ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II - 42005794 (FOR INTERNAL AGENCY EMPLOYEES ONLY)

State of Florida • Vero Beach, FL

1d

About The Position

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST II
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL WATER POLICY
INTERNAL AGENCY OPPORTUNITY--ONLY CURRENT EMPLOYEES OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES WILL BE CONSIDERED.
CONTACT:Sheila Kitaif [phone]
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:A high school diploma or its equivalent and one (1) year of experience in environmental protection, or regulation, one of the physical or natural sciences; agriculture; or engineering; or
A high school diploma or its equivalent and six (6) months of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.
EDUCATIONAL NOTE: Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained. Foreign trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an Approved Credential Evaluation Agency.  A list of approved agencies can be viewed at “Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies, Florida Department of Education.” Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies (fldoe.org) 
ATTENTION CANDIDATES
To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:In carrying out the duties of this position, the incumbent is expected at all times to be aware of and abide by the FDACS Standards of Conduct, as well as any and all FDACS and/or work unit rules, directives, policies, procedures, and/or general orders applicable to performing the duties of this position.Occasional travel required.
NOTES:To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.
JOB DUTIES:This is a professional team-oriented intermediate level position under direction of the Biological Administrator II A – SES located in the Indian River County Office.  The Environmental Specialist II will assist in implementing Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Best Management Practices (BMP) program established by the Florida Watershed Restoration Act by working with agricultural producers to enroll, implement and verify compliance with BMPs.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or its equivalent and one (1) year of experience in environmental protection, or regulation, one of the physical or natural sciences; agriculture; or engineering; or
• A high school diploma or its equivalent and six (6) months of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida; or
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.
• Ability to access digital information and prepare documents using a personal computer with basic understanding of the internet, GIS, Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office products including Outlook scheduling.
• Knowledge of agricultural practices and techniques related to agricultural BMPs and conservation including nutrient management, irrigation management and water resource protection.
• Ability to interact with the public in a tactful and courteous manner.
• Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently to plan, organize, coordinate and complete assignments in a timely manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to conduct inspections in agricultural production areas with uneven ground.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Conduct BMP enrollments with agricultural producers using commodity specific manuals, checklists and other tools according to the Enrollment Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
• Perform on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations to identify and implement applicable BMPs and conservation practices.
• Effectively communicate the producer’s obligation under the BMP program as defined by FS 403.067, FAC 5M-1 and any other site-specific statutes and rules.
• Duties include identifying applicable projects and practices for cost share and implementation.
• Assist with conducting Implementation Verification (IV) site visits every 2 years for enrolled producers according to the IV SOP, as assigned by supervisor.
• An IV includes performing on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations to confirm compliance with their site specific BMPs as established during the enrollment and updating enrollment to reflect changes in the operation.
• This process requires analysis of fertilizer records for compliance with University of Florida-IFAS (UF-IFAS) nutrient application rates and the evaluation and collection of producer’s nutrient data.
• The IV evaluation involves a determination of compliance with the BMP program and may involve the implementation of corrective measures by the producer.
• Assist producers with submitting cost share applications for qualifying projects that provide improve water quality and/or water conservation.
• Manage producer cost share agreements in accordance with the applicable cost share contracts and the Cost-Share SOP.
• Verify implementation of cost share projects and submit requests for reimbursement.
• Assist in delivery of information to and input from the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, resource conservation and development districts, UF-IFAS technical assistance needs, regulatory benefits, research and demonstration, and other aspects of basin-specific plans.
• These include assisting Biological Administrator II A – SES by helping plan, and then participate in meetings, workshops, field days, and distribution of printed and electronic materials.
• Perform other related work as required.

Benefits

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits.
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year.
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options.
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com.)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

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