ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST I - 64061189

State of Florida • LAKE WALES, FL

54d • $36,000 - $42,000 • Onsite

About The Position

This professional and technical position works in the Stationary Tanks Inspection Program of the Environmental Health Division and is responsible to the Environmental Manager. The program’s central function is completing the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) storage-tank compliance verification contract. The role requires knowledge of regulated storage-tank construction and operation, the ability to document field observations, and the ability to review and interpret environmental records and data, along with familiarity with Florida Administrative Code Chapters 62-761 and 62-762, DEP contract requirements, and Polk CHD policies.

Under the direction of the Environmental Supervisor II, the incumbent performs routine compliance inspections of regulated storage-tank facilities. Duties include inspecting system conditions, checking leak or discharge risks and release-detection equipment and procedures, reviewing facility records, identifying and citing noncompliance, taking contract-required photographs, guiding facility owner-operators, conducting follow-up, and preparing inspection reports and correspondence within required timeframes.

The position tracks cited violations, particularly Significant Non-Compliance items, and pursues corrective action. The incumbent documents follow-up contacts, reviews submitted records, reinspects completed repairs, and refers facilities with unresolved SNC violations to the DEP Southwest District by the contract’s 90-day deadline. Other field work includes installation inspections, closure inspections, discharge inspections, and complaint investigations. Additional assignments may include enforcement-case support, closure assessment review, issuing SAR letters and other correspondence, plan review, responding to information requests, assisting with program vehicles and equipment, and attending meetings and training.

The position may serve clients who speak Spanish, Creole, or other languages and may require interpreter duties if bilingual or implementation of the Department’s Limited English Proficiency Plan. The incumbent may be called to emergency duty before, during, or beyond normal work hours or days, including work in special-needs or Red Cross shelters or other disaster-response duties. The position may involve access to records containing Social Security numbers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a major in a physical or natural science or engineering.
• Two years of professional experience in environmental protection, regulation or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; or engineering.
• Knowledge of environmental field work.
• Knowledge of standard written English, including spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
• Ability to organize files and records.
• Ability to work effectively with the general public.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and schedule work assignments.
• Knowledge of the construction, operation, inspection, or maintenance of mechanical systems.
• Knowledge of personal-computer operation or coursework in personal-computer operation.
• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree and at least 30 semester or 40 quarter hours in environmental health, environmental science, a physical or biological science, or public health are required to qualify for certification if certification is required for Food Protection, OSTDS, or both programs.
• OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER certification and annual 8-hour recertification as required by the DEP contract.
• Valid Florida Class E Driver’s License.
• Ability to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English.
• May be required to complete certification under Florida Statutes 381.0101 for Food Protection, Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS), or both.
• May be required to work emergency duty before, during, or beyond normal work hours or days.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine compliance inspections of regulated storage-tank facilities under the program supervisor’s direction.
• Inspect storage-tank conditions, check for potential leaks or discharges, verify release-detection equipment and procedures, and review facility records.
• Identify and cite noncompliance, document inspections with photographs, provide on-site instruction to facility owner-operators, conduct follow-up, and prepare reports and correspondence.
• Track violations, especially Significant Non-Compliance items; document follow-up contacts, review corrective-action documentation, and reinspect completed repairs.
• Refer facilities with unresolved Significant Non-Compliance violations to the DEP Southwest District by the contract’s 90-day deadline.
• Inspect installation of new regulated storage-tank systems or components and document findings in photographs, reports, and correspondence.
• Inspect closure or removal of regulated storage-tank systems or components and document findings in photographs, reports, and correspondence.
• Perform discharge inspections and complaint investigations; assist with enforcement cases, closure assessment reviews, SAR letters, plan reviews, and information requests as assigned.
• Assist with maintenance of program vehicles and equipment and attend meetings and training sessions.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the program supervisor.
• If applicable, perform interpreter duties or implement the Department’s Limited English Proficiency Plan.
• Perform emergency duties as required, including shelter or disaster-response work.

Benefits

• Annual and sick leave
• Nine paid holidays and one personal holiday each year
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance
• Retirement plan options with employer contributions
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

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