Environmental Engineer - Solid Waste
About The Position
The Solid Waste Section of Utah’s Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control is seeking an engineer with a background in soil mechanics and hydrogeology, an aptitude for applying environmental regulations, and strong customer service skills. The position serves as the State’s permitting lead for coal combustion residuals (CCR) facilities and conducts construction engineering and groundwater protection reviews for other solid waste facilities statewide. The role includes technical evaluations and serving as an initial point of contact for facility owners and operators. The engineer guides applicants through rules, application checklists, and online permitting processes to help achieve complete applications and efficient regulatory review. The position may be filled as an Environmental Engineer I, II, or III, with salary depending on the level offered. Most work is performed in a professional office setting. Occasional field investigations (less than 10%) may involve walking on uneven terrain at landfills or outdoor sites, enduring outdoor weather conditions, and wearing standard personal protective equipment. The position is hybrid and based in Salt Lake City, Utah. A criminal history check is required.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering, Civil/Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related accredited engineering discipline.
- Current Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification, a passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, or demonstrated ability to obtain certification within 12 months of hire.
- Working knowledge of soil mechanics, including permeability, compaction, and slope stability; hydrogeology, including groundwater flow, aquifer hydraulics, and well design; and basic environmental chemistry.
- Ability to review and evaluate technical reports, engineering drawings, calculations, and specifications for compliance with environmental standards and design criteria.
- Ability to read, interpret, and apply federal and state environmental laws and administrative rules.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to draft permit conditions, review letters, and regulatory decisions and explain technical requirements to facility owners, consulting engineers, and the public.
- Valid driver’s license for occasional site inspections and facility visits statewide.
Nice To Haves
- Active Professional Engineer (PE) licensure in Utah, or ability to obtain it within 12 months; a current EIT certification is also identified as preferred.
- Two or more years of professional experience designing, reviewing, or constructing waste containment systems, such as compacted clay liners, geomembranes, geosynthetic clay liners, leachate collection systems, or final cover systems.
- Experience evaluating outputs or applying hydrogeologic modeling and analytical tools, such as HELP, MODFLOW, MT3D, or analytical solute transport models, to evaluate contaminant migration or justify alternative design standards.
- Experience reviewing groundwater monitoring network designs, statistical groundwater quality data, contaminant release characterization reports, and corrective action remedy evaluations.
- Experience preparing, reviewing, or administering solid waste permits, industrial discharge permits, CCR compliance documents, or similar environmental regulatory approvals.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate engineering calculations, plans, and technical specifications for landfill cell liners, cover systems, and groundwater monitoring networks, including alternative designs and exemption demonstrations.
- Review groundwater monitoring network designs, statistical monitoring reports, contaminant fate and transport modeling, and hydrogeologic evaluations used to justify exemptions or alternative standards.
- Evaluate contaminant release characterization reports, assessment monitoring data, and proposed corrective action remedies to protect soil and groundwater resources.
- Serve as the primary regulatory lead for application review, drafting, and administration of permits for coal combustion residuals (CCR) facilities across Utah.
- Lead pre-permitting completeness meetings with facility owners, consulting engineers, and operators.
- Assist applicants with regulatory requirements and draft defensible formal correspondence and director approvals.
- Conduct occasional site inspections and facility visits statewide.
Benefits
- Full benefits package eligibility.
- Job stability within a well-established organization.
- Career growth and opportunities for leadership.
- Meaningful work benefiting the community and supporting organizational goals.
- Supportive work environment emphasizing cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.
- Work/life balance is described as an important element of the culture.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
