Environmental or Senior Environmental Scientist

Metropolitan Council•Metro Plant - 2400 Childs Rd. St. Paul MN 55106, MN

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) division is accepting applications for one (1) full-time Environmental Scientist OR one (1) full-time Senior Environmental Scientist. The Environmental Scientist/Senior Environmental Scientist will support and lead key environmental compliance programs for Environmental Services (ES) at a time when wastewater regulations are changing quickly. This role ensures current and future compliance by developing and implementing practical program strategies; managing permits and regulatory obligations; and working directly with plant operations, engineering, and field staff to build compliance into daily work. The position includes preparing and submitting required plans and reports; conducting field verification and site coordination; and developing tools and guidance that strengthen our Compliance Management System and data-driven decision making. The person in this role tracks and interprets new regulatory developments, helps the organization plan for future limits and treatment needs, and represents ES in discussions with regulatory agencies and regional partners. Candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin. T his posting will create a six-month eligibility list for current and future openings.

Requirements

Environmental Scientist: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or related scientific field OR Associate’s degree in biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or other related environmental, health and safety degrees and four (4) years of professional-level experience in a scientific field related to the position OR High School diploma or GED and six (6) years of experience in professional-level experience in a scientific field related to the position.
Senior Environmental Scientist: Master’s degree Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences or related scientific field OR Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences or related degree and two (2) years of professional level experience in a scientific field related to the position OR Associates degree in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, or other related environmental, health and safety degree and six (6) years of professional-level experience in a scientific field related to the position OR High School diploma or GED and eight (8) years of experience in professional-level experience in a scientific field related to the position.

Nice To Haves

Experience building strong working relationships with field, engineering, and leadership, demonstrating a People First approach and supporting an active field partnership.
Ability to interpret and translate complex or emerging regulations into clear, practical guidance that supports adaptive and data-driven compliance.
Experience managing or supporting major environmental programs: such as NPDES, stormwater, SPCC, hazardous waste, or biosolids; with the ability to develop forward-looking permit and regulatory strategies.
Comfort working in a field where requirements change, showing flexibility, curiosity, and problem-solving skills aligned with adapting to change and continuous improvement.
Skill in evaluating environmental and operational data, including using trends, KPIs, or monitoring results to assess compliance status, identify risk, and support decision-making.
Experience contributing to compliance systems or EHS software by helping define practical workflows, documenting processes, and using digital tools to improve program clarity and transparency.
Strong technical writing skills for preparing and editing permits, reports, procedures, and regulatory correspondence, with the ability to communicate clearly across technical and non-technical audiences.
Ability to work effectively across business units and with external regulators in a collaborative, respectful, and solution-focused manner consistent with Working Together.
Knowledge of environmental field monitoring and compliance verification procedures, including how to assess permit conditions on-site at wastewater treatment facilities.
Knowledge of wastewater operations, including basic wastewater treatment principles, processes, equipment, and flow from influent to effluent.
Working knowledge of NPDES, stormwater, and biosolids permit requirements and regulations, such as SWPPPs, monthly stormwater inspections, conditional limits, compliance schedules, and notification and reporting requirements.
Ability to identify and troubleshoot issues that deviate from SOPs, permit requirements, or expected operating conditions, and communicate recommended actions.
Ability to analyze environmental and operational data using calculations, graphs, trend evaluations, and tabulations to determine compliance status or emerging risks.
Ability to meet required regulatory deadlines, including recurring reports, permit submissions, routine inspections, and time-sensitive compliance tasks.
Ability to manage multiple programs and tasks simultaneously, with skill in prioritizing and organizing work activities in a complex, operational environment.

Responsibilities

Lead and support major environmental compliance programs: including NPDES, biosolids, tank storage, air quality, hazardous waste, remediation, groundwater, watershed, and stormwater programs, and ensure assigned programs and tasks meet all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
Develop and support permit strategies, including modifications, renewals, and early planning for regulatory changes.
Work directly with treatment plant operations, maintenance, engineering, and field staff to integrate compliance into daily work and verify conditions on-site.
Prepare, review, and submit accurate compliance reports, plans, permits, and regulatory correspondence, maintaining complete, well-organized, and accessible documentation in accordance with regulatory requirements, information equity principles, and applicable records retention schedules.
Conduct compliance assessments and on-site verifications, identifying issues early and ensuring corrective actions are practical, timely, and aligned with operational needs.
Monitor, interpret, and translate emerging regulations into clear, actionable requirements for Environmental Services.
Provide technical guidance and regulatory interpretation to support operational decisions, capital planning, and strategic initiatives across all facilities.
Contribute to the development and improvement of the Compliance Management System and related tools, including the new Origami platform, by helping translate program needs into practical workflows and using system data for trend analysis, KPIs, and evaluating program health.
Analyze environmental monitoring and operational data to evaluate compliance status, identify trends, and support risk assessments and long-range planning.
Represent Environmental Services to regulatory agencies during inspections, permit discussions, and technical exchanges, ensuring accurate and transparent communication.
Prepare and present technical information to internal teams, leadership, regulators, and external partners in formats that support clear decision making.
Support organizational prioritization by simplifying complex regulatory requirements, evaluating actual risk, and helping the team focus resources on the issues that matter most.