Environmental Scientist 3

State of Nevada • Reno, NV

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This recruitment is for an Environmental Scientist 3 (ES3) position as a Mine Compliance Inspector located in Reno. This ES3 position will be within the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation, Compliance Branch program. The Compliance Branch is responsible for compliance and enforcement of Water Pollution Control Permits for mining facilities to ensure protection of waters of the State. Mine Compliance Inspectors conduct regulatory inspections of mining facilities to determine compliance with operating plans, water pollution control permit requirements and regulations. In addition, the Compliance Inspector reviews and assesses mine quarterly monitoring reports, investigates spill reports, release reports and permit deviations. The position initiates formal enforcement and corrective actions to achieve compliance based off field observations and report review. The position works with the permit writers, permittees, local, State, and Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, the Closure Branch, Regulation Branch, Reclamation Branch and Hydrology Branch and the general public to ensure that their respective concerns related to the water pollution control permitting program are addressed. A valid driver’s license is required to legally drive State vehicle for site inspections. In order to gain access into mine site inspections, the position requires 24 hr mine safety training (MSHA) provided by the State upon being hired. Environmental Scientists perform program research, planning and development, permitting, compliance monitoring, inspections/enforcement, and technical support services in relation to air, water, federal facilities, corrective action, mining, biology and waste environmental programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the physical, natural resource or life sciences, engineering or closely related field and three years of professional environmental experience which involved environmental program research and planning; OR graduation from high school or equivalent and five years of professional environmental experience as described above; OR one year of experience as an Environmental Scientist 2 in Nevada State service; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience as described above.
• A valid driver’s license is required to legally drive State vehicle for site inspections.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical, scientific, environmental, regulatory and legal information verbally and in writing to subordinates, individuals and groups with varying backgrounds.
• Ability to evaluate potential radiological, chemical and/or biological hazards and determine proper actions to safeguard individual and public safety.
• Ability to recognize existing or potential problems which require communication to higher level management.
• Ability to act as a lead worker to organize, oversee and delegate work responsibilities.
• Ability to independently establish priorities which accurately reflect the relative importance of job responsibilities.
• Ability to interpret and enforce department and division policies and rules.
• Ability to draft complete, accurate and legally defensible enforcement/mitigation action and programmatic documents and effectively implement enforcement/mitigation action procedures.
• Ability to negotiate with the regulated and natural resource community to ensure compliance and resolve issues.
• Ability to analyze complex data and apply concepts to difficult problems.

Nice To Haves

• 24 hr mine safety training (MSHA) provided by the State upon being hired.

Responsibilities

• Develop program documents such as the annual program plan, quarterly activities report, environmental assessments, technical reports and environmental impact statements in accordance with federal and State requirements; review existing program standards; research, compile and verify available data; analyze data and trends including the projected impact of federal, State and local regulations; propose new or revised standards; develop regulations, procedures and protocols and draft legislation; provide information and technical assistance to the general public and regulated community; develop and provide training to staff and the regulated community; prepare various reports as required for planning or in response to requests from the legislature, general public, regulated community, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) administration; conduct public hearings; justify with fact sheets and discussion as required.
• Conduct research through the use of technical, scientific and historical data to provide a tool for administrative and resource planning and decision making; coordinate with other agencies involved in the implementation of environmental programs; represent the division or agency at various meetings involving federal, State and local regulatory and resource agencies, the public, non-governmental organizations and the regulated community; participate in federal, State and local policy and regulation development.
• Develop grant applications, proposals for performance, grant workplans, budgets and applications using federal and State policies and procedures; negotiate commitments with federal, State and local agencies; solicit project proposals; negotiate workplans and draft contract documents and required amendments; monitor grant performance, expenditures and contracts.
• Develop and draft permits for industry and governmental entities; compile facility data; examine and adapt the permit to applicable standards; establish limitations; review permits for regulatory compliance; perform public permit notification and final permit issuance.
• Perform compliance monitoring; analyze submitted environmental reports in relation to technical, scientific and legal criteria and make recommendations to ensure compliance; take periodic samples according to established protocol and transport to appropriate laboratories; operate various monitoring equipment; evaluate new and existing sample sites for usefulness.
• Respond to environmental complaints through investigation, determination of complaint validity and determination of appropriate action to be taken.
• Conduct inspections to ensure compliance with federal, State and local regulations; inspect pollution control equipment; take or observe others taking samples; determine whether violations are occurring; make a detailed report and recommendation to the appropriate entity; determine appropriate enforcement action to be initiated; prepare notices of violation; meet with the regulated community, potentially responsible parties and attorneys to present findings and negotiate resolutions, administrative settlements and civil penalties; give depositions, testify in court as required and serve as the State's expert witness in lawsuits and other court matters.
• Perform various technical services required to carry out any of the above-mentioned duties, including calculating pollutant concentrations, calibrating a variety of sampling equipment and preparing monitoring sites.
• Input and access data to and from a national data system maintained by the EPA in accordance with federal grant requirements; perform computer modeling using computer programs to manipulate data; evaluate environmental data and make decisions based on this information.
• Incumbents are primarily responsible for the complex planning, enforcement, contract coordination, pollution prevention, monitoring and/or permitting functions within a program area (e.g., air pollution) and may provide work direction to lower-level staff.
• Incumbents perform work assignments independently and are accountable for the final work product; work is reviewed through progress reports and meetings and as the need arises when unusual circumstances occur.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The State of Nevada is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building diverse, inclusive, and innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, national origin, religion or belief, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, domestic partnership, genetic information (GINA), or compensation and/or wages.

What This Job Offers

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