401 Water Quality Certification Branch Manager

Environmental Engineer Team Lead

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is recruiting for an Environmental Engineer Team Lead, working title 401 Water Quality Certification Branch Manager, located in Hinds County, Mississippi. This position is responsible for managing Water Quality Certification (WQC), also known as Section 401 certification, permitting and compliance activities for the assigned branch. The incumbent will review project impacts to waters of the state, evaluate Water Quality Certification (WQC) requests, and ensure compliance with applicable state and federal water quality requirements. Duties include reviewing, interpreting, and applying laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to Section 401 Water Quality Certification. The incumbent will coordinate project reviews and certification activities with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other state and federal partners to support consistent regulatory outcomes. This position will participate in the Mitigation Bank Interagency Review Team (IRT) and evaluate mitigation proposals, monitoring plans, and related documentation. The incumbent will communicate certification requirements, determinations, timelines, and technical expectations in a clear, timely, and professional manner to applicants, consultants, partner agencies, internal staff, and agency leadership. This position directs daily branch operations, including staff supervision, workload planning, process oversight, and coordination of assigned program activities. Responsibilities also include managing contractor tasks, work orders, and invoicing to support branch needs. Additional duties include identifying and implementing program improvements to support consistent, efficient, and timely reviews. The successful candidate should possess strong technical engineering knowledge, leadership skills, communication abilities, and the ability to manage complex Water Quality Certification (WQC) and regulatory compliance activities in a professional and timely manner.

What you'll need to be successful: The successful candidate should be highly organized and able to manage complex, time-sensitive project reviews involving multiple priorities and deadlines. The candidate should possess strong technical judgment, including the ability to clearly and accurately evaluate project impacts, mitigation proposals, monitoring plans, and other project-related documentation. Strong communication skills are essential. The successful candidate should be able to work effectively with applicants, consultants, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state partners, internal staff, and agency leadership. This position requires professionalism, diplomacy, sound judgment, and the ability to work effectively on sensitive, high-profile, or controversial projects. The successful candidate should be responsive and dependable, with the ability to make timely, consistent, and defensible regulatory decisions. The candidate should also be comfortable supervising staff and managing daily branch operations, including workload planning, contractor oversight, work orders, and invoicing. The successful candidate should be a practical problem-solver who is committed to supporting staff, improving processes, promoting consistent regulatory outcomes, and advancing the agency's mission to protect water quality.

Preferred Qualifications: Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree, a valid certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer from the Mississippi State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, and 6+ years of engineering experience.