Senior Environmental Specialist - Petroleum

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree with major course work in environmental science, environmental engineering, chemistry, natural science, or a related field, and three years of professional level environmental related experience; or any equivalent combination of related training and experience. Applicants within six months of meeting the education/experience requirement may be considered for trainee status.
A Valid Florida Driver License is required and a Motor Vehicle Record that meets the requirements of Alachua County policy #6-7; Motor Vehicle Records will be reviewed prior to employment. If, in the past 24-month period, the applicants Motor Vehicle Record has more than three (3) moving traffic infractions or three (3) or more at fault motor vehicle accidents (or combination of both and /or a conviction/pending charge for driving under the influence) or is in violation of any standard mandated by Federal or State Law or Regulation, the minimum qualifications are not met for the position.
Successful completion of all applicable background checks pre-hire and ongoing are required.

Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) 40 hour Certification is required within 6 months of hire into this classification and the 8 hour refresher course is required every year to maintain the certification.
This is a grant funded position. There is no guarantee of permanent employment.

Position Summary

This is a professional role providing oversight and coordinating inspections, testing, and enforcement of petroleum, air, and water pollution control ordinances, requirements, and petroleum site compliance for Alachua County.
The employee assigned to this classification is responsible for coordinating and overseeing field and laboratory activities related to petroleum monitoring and assessment, technical review of contaminated site remediation, and/or site compliance investigations.  
Work is performed under the direction of a higher-level professional supervisor and is reviewed through conferences, reports, and observation of results obtained.

Examples of Duties

This is an emergency essential classification. Upon declaration of a disaster and/or emergency, all employees in this classification are required to work.

Exudes a positive customer service focus.

Advocates building organizational culture through aligning decisions with the County's core values.

Conducts and oversees field collection of samples, data, and/or observations for environmental analysis, evaluates data, prepares reports, and recommendations. 

Coordinates with other agencies and municipalities on inquiries and code requirements.

May oversee and coordinate the activities of contractors, including determining work procedures and schedules; issuing instructions and assigning duties; and reviewing work orders.

Provides guidance, oversight, and enforcement of federal, state, and local environmental regulations.

Prepares reports and recommendations.

Designs and establishes environmental monitoring programs as needed.

Testifies, as needed, at administrative hearings and/or court as a technical witness and/or to support enforcement actions.

Operates, as required, motor vehicles (including departmental motor vehicles) in order to conduct job duties that include field tests, inspections, evaluations, and investigations to obtain data for use in determining code compliance, sources of, and methods for controlling environmental pollutants, performing on-site evaluations, and other site monitoring as appropriate.
Performs the duties listed, as well as those assigned, with professionalism and a sense of urgency.

In addition to duties above:

Petroleum Restoration Program :Provides oversight and management of work conducted at petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated sites under the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Petroleum Restoration Program.
Provides technical and fiscal oversight of assessment and remediation activities.
Develops effective scopes of work and purchase orders, and reviews invoices for quality and completeness of work performed or goods and service provided by contractors and vendors.
Reviews deliverables, technical documents, and invoices for accuracy and completeness, issues comments and approval letters, and updates County and State project tracking databases and document repositories. 
Conducts field, installation, and operation & maintenance inspections.
Storage Tanks Compliance Program:Conducts petroleum storage tanks inspections under the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Storage Tanks Compliance Verification Program, including but not limited to routine compliance, installation, closure, discharge, non-compliance, and complaint inspections. Records inspection results in the State's Florida Inspection Reporting Storage Tanks (FIRST) online database, produces inspection reports, and issues in compliance, compliance assistance offer, and return to compliance letters.
Communicates with facility owners/operators, compliance contractors, and certified pollutant storage system contractors to schedule and conduct annual compliance inspections and coordinate installation and closure inspections.

NOTE: These examples are intended only as illustrations of the various kinds of work performed in positions allocated to this class. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Thorough knowledge of the technical methods and procedures involved in the administration of environmental regulations, programs and policies. This includes technical methods and procedures involved in petroleum cleanup, and air and water monitoring.
Considerable knowledge of environmental sampling procedures and equipment.

Knowledge of local, state, and federal rules, regulations, and ordinances related to environmental protection. 

Knowledge of applicable statutes, rules, regulations, program policies, technical guidance, and memoranda. 

Knowledge of state-approved storage tank system equipment, installation specifications, and closure procedures.

Knowledge of word processing, data management programs, and Geographic Information Systems software.

Skill in the operation of motor vehicles.

Ability to apply engineering and scientific principles and methods.

Ability to effectively oversee and coordinate the activities of contractors. 

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Ability to create concise, clear, and succinct technical reports.

Ability to research technical problems, formulate recommendations, and compile related reports.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, the general public, and other County agencies.


PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and smell.
The employee must regularly move and/or lift up to 10 pounds and occasionally assist with lifting and/or moving up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals.
The employee may be required to work in the field under inclement weather and challenging conditions, primarily at active or decommissioned gas stations. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

An organization is only as good as the people it employs. To attract and retain the best team possible, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners offers a competitive benefit program. We believe that if we expect our employees to support the County, we must first support the health and financial well-being of our employees and their families, now and as they plan for their future. BoCC-Contributed Benefits

• Medical/Health Insurance  
• Employee Life Insurance  
• Florida Retirement System  
• Employee Assistance Program

Optional Benefits

• Dental Insurance  
• Vision Insurance
• Supplemental & Dependent Life Insurance
• Deferred Retirement Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Roth IRA
• Tuition Assistance Program  

NOTE: For detailed information regarding available benefits click here.

You may also view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding benefits. 

• FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM (FRS) The Florida Retirement System is a retirement plan designed to provide an income to a vested employee and his/her family when the employee retires, becomes partially or totally disabled, or dies prior to retirement.  A defined benefit or defined contribution option may be chosen by the employee.
• TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Permanent, full-time employees are eligible for educational assistance funds. Contact the Human Resources Office for program details.
• HOLIDAYS Holidays are as follows: 

1. New Years Day  
2. Martin Luther King Day  
3. Memorial Day  
4. Juneteenth
5. Independence Day  
6. Labor Day  
7. Veterans' Day  
8. Thanksgiving Day  
9. Friday following Thanksgiving  
10. Christmas Eve (IAFF*)  
11. Christmas Day  
12. Additional Christmas Holiday (All non-IAFF employees)  
13. 2 Floating Holidays  (All non- IAFF employees)

*IAFF – International Association of Firefighters Pay periods are every two weeks, Monday through Sunday. Payday is Friday. International Association of Firefighters follow the General Contract 7k regarding holidays.

Vacation Leave – Generous vacation accrual rates with payout of unused accrued leave, with some restrictions. For more detailed information regarding vacation leave refer to Employee Policy Manual, Section 7-2.

Sick leave is earned at a rate of 4 hours per pay period by all permanent, full-time employees*. At the end of each fiscal year, eligible employees can convert up to 10 days of accrued sick leave to vacation leave on a 2:1 basis. For more detailed information regarding sick leave refer to Employee Policy Manual, Section 7-3 *Accruals slightly different for IAFF employee.

$64,875.20 Annually