Water Program Specialist

Commonwealth-of-Pennsylvania; Harrisburg (Dauphin County); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection is seeking a Water Program Specialist to guide statewide wetland and waterway initiatives and support restoration projects.

You will perform duties across program guidance, technical expertise, data management, and stakeholder collaboration, aiming to protect water quality and natural habitats throughout Pennsylvania. This role offers standard full-time hours with telework options depending on approvals.

Qualifications

• Three years of professional environmental protection experience.
• Bachelor's degree in the biological, physical, or environmental sciences, engineering, or a closely related field.
• Valid Pennsylvania driver's license and ability to meet residency and other requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide direction on statewide wetland and waterway policies and procedures.
• Apply knowledge of environmental regulations to support restoration and mitigation activities.
• Maintain accurate and complete entries across DEP electronic data systems.
• Assist regional offices, conservation districts, and partner agencies with program implementation.
• Assess wetland and waterway restoration efforts through field investigations and technical reviews.

Skills

Environmental protection

Regulatory knowledge

Data management

Stakeholder engagement

Field investigation

Education

Bachelor's degree in biological/physical/environmental sciences or engineering

Tools

DEP data systems

Job description

The Department of Environmental Protection is seeking a candidate who is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvania's citizens and environment. In this role, you will help guide environmental policies and support critical restoration initiatives. Your contributions will strengthen water quality and natural habitats across Pennsylvania.

This position supports statewide wetland and waterway initiatives by guiding program development, technical assessments, regulatory implementation, and applying comprehensive understanding of the Commonwealth’s environmental protection programs to resolve complex and interrelated environmental problems. As a Water Program Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

• Program Guidance: Provide direction on statewide wetland and waterway policies and procedures
• Technical Expertise: Apply knowledge of environmental regulations to support restoration and mitigation activities
• Data Management: Maintain accurate and complete entries across DEP electronic data systems
• Stakeholder Support: Assist regional offices, conservation districts, and partner agencies with program implementation
• Project Evaluation: Assess wetland and waterway restoration efforts through field investigations and technical reviews

Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday, with 60-minute lunch.
• Telework:You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, up to three days per week. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary:In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Three years of professional environmental protection experience; and a bachelor's degree in the biological, physical, or environmental sciences, engineering, or in a field closely related to environmental protection or regulation; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes three years of professional environmental protection experience.

Condition of Employment

• This position requires possession of a valid Pennsylvania driver's license.

Other Requirements

• This position requires federally compliant identification such as a U.S. Passport, REAL ID, or Military ID at the time of conditional job offer.
• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.