Environmental Program Specialist 1 / Trainee 1 / 2 - NY HELPS (3 Positions)

Environmental Remediation Positions

These positions are located in the Division of Environmental Remediation, Central Office. Two positions are in the Bureau of Program Management: one in the Contracts and Payment Section and the second in the Resource Management and Recovery Section. The third position is in Remedial Bureau A, Site Control Section.

Contract and Payments Section (CPS): The position is in the Contract and Payments Section (CPS) in the Division of Environmental Remediation (DER). This section is responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts related to DER programs including Emergency Response, State Superfund, RCRA, Radiation, and Brownfield programs.

Duties include managing multiple types of contracts which involves tracking work issued to contractors, ensuring budgets are maintained and not exceeded, reviewing and processing invoice payments, utilizing project tracking databases, interacting daily with contractors with questions as diverse as contract interpretation, subcontractor solicitation rules, appropriate labor, encumbrances, and payment processing in the Statewide Financial System (SFS), conducting contract audits and reconciliation, state assistance contract development and participating in contract procurement efforts undertaken by the section.

The candidate must be able to work with DEC fiscal staff, contractors, project managers, attorneys, staff from other State agencies, and the public. The candidate will perform work that is time critical in nature, and accuracy is essential. The preferred candidate will possess strong written and verbal communication skills, accuracy in data management, and an ability to work cooperatively with all internal and external stakeholders. Overnight travel to DEC Regional Offices may be requested.

Resource Management and Recovery Section (RMRS): The position is in the Resource Management and Recovery Section (RMRS) in the Division of Environmental Remediation (DER). The section is responsible for the recovery of costs expended by the State for remediating contaminated hazardous waste sites and fiscal management related to several DER programs such as State Superfund, Emergency Response, Brownfield Cleanup and Environmental Restoration.

Duties include assisting with cost recovery and management of various funding sources used in DER. The candidate will review cost recovery language in legal agreements, utilize multiple databases, prepare cost recovery documents such as invoices, dunning letters, dispute responses, payment plans, and litigation packages, track financial status/awards, track expenditures, encumbrances, pending commitments and available balances. The candidate will use the Statewide Financial System (SFS).

The candidate must be able to work with DEC fiscal staff, project managers, attorneys, staff from other State agencies, and the public. The candidate will perform work that is time critical in nature, and accuracy is essential. The preferred candidate will possess strong written and verbal communication skills, accuracy in data management, and an ability to work cooperatively with all internal and external stakeholders. Overnight travel to DEC Regional Offices may be requested.

Site Control Section: The candidate should be knowledgeable in New York State statutes/regulations, relevant Commissioner Policies, DER Policies and DER Internal Guidance Procedures that directly affect the program they manage. Duties for this position employ various tasks necessary to comply with the regulation governing the programs managed by DER under Part 6NYCRR 375, e.g., State Superfund (SSF), Brownfield Cleanup (BCP), and Environmental Restoration (ERP) Programs.

The successful candidate(s) will be able to work with DEC project managers and the public to assist them in successful application of DER programs. The preferred candidate will possess strong written and verbal communication skills, and accuracy in data management. The following is a summary of the major tasks for this position:

• Performing detailed BCP Application reviews, processing BCA Amendments, and Change of Use Notices.
• Administer the Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Registry classification system, process classification packages i.e. Timely meet the statutory obligations for all public notifications per ECL and Part 375-2.7.
• Manage Periodic Review Reminder Notice Mailing Program.
• Finalize BCP Significant Threat Determinations.
• Maintain data quality of site information on DER's internal database as well as site information required to be available on DEC's public website, SCS holds exclusive edit rights to certain data fields in the system.
• Provide Administrative Project Management support and guidance for programs initiatives, e.g., DER's Periodic Review of IC/EC's to demonstrate compliance with certifications required by law; Issuing PRR Reminder Notices based on funding source.
• Manage multiple assignments/projects, while prioritizing workload and addressing other administrative needs.
• Experience with Geographic Information System (GIS) based software a plus. Additional duties will be discussed during interviews.

Minimum Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

TRAINEE 1: Four years or experience in a position where you have responsibility for the following: development and implementation of program policies and procedures; preparing and interpreting rules and regulations; development, preparation, and management of procurement (solicitation) documents, contracts, or grants; providing non-engineering technical assistance and information to consultants, public officials, and facility managers; collecting data, reviewing alternatives, performing qualitative or quantitative policy analyses; writing technical or programmatic reports; developing, implementing, analyzing, and evaluating programs; developing and implementing expenditure plans, procuring external funding sources, collecting and forecasting the impact of funding or organizational change efforts; assisting with the development of environmental public information campaigns.

An associate degree may substitute for two years of experience; a bachelor's degree may substitute for four years of experience; a master's degree may substitute for five years of experience; and a doctorate may substitute for six years of experience.

TRAINEE 2: Five years or experience in a position where you have responsibility for the following: development and implementation of program policies and procedures; preparing and interpreting rules and regulations; development, preparation, and management of procurement (solicitation) documents, contracts, or grants; providing non-engineering technical assistance and information to consultants, public officials, and facility managers; collecting data, reviewing alternatives, performing qualitative or quantitative policy analyses; writing technical or programmatic reports; developing, implementing, analyzing, and evaluating programs; developing and implementing expenditure plans, procuring external funding sources, collecting and forecasting the impact of funding or organizational change efforts; assisting with the development of environmental public information campaigns.

An associate degree may substitute for two years of experience; a bachelor's degree may substitute for four years of experience; a master's degree may substitute for five years of experience; and a doctorate may substitute for six years of experience.

EPS 1: Six years or experience in a position where you have responsibility for the following: development and implementation of program policies and procedures; preparing and interpreting rules and regulations; development, preparation, and management of procurement (solicitation) documents, contracts, or grants; providing non-engineering technical assistance and information to consultants, public officials, and facility managers; collecting data, reviewing alternatives, performing qualitative or quantitative policy analyses; writing technical or programmatic reports; developing, implementing, analyzing, and evaluating programs; developing and implementing expenditure plans, procuring external funding sources, collecting and forecasting the impact of funding or organizational change efforts; assisting with the development of environmental public information campaigns.

An associate degree may substitute for two years of experience; a bachelor's degree may substitute for four years of experience; a master's degree may substitute for five years of experience; and a doctorate may substitute for six years of experience.

Candidates may also be eligible via the following:

• Reassignment - Currently in the title and an employee of DEC or Reinstatement Eligible - Previously held the title on a permanent competitive basis or held a title on a permanent competitive basis.
• Transfer Eligible - One year of permanent competitive service at Salary Grade 11 or higher and either: Eligible for transfer under Section 70.4: Must meet the open competitive minimum qualifications below; Or Eligible for transfer under Section 70.1: Permanent competitive service as an Environmental Program Specialist 1 (including trainees), Program Aide, Administrative Specialist 1, Biologist1(Aquatic), (Ecology), (Marine), (Wildlife), Public Participation Specialist 1, Environmental Analyst 1 and Trainee 1 &2, Environmental Engineering Technician 2 & 3, Fish and Wildlife Technician 3, Legal Assistant 2, Mineral Resources Technician2,Pesticide Control Specialist 1 & 2, Public Health Specialist 2 Environmental, Sanitary Construction Inspector 2, Senior Engineering Research Editor.
• 55 b/c appointment: Must meet the minimum qualifications outlined above.