area (recycling, hazardous waste, air pollution and storm water compliance). Incumbents may oversee, monitor, and/or direct the work of lower level personnel.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Senior Environmental Specialist is the lead or specialist level in the Environmental Specialist series. In the lead assignment, incumbents provide direction to lower level staff including assigning, directing, and reviewing the work of staff. In the specialist assignment, incumbents work on specialized projects containing a high number of complex, difficult, and sensitive tasks and assignments. Positions at this level are distinguished from those in the lower level classification of Environmental Specialist I/II by the independence with which they perform their duties of handling the more difficult and complex work and performing lead work. This class is distinguished from the class of Environmental Specialist Supervisor in that the latter serves as the supervisor of incumbents in the lower levels of the series and performs the most difficult and complex projects.

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all the duties listed.

• Assign and monitor the work of lower level staff within the series.
• Develop environmental program designs and operating procedures according to federal and state laws and regulations.
• Provide technical assistance to staff in the development, implementation, and management of residential and commercial recycling programs; edible food recovery; household hazardous waste management programs; and/or storm water and air pollution prevention programs.
• Prepare and submit grant applications and, if awarded, oversee grant implementation and administration, and prepare grant progress reports.
• Assist in the budget development process and administer the respective program's budget.
• Prepare innovative educational and outreach material including flyers, brochures, presentations, displays, news articles, and social media posts.
• Provide information to members of the public, contractors, and consultants regarding hazardous materials, recycling, organics, and food recovery regulations and recycling programs; serve as a resource to city staff regarding proper handling and management of all manners of recyclable materials, organics and food recovery, hazardous and non-hazardous materials.
• Develop request for proposals for division services, including soliciting suppliers, reviewing proposals, making selection recommendations, and overseeing contracts.
• Compile and analyze data to prepare reports, including state required reports.
• Prepare business correspondence.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• And experience with, composting, including the ability to develop and implement a municipal compost program, and provide educational programs on the subject.
• Methods and procedures used in inspecting, identifying, labeling, packaging, and correcting hazardous conditions associated with hazardous materials or wastes.
• Hazardous material, industrial hygiene, transportation, and disposal practices.
• Principles and practices of emergency preparedness.
• Effects of hazardous materials and their interaction with human health and the environment.
• Recycling techniques as related to the environment, energy conservation, and the economy.
• Laws, codes, regulations, and policies and ability to stay abreast of those that affect the City’s programs.
• Residential municipal, commercial, and industrial waste recycling and disposal programs.
• Materials, equipment, and methods used in recycling and solid waste operations.
• Local environment, political, and planning issues of concern to solid and household hazardous waste disposal.
• Federal and state standards, acts, and regulations regarding recycling programs and hazardous materials, storm water and air pollution prevention compliance standards and controls.
• Microsoft Office including Outlook, Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint; general acumen of social media and web development.

Ability to:

• Lead professional and technical personnel on a team or project.
• Provide technical advice to subordinate personnel in solving difficult problems or assignments.
• Provide project management, budget, and project schedules.
• Prepare and administer requirements of contract plans and specifications.
• Use personal protective clothing and equipment to protect against exposure to hazardous materials.
• Analyze and use information to make sound decisions and recommendations.
• Make effective presentations before groups.
• Prepare and analyze sustainability, waste, recycling, and organics data.
• Prepare clear and concise reports and correspondence.
• Effectively communicate verbally and in writing, often in terms understandable to the general public.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Conduct fieldwork to train staff and the general public.

Experience:

One (1) year of full-time experience as an Environmental Specialist II with the City of Folsom.

OR

Education:

A bachelor's degree in geology, environmental engineering, industrial hygiene, environmental science, environmental studies, chemistry, biology, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.

AND

Recycling:

Three (3) years of full-time experience developing and promoting environmental programs with at least one (1) year specific to recycling, resource recovery, or other comparable solid waste management programs.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with municipal procurement, grant management, and enforcement of environmental regulations.

Hazardous Waste:

Three (3) years of full-time experience developing and promoting environmental programs with at least one (1) year specific to hazardous waste disposal programs and/or facilities.

Stormwater:

Three (3) years of full-time experience developing and promoting environmental programs with at least one (1) year specific to NPDES permit compliance.

Substitution:

Additional qualifying experience in the specialty area can be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

License, Certificate, Registration Requirements:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain and retain, a California Class C driver license by the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain and retain, 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response and Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Manifest training.

Physical Requirements:

Work is performed in a typical office environment. (1) Mobility: frequent use of keyboard; frequent sitting for long periods of time; occasional bending or squatting. (2) Lifting: frequently up to 10 pounds; occasionally up to 25 pounds when assigned to the specialty areas of recycling or stormwater, up to 75 pounds when assigned to hazardous waste. (3) Vision: constant use of overall vision; frequent reading and close-up work; occasional color and depth vision. (4) Dexterity: frequent repetitive motion; frequent writing; frequent grasping, holding, and reaching. (5) Hearing/Talking: frequent hearing and talking, in person and on the phone. (6) Emotional/ Psychological: frequent decision-making and concentration; frequent public and/or coworker contact; occasional working alone.(7) Environmental: frequent exposure to noise.

Other Requirements:

May be occasionally required to work outdoors and wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, a full or half-face air purifying respirator. If assigned to the Hazardous Materials Division, will be subject to annual hazmat physical. Exposure to municipal solid waste including household hazardous waste and the elements including rain, heat, dirt, and dust.