Code Specialist III

Fairfax County (VA) • Fairfax, VA

36d • $83,010 - $138,350

About The Position

Join Fairfax County and make a real difference! As a part The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), Wastewater Management (WWM) supports the mission and vision to create and preserve a sustainable community to protect the environment and public health of residents of Fairfax County. The Wastewater Planning & Monitoring Division (WPMD) seeks a senior-level regulatory code specialist to lead elements of its industrial waste pretreatment program, a state and federally mandated regulatory program. This position provides expert programmatic and technical leadership to support continuous improvement of the pretreatment program to protect the publicly owned treatment works (POTW) and the environment. Duties of this position are performed under the general supervision of the pretreatment manager and include: Program Supervision and Leadership: Oversees the execution of the county's state-approved pretreatment program, including permitting, monitoring, inspections, compliance assessments, and enforcement. Manages specialized initiatives like fats, oils, and grease (FOG) management, hauled wastewater disposal, reclaimed water inspections, water quality monitoring, and illicit discharge investigations. Technical Expertise and Stakeholder Collaboration: Serves as a technical expert on pretreatment regulations, policies, and compliance, while providing guidance to stakeholders and coordinating cross-agency initiatives. Supervises, mentors and trains code specialists and interns. Compliance and Enforcement: Ensures adherence to state, federal, and local regulations through inspections, monitoring, legal enforcement, and compliance education. Supports enforcement actions and develops compliance strategies, policies, and cost recovery mechanisms. Data and Program Administration: Manages cost recovery processes and monitor program performance data to optimize pretreatment program services and identify improvements. Develops fees and surcharges aligned with wastewater characteristics and county codes. Safety Leadership and Emergency Preparedness: Promotes and adheres to workplace safety guidelines, while training staff on safety procedures and compliance with regulations. Acts as essential personnel during emergencies, ensuring uninterrupted sewer services. Leads emergency field responses and provide emergency operations training. Wastewater Management is part of the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), please visit us here to learn more about us. DPWES is a diverse, nationally accredited and award-winning public works agency with approximately 1,000 employees providing solid waste, capital facility development, wastewater, stormwater, urban forestry, and land acquisition management services for the most populous county in Virginia. Join our team to help us protect the environment and serve the people of Fairfax County by creating and preserving a sustainable community that is an ideal place to live, work, and play for everyone.

Requirements

• Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with a bachelor's degree in a field of study directly related to the industry being regulated such as engineering, architecture, urban planning, biological or environmental science, public administration, law enforcement, legal studies or a related field; plus four years of progressively more responsible complaint resolution and/or code enforcement experience in the industry being regulated.
• Valid driver's license.
• The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, driving record check, and a medical examination to the satisfaction of the employer prior to appointment.
• The ability to lead teams performing diverse technical and regulatory tasks.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• The willingness to perform sampling and analyses in outdoor and laboratory settings of wastewater and related matrices.
• Ability to create and maintain positive relationships with diverse stakeholders

Nice To Haves

• Three or more years' experience in each of the following:
• Applying pretreatment program regulations including Fairfax County Code Chapter 67.1 and relevant state and federal regulations.
• Wastewater monitoring, compliance assessment, and enforcement of pretreatment regulations.
• Supervising and leading regulatory programs and projects relevant to wastewater management or pretreatment.
• Communicating technical, and occasionally controversial, information to diverse stakeholder groups both orally and in writing.
• Identifying, proposing, and executing initiatives to improve program performance.
• Using spreadsheets, databases, geographical information systems (GIS), or similar programs, to inform data-driven decision making relevant to wastewater management or pretreatment.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the execution of the county's state-approved pretreatment program, including permitting, monitoring, inspections, compliance assessments, and enforcement.
• Manages specialized initiatives like fats, oils, and grease (FOG) management, hauled wastewater disposal, reclaimed water inspections, water quality monitoring, and illicit discharge investigations.
• Serves as a technical expert on pretreatment regulations, policies, and compliance, while providing guidance to stakeholders and coordinating cross-agency initiatives.
• Supervises, mentors and trains code specialists and interns.
• Ensures adherence to state, federal, and local regulations through inspections, monitoring, legal enforcement, and compliance education.
• Supports enforcement actions and develops compliance strategies, policies, and cost recovery mechanisms.
• Manages cost recovery processes and monitor program performance data to optimize pretreatment program services and identify improvements.
• Develops fees and surcharges aligned with wastewater characteristics and county codes.
• Promotes and adheres to workplace safety guidelines, while training staff on safety procedures and compliance with regulations.
• Acts as essential personnel during emergencies, ensuring uninterrupted sewer services.
• Leads emergency field responses and provide emergency operations training.

Benefits

• Fairfax County Government is committed to our employees, and offers comprehensive benefits, including a defined-benefit retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; paid leave; tuition reimbursement; and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Through our LiveWell Program and the County Benefits Division, we endeavor to cultivate a culture of wellbeing that empowers, educates, and engages employees and retirees to make life-long choices that promote a holistic approach to their physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial wellness.
• Benefits
• Retirement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support