Environmental Scientist 4

Salary : $4,751.07 - $7,502.00 Monthly
Location : Baton Rouge, LA
Job Type: Promotion
Job Number: 26-104 ES 4 KS
Department: Department of Environmental Quality
Division: OEC HAZARD WASTE ENF
Opening Date: 10/20/2026
Closing Date: 10/25/2026 11:59 PM Central


About this Job
The Department of Environmental Quality/Office of Environmental Compliance has a vacancy.

Promotion - Internal Open only to current permanent employees of DEQ

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's (LDEQ) mission is to provide service to the people of Louisiana through comprehensive environmental protection in order to promote and protect health, safety and welfare.

Lead the charge in protecting our environment. We're hiring an Environmental Scientist 4 to drive complex enforcement cases, mentor fellow scientists, and ensure compliance with state environmental laws. If you're ready to apply your expertise in our waste program while shaping a cleaner future, this is your opportunity to make a real impact.
Minimum Qualifications
A bachelor's degree in an environmental, biological, atmospheric, chemical, health, nuclear or physical science field, an engineering field, a geography/geosciences field, a natural resources field, or in a statistics or quantitative methods field PLUS two years of experience in an environmental program, nuclear energy or radiation protection program; Geographic Information Systems (GIS); an environmental, analytical, or research laboratory, LIMS (Lab Integrated Management Systems), or laboratory auditing; OR

A master's degree in an environmental, biological, atmospheric, chemical, health, nuclear or physical science field, an engineering field, a geography/geosciences field, a natural resources field, or in a statistics or quantitative methods field plus one year of experience in an environmental program, nuclear energy or radiation protection program; Geographic Information Systems (GIS); an environmental, analytical, or research laboratory, LIMS (Lab Integrated Management Systems), or laboratory auditing; OR

A doctorate in an environmental, biological, atmospheric, chemical, health, nuclear or physical science field, an engineering field, a geography/geosciences field, a natural resources field, or in a statistics or quantitative methods field.

Job Specification


The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties and Other Information


Job Duties:

• Apply expertise and knowledge within the Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, Underground Storage Tanks, and Radiation Protection programs
• Review more complex referrals for technical accuracy, draft more complex enforcement actions, and monitor for compliance after the issuance of enforcement actions
• Escalate enforcement actions as needed, represent the agency in legal proceedings involving enforcement cases, and conduct enforcement meetings
• Prepare technical reports, review and evaluate technical reports from other sections within the agency and from outside sources, and respond to the regulated community
• Serve as a mentor and trainer of lower level Environmental Scientists, and manage special projects
• Represent the Enforcement Division at meetings, conferences, workshops, trainings sessions, etc.
• Carry out other activities/projects as assigned by the supervisor or manager

Position-Specific Details:
Appointment Type: Promotion - Internal Open only to current permanent employees of DEQ
Domicile : East Baton Rouge Parish

Compensation: This position offers a Special Entrance Rate (SER) listed below. This is the minimum compensation that may be offered. The job title and salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

• Environmental Scientist 4: $27.41 per hour

Overview of the five major offices within the agency: It provides information on the mission, function, and organization along with a biography for each member of management.


How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

*Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Please make every effort to attach a copy of your transcript to your application if possible (PDF format preferred). The selected candidate will be required to submit original documentation upon hire.

You must submit an equivalency evaluation statement for any international degree(s) by the closing of this announcement.
Contact Information:

For further information about this vacancy, contact:

Kierra Smith

LDEQ/OMF

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This agency participates in the E-Verify system for verification of citizenship and employment authorization.

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities. Equal Opportunity Employer.
Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.


As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:
Insurance Coverage More information can be found at


Parental Leave - Up to six weeks paid parental leave
More information can be found at


Holidays and Leave - State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

***** Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement - State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (), among others