ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST III - 42005410 (FOR INTERNAL AGENCY EMPLOYEES ONLY) 1

State of Florida • Zephyrhills, FL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

This is a professional team-oriented intermediate level position under the direction of the supervisor in the Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) Okeechobee Field Office. The role assists with the coordination and implementation of the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP) and the agricultural component of the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) programs established by the Florida Watershed Restoration Act. This work is done in close cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), water management districts (WMDs), soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs), and private landowners. This position is an internal agency opportunity, meaning only current employees of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will be considered. The headquarters for this position is negotiable only within Pasco County.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or its equivalent and two (2) years of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; engineering or agriculture.
• A high school diploma or its equivalent and one and a half (1.5) years of experience as an Environmental Specialist I or higher with the State of Florida.
• A bachelor's degree(4 years) from an accredited college and six (6) months of experience in environmental protection, regulation, or health; one of the physical or natural sciences; engineering or agriculture.
• Requires possession of a valid Class E driver license.
• 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.
• Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Conduct BMP implementation verifications for the NEEPP and other WMD areas. Duties may include soil sampling, data collection, analysis, implementation status determination, corrective measure determination, progress tracking, and report writing.
• Collect nutrient application records for retention.
• Implement the FDACS responsibilities under the Florida Watershed Restoration Act and the NEEPP through producer enrollment in the Best Management Practice (BMP) program and through coordination with the WMDs, Agricultural Advisory Committees, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, FDEP district staff, local SWCDs, and University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) within the Northern Everglades boundaries and other WMD areas.
• Conduct BMP Notice of Intent (NOI) enrollments by performing on-site field evaluations of agricultural operations using BMP manuals, checklists, and other tools to assist producers.
• Manage producer cost share agreements in accordance with the applicable cost share contracts and cost share SOP.
• Perform on-site evaluations of specific soil and water conservation-related projects during and after BMP construction or implementation.
• Assist with mapping cost share projects using the BMP mapping application, as needed.
• Assist producers in coordination of cost share from various sources to implement BMPs as needed.
• 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
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition waivers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED