Environmental Program Consultant

State of North Carolina • Raleigh, NC

2d • $63,927 - $78,967 • Hybrid

About The Position

The primary mission of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is to provide science-based environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the lead stewardship agency for the protection of North Carolina's environmental resources. The organization, which has offices from the mountains to the coast, administers regulatory programs designed to protect air quality, water quality, and the public's health, and works to advance in all-of-the-above energy strategy that fits North Carolina's needs. DEQ also offers technical assistance to businesses, farmers, local governments, and the public and encourages responsible behavior with respect to the environment through education programs provided at DEQ facilities and through the state's school system. DEQ touches the lives of all North Carolinians in many ways to enhance and ensure our quality of life.

The primary purpose of this position is to oversee and manage the UST Permitting unit and serve as the UST Section’s Enforcement Coordinator. This position supervises a team of administrative support specialists and provides program leadership and technical guidance in the areas of permitting, registration, invoicing, to ensure the proper enforcement of UST federal and state regulations. This position also provides technical assistance and subject matter expertise to other teams within the UST section, such as UST Permits and Inspections staff, as identified or assigned. As Enforcement Coordinator, this position leads the development, review, and preparation of enforcement cases resulting from compliance inspections. It provides expert guidance to staff, attorneys, consultants, and responsible parties; verifies case documentation; determines responsible parties; prepares civil penalty assessments and related correspondence; and coordinates with the Attorney General’s Office on contested cases and collection matters. This position provides customer service to internal and external stakeholders, and regularly interacts with internal staff, regulated entities, external consultants, and the general public. Although primarily office-based, this position is required to perform routine field visits to maintain adequate knowledge program rules, processes and regulations to ensure accuracy and consistency in permitting and enforcement decisions.

Requirements

• Master's degree in one of the agricultural, biological, engineering, environmental or natural resource sciences or a closely related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of experience related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a group of administrative specialists and oversee UST permitting, registration, tank fee invoicing, and workflow development, including final approval of complex permitting decisions.
• Serve as the program’s permitting expert by providing staff guidance, establishing standards, and developing informational and procedural materials.
• Lead and coordinate UST enforcement activities, including case prioritization, performance evaluation, development of improvements, and collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office.
• Manage enforcement documentation, ensure consistency in practices, maintain the enforcement database, and develop defensible cases, civil penalty documents, remission materials, and related correspondence.
• Provide technical support and customer service to internal staff, regulated entities, attorneys, consultants, and the public, including developing guidance materials and delivering training.

Benefits

• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Comprehensive benefits, including a variety of leave options, professional development opportunities, insurance, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level