Wastewater Operator Certification Assistant (Office Specialist 2)

Wastewater Operator Certification Assistant (Office Specialist 2)

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, or physical or mental disability in the administration of our programs and activities. Visit DEQ's Civil Rights and Environmental Justice page.

Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon's environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon's air, land, and water.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Wastewater Operator Certification Assistant (Office Specialist 2) in Portland, Oregon. Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency's mission to protect and improve Oregon's environmental quality.

About DEQ!

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources.

The Water Quality Division has a critical role in achieving the Department's mission by developing policy, implementation tools, and implementation priorities for improving and protecting the quality of water in Oregon's waterways. The Water Quality Division works cooperatively with the Department's three regional offices and the Laboratory to deliver programs and services that protect and enhance the quality of the waters of the state to protect public health and the environment.

This position sits within DEQ's Northwest Region's Water Quality Source Control section. Regions provide the following services: compliance inspection of regulated entities; enforcement of permit requirements and administrative rules; issuance of air, water, and solid waste permits; investigation of complaints; issuance of subsurface permits in counties; response to spills or other incidents with environmental impacts; direct contact and liaison with other governmental entities, industries, and the public; and technical assistance to regulated entities and the public.

For a visual representation of DEQ's offices and their locations, view our DEQ Offices and Vehicle Inspection Testing Stations map.

What you will do!

You will review new applications and process renewal certificates for wastewater certificates. This includes first-tier review of incoming applications, response to phone and email inquiries from the public about the operator certification program, and creation of various written communication products. You will often be the first point of contact to the public, which includes responding to inquiries in the program's shared email inbox and working within Your DEQ Online (YDO).

What's in it for you!

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! DEQ cares deeply about employee wellness and benefits. We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon's environment, apply today!

This is a full-time, AFSCME represented position.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Qualifications: 2 years of general clerical experience that included keyboarding, word processing, and generating documents, OR an Associate's degree.

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following desired attributes:

• Demonstrated experience and personal commitment to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive culture where all team members feel empowered to contribute.
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 and Office products: Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, and Access.
• Familiarity with business connectivity software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom or other similar software.
• Experience using standard office equipment such as desktop and laptop computers, printers, copiers, scanners, video equipment, etc.
• Experience with databases, including entering data, running reports, and maintaining data integrity; familiarity with various DEQ Databases such as YDO, JIRA, etc.
• Demonstrated customer service skills; ability to act professionally and courteously with internal and external individuals, including coworkers, managers, other staff, and members of the public in-person, via e-mail, and via phone.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with an ability to switch priorities or projects seamlessly; high aptitude for learning new things and an ability to pay attention to detail.
• Experience with records management; experience maintaining electronic and hard-copy files; experience using software for records management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills.
• Experience researching, analyzing, and interpreting data, laws, policies, and procedures, and providing guidance on them to the general public.

Working Conditions:

DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.

This position will be based out of DEQ's Northwest Region office in Portland; however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

This position requires occasional off-site travel for meetings, presentations, trainings, and public hearings, some of which may involve extended work hours, overnight stays, and/or weekend work.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the "Apply" button and submit your application. For resources and support related to applying, view our External Candidate job aid and Workday Recruitment for External Job Applicants video.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account. For step-by-step resources on how to apply, review the Jobs, search & apply knowledge article.

Helpful Tips:

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Help Your Application Rise to the Top!

Your application materials are the perfect opportunity to highlight your interest in the position and showcase your amazing skills and experience. In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the "What are we looking for?" section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials.

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Veterans Information:

DEQ provides candidate preference points to all eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former). For more information on candidate preference, please visit Veterans Resources. For privacy reasons, please do not attach candidate preference documents when initially applying. Instead, you will be asked to submit those at a later time as part of a future task in Workday.

Equal Pay Analysis:

As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the