ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST 4

Job Summary

The position supervises the Bureau's Data Management and Operator Certification Program, providing leadership for activities that support compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Nevada drinking water regulations. The incumbent oversees professional, technical, and administrative staff responsible for drinking water data management, regulatory reporting, information systems, and the operator certification program. Responsibilities include planning, directing, and evaluating program activities; establishing goals, priorities, and work plans; overseeing the management and enhancement of drinking water databases and information systems; administering Nevada's operator certification program; and ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, policies, grant requirements, and reporting obligations. The position provides technical expertise and policy recommendations to Bureau leadership, supervises and develops staff, assigns and prioritizes workloads, and fosters a collaborative and accountable work environment. The incumbent also ensures the accuracy and integrity of regulatory data and reports, coordinates with public water systems, certified operators, laboratories, contractors, and other stakeholders, and develops and implements policies, procedures, and guidance to improve program effectiveness and operational efficiency in support of the Bureau's mission to protect public health. Environmental Scientists perform program research, planning and development, permitting, compliance monitoring, inspections/enforcement, and technical support services in relation to air, water, federal facilities, corrective action, mining, biology and waste environmental programs.

Essential Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the physical, natural resource or life sciences, engineering or closely related field and four years of professional environmental experience which involved environmental program research and planning; OR graduation from high school or equivalent and six years of professional environmental experience as described above; OR one year of experience as an Environmental Scientist 3 in Nevada State service; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience as described above.

Job Duties

Develop program documents such as the annual program plan, quarterly activities report, environmental assessments, technical reports and environmental impact statements in accordance with federal and State requirements; review existing program standards; research, compile and verify available data; analyze data and trends including the projected impact of federal, State and local regulations; propose new or revised standards; develop regulations, procedures and protocols and draft legislation; provide information and technical assistance to the general public and regulated community; develop and provide training to staff and the regulated community; prepare various reports as required for planning or in response to requests from the legislature, general public, regulated community, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) administration; conduct public hearings; justify with fact sheets and discussion as required. Conduct research through the use of technical, scientific and historical data to provide a tool for administrative and resource planning and decision making; coordinate with other agencies involved in the implementation of environmental programs; represent the division or agency at various meetings involving federal, State and local regulatory and resource agencies, the public, non-governmental organizations and the regulated community; participate in federal, State and local policy and regulation development. Develop grant applications, proposals for performance, grant workplans, budgets and applications using federal and State policies and procedures; negotiate commitments with federal, State and local agencies; solicit project proposals; negotiate workplans and draft contract documents and required amendments; monitor grant performance, expenditures and contracts. Develop and draft permits for industry and governmental entities; compile facility data; examine and adapt the permit to applicable standards; establish limitations; review permits for regulatory compliance; perform public permit notification and final permit issuance. Perform compliance monitoring; analyze submitted environmental reports in relation to technical, scientific and legal criteria and make recommendations to ensure compliance; take periodic samples according to established protocol and transport to appropriate laboratories; operate various monitoring equipment; evaluate new and existing sample sites for usefulness. Respond to environmental complaints through investigation, determination of complaint validity and determination of appropriate action to be taken. Conduct inspections to ensure compliance with federal, State and local regulations; inspect pollution control equipment; take or observe others taking samples; determine whether violations are occurring; make a detailed report and recommendation to the appropriate entity; determine appropriate enforcement action to be initiated; prepare notices of violation; meet with the regulated community, potentially responsible parties and attorneys to present findings and negotiate resolutions, administrative settlements and civil penalties; give depositions, testify in court as required and serve as the State's expert witness in lawsuits and other court matters. Perform various technical services required to carry out any of the above-mentioned duties, including calculating pollutant concentrations, calibrating a variety of sampling equipment and preparing monitoring sites. Input and access data to and from a national data system maintained by the EPA in accordance with federal grant requirements; perform computer modeling using computer programs to manipulate data; evaluate environmental data and make decisions based on this information. Incumbents perform the full range of duties described above and either:

1. Organize and supervise the work of lower-level Environmental Scientists, Engineers, Interns, federal Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) staff and other contractors for one or more components of the air, water, federal facilities, mining, biology, corrective actionor waste programs. Incumbents develop, implement and manage new or existing programs; develop and make formal presentations to regulatory boards, commissions, natural resource agencies and the legislature; draft legislation and develop regulations and rules; develop budgets, approve purchases and monitor expenditures; negotiate with other federal, State and local entities concerning contracts, grants, cases, incidents and other multi-jurisdictional issues; and interpret and implement appropriate federal and State statutes and regulations. Work is reviewed through progress reports and meetings. This is the first-line supervisor level class in the series; or
2. Serve as the technical scientific expert for a bureau within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; assist and support bureau staff as technical advisor and subject matter expert; develop, organize and implement complex programs related to the control of biological and chemical agents, radioactive and/or hazardous waste and/or pollutants discharged into the environment; analyze information, technical data, problems, risks, situations, practices and procedures and define the problem or objective; make comprehensive recommendations on environmental problems; draft legislation; develop complex technical regulations, guidance, plans and procedures; develop and make formal presentations to the public, regulatory boards, commissions, natural resource agencies, scientific community and the legislature; negotiate with other federal, State and local entities concerning cases, incidents and other multi-jurisdictional issues; organize and/or participate in statewide, regional and national conferences and meetings; make decisions and judgments independently; and interpret and implement appropriate federal and State statutes and regulations. Incumbents may serve as lead worker and work is reviewed through progress reports and meetings. This is the non-supervisory, subject matter expert level class in the series and only one position per bureau may be allocated at this level.

Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

This class specification lists the major knowledge, skills and abilities of the job and is not all inclusive. Incumbent(s) will be expected to have knowledge, skills and abilities from a previous level. Detailed knowledge of: federal, State and division contract, grant, procurement and budgeting policies and procedures; personnel policies and procedures; federal, Nevada and other state statutes and regulations and programs related to pollution control. Working knowledge of: the scientific principles and current technology associated with pollution control and related environmental terminology; the environmental impact associated with the release of hazardous chemicals, biological agents and radioactive and/or hazardous waste. Ability to: evaluate program needs and plan and implement one or multiple program elements; evaluate and monitor program performance; prepare and administer contracts, grants and budgets and ensure tracking of expenditures in order to make contract, grant and budget adjustments during the fiscal year; develop program documents with or without federal and State guidelines; develop and draft permits for industry and governmental entities; interpret environmental statutes and regulations and apply them to varying situations; apply environmental science knowledge and technical data obtained in written form and/or through hearings and/or field investigations to a variety of complex situations and formulate logical and objective conclusions; write clear and concise legal agreements; interpret complex regulations in the broader context of its impact on other programs within the agency; apply conflict resolution and related skills to issues involving other governmental agencies, the regulated community, potentially responsible parties, other interested stakeholders and staff and work objectively towards resolution; review and evaluate the work of others.

The State of Nevada is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building diverse, inclusive, and innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, domestic partnership, genetic information (GINA), or compensation and/or wages.