ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST 3

Job Summary The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Quality Planning, is seeking qualified applicants for an Environmental Scientist 3 position in Carson City. This position is in the Standards, Assessment, and Monitoring Branch. The Branch is responsible for monitoring surface water quality, assessing and reporting surface water quality, and developing Standards to Protect Designated Uses on surface waters of the State. Specific duties include conducting chemical, physical, and biological monitoring of surface water throughout the State according to established quality assurance/quality control protocols. Travel for fieldwork can be multi‑day as sampling locations are often remote. Working conditions may be variable, including changing weather, exposure to wildlife, and traveling long distances through rugged terrain by 4WD and/or hiking. Incumbent is required to operate and perform sampling in watercraft during lake and reservoir sampling. Additional duties include reviewing water quality standards and drafting regulatory petitions to add or revise existing surface water quality standards; assessing Nevada’s surface waters to determine support of beneficial uses and development of Nevada’s 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report; analyzing data and writing technical reports to support regulation changes; conducting data analysis and preparing various reports and technical papers required under the Clean Water Act; and other duties as assigned. Incumbent is required to work with computers, databases, spreadsheets, GIS, and perform data analysis. 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 three years of professional environmental experience involving environmental program research and planning; OR graduation from high school or equivalent and five years of professional environmental experience as described above; OR one year of experience as an Environmental Scientist 2 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 work‑plans, budgets and applications using federal and State policies and procedures; negotiate commitments with federal, State and local agencies; solicit project proposals; negotiate work‑plans 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 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 are primarily responsible for the complex planning, enforcement, contract coordination, pollution prevention, monitoring and/or permitting functions within a program area (e.g., air pollution) and may provide work direction to lower‑level staff. Incumbents perform work assignments independently and are accountable for the final work product; work is reviewed through progress reports and meetings and as the need arises when unusual circumstances occur. Perform related duties as assigned. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Working knowledge of: legal procedures related to the enforcement of pollution control, if applicable to the position; EPA and other federal and State grant requirements. Ability to: effectively communicate technical, scientific, environmental, regulatory and legal information verbally and in writing to subordinates, individuals and groups with varying backgrounds; evaluate potential radiological, chemical and/or biological hazards and determine proper actions to safeguard individual and public safety; recognize existing or potential problems which require communication to higher level management; act as a lead worker to organize, oversee and delegate work responsibilities; independently establish priorities which accurately reflect the relative importance of job responsibilities; interpret and enforce department and division policies and rules; draft complete, accurate and legally defensible enforcement/mitigation action and programmatic documents and effectively implement enforcement/mitigation action procedures; negotiate with the regulated and natural resource community to ensure compliance and resolve issues; analyze complex data and apply concepts to difficult problems. Recruiter Contact Information Recruiter Contact Information: Susan Ashley – View email address on click.appcast.io 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. Benefits Health Insurance: Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance programs for employees and their dependents/family are offered through the Public Employees’ Benefits Program (PEBP). Vacation: Accrual of three weeks of annual leave each year. Sick Leave: Accrual of three weeks of sick leave each year. Holidays: 12 paid holidays per year. Retirement: Participation in the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). Employees do not contribute to Social Security but will contribute to PERS if their position is at 50% or more full‑time equivalency. For more information on how PERS service may impact Social Security benefits, visit the SSA publication. Deferred Compensation: The State offers a voluntary Deferred Compensation Program. No Nevada state income tax. Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Eligible due to public sector employment. Longevity Payments Eligibility: Employees who have received a performance rating of “standard” or better and have completed eight (8) or more years of continuous service are eligible for longevity pay. Additional benefits may apply to employees covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), depending on their designated bargaining unit. For more information, visit the Labor Relations Unit (LRU). For more details about your rights and responsibilities as a State of Nevada employee, please review the State of Nevada Employee Handbook (PDF). Please send direct inquiries or correspondence to the recruiter listed on this announcement. #J-18808-Ljbffr