Senior Specialist Environmental Field Operations

Canadian National Inc.; Proctor (MN); On-site; USD 88,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Employee share investment program (ESI

Pension

Benefits

Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRB)

Job summary

Canadian National Inc. seeks a Senior Specialist Environmental Field Operations to lead territory environmental programs from Proctor, MN. You will direct field staff, manage risk, compliance, and incident response, and coordinate environmental maintenance and regulatory outreach across CN yards and facilities.

The role requires 3–5 years in a related field, a science/engineering degree, knowledge of SAP and Enablon, and will involve travel about 30% across North America.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Science in Engineering or equivalent.
• Strong ability to lead projects through completion in a field-heavy environment.
• Equivalent experience in emergency response, environmental compliance and project management.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of a territory and supervise Environmental Coordinators.
• Provide SME-level technical expertise for environmental risk and incident management.
• Oversee environmental maintenance, waste management, and regulatory outreach.

Skills

Project leadership

Education

B.S. in Engineering or equivalent

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Office

Enablon

Job description

Senior Specialist Environmental Field Operations

Please note that the language you select on this site will be the primary language used for all future communications regarding your application.

Senior Specialist Environmental Field Operations Req Id: 997 Job Location: Proctor - MN Business Unit: Operations Highest Level Division: Safety Posting Start Date: 10/8/26 Posting End Date: 10/22/2026 11:59 EDT French/English Bilingual Requirement: No

Hiring Salary Range: $88000 - 115000 This range represents the hiring range. Salaries are determined individually depending on skills and experience.

You will also be eligible to an annual bonus, employee share investment program (ESIP), Pension, Benefits, Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRB) and other perks.

At CN, we are committed to our pursuit of excellence. We take pride in delivering work of the highest standard, continually innovating to shape the railroad of the future. As responsible railroaders, we make the right decisions every time, putting safety first, acting with unwavering integrity, and holding ourselves accountable for our actions. We believe in succeeding together—by fostering inclusivity and collaboration, we sustainably deliver exceptional results for our customers. Join us today and get your career moving!

Job Summary

The incumbent is responsible for leading the day-to-day management of a territory including the supervision and direction of the Environmental Coordinators. The role provides direction to field-level employees and acts as the Subject Matter Expert (SME), providing technical expertise for Operational functions. The position influences across levels and functions and is accountable for the delivery of environmental risk management, compliance management, and incident management. Moreover, the incumbent directs the environmental industrial maintenance, capital upgrades, hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, and community and regulatory agency outreach functions.

Main Responsibilities

Compliance

• Facilitate environmental auditing processes and ensure effective implementation of all findings
• Handle corrective actions for non-compliance issues
• Provide corrective actions and solutions to address issues and advise the appropriate department
• Submit environmental documentation for approval as well as licence and permit applications for new or existing operations
• Participate in negotiations with agency personnel on matters of environmental compliance, permitting, implementation, and regulatory closure
• Lead or participate in root cause investigations for environmental incidents
• Oversee data integrity in compliance, finance, and all data management activities
• Provide technical support and expertise on environmental management best practices within CN yards and associated facilities
• Handle all compliance and maintenance monitoring in CN's compliance and document management tools

Environmental Emergency Management

• Complete or prepare incident action plans, financial reports, field notes, and provide oversight of contractors and consultants
• Fill or support the Incident Command System (ICS) Environmental Officer function at incident sites
• Handle small to medium spill without direct supervision
• Evaluate spill response needs and integrate into Emergency Response (ER) regional plan
• Organize and participate in exercises and training with CN and external stakeholders
• Participate in and operationalize outcomes of after-action reviews post incident and training exercises pre-incident
• Ensure delivery of follow-up actions found during incident debriefing

Environmental Risk Management and Footprint Reduction

• Identify environmental risk reduction opportunities and implement mitigation plans
• Handle sampling and monitoring of storm water and wastewater treatment plants and associated control and conveyance structures (e.g., grit chambers, lift stations, oil and water separators, skimmers, metres)
• Oversee the accurate and timely completion of necessary agency permits and reporting requirements
• Provide or coordinate required environmental awareness training to necessary employees within the assigned facilities to ensure that they recognize their own contribution to regulatory compliance and improved environmental performance
• Analyze and define repetitive compliance activities or tasks to identify and implement corrective measures
• Provide information and analysis to Regional Manager, Environment on the environmental performance metrics of assets and related procedures
• Serve as technical and local knowledge resource in inter and intra-departmental projects
• Provide field oversight as well as consultant and contractor management of field activities associated with capital upgrade projects
• Provide technical expertise and local knowledge for environmental site assessment and remediation projects, partnering with the Corporate Services Programs team, as well as contractors and consultants

Management of Human and Financial Resources

• Provide functional and administrative leadership to coordinators
• Identify cost reduction opportunities during projects and synergies between different projects
• Verify invoices with daily sheets of contractors and follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for approval
• Oversee team and budget management

Working Conditions

The role is performed in a combination of office and outdoor environment in various weather conditions with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. The role is required to be on call 24/7 to respond to critical incidents. The role involves managing priorities and delivering work within established timelines, with support from the team to ensure sustainable and effective workload management. The role requires occasional travel (30%) within Canada and the United States (U.S.).

Experience

• Between 3 to 5 years of experience in a related environmental field
• Strong ability to lead projects through completion and implementation in a field heavy industry setting
• Candidates with an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered

Education/Certification/Designation

• Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering or equivalent in a related technical discipline or equivalent experience in emergency response, environmental compliance and project management
• Candidates with equivalent practical experience, education, or training will be considered

Competencies

• We Care About Each Other
• We Strive for Excellence
• We Succeed Together
• We Lead Responsibly
• Vision and strategic thinking
• Impactful and inclusive leadership
• Performance and value delivery
• Empowerment and talent development
• Strategic communication and influence
• Managerial courage and decisiveness
• Compliance
• Political acumen
• Delegation
• Process optimization

Technical Skills/Knowledge

• Knowledge of Systems, Applications and Products (SAP) and Microsoft Office
• Knowledge in Enablon*
• Knowledge of environmental regulations (e.g., waste, water, soil, sediment)
• Knowledge of railway operations*

* Any requirement marked with (*) will be considered an asset (not mandatory)

Additional Information (If Any)

About CN

CN is a premium railroad that sustainably generates value for our customers, shareholders, employees, and stakeholders with an unwavering commitment to safety and service. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. CN's network connects Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through an 18,800-mile rail network. CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN powers the North American economy and is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship. At CN, we are dedicated to building North America's safest, most inclusive and sustainable railroad, which includes reflecting the communities in which we operate. Research shows that candidates often don't apply unless they feel they fit the job posting at 100%. To all potential applicants, even if you don't meet every job requirement listed in a posting, we still encourage you to apply. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodations), please get in touch with our team at [e-mail]. As an equal opportunity employer, qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. Please monitor your email on a regular basis as communication to applicants is done via email