Pretreatment Compliance Specialist - Austin Water

City of Austin•Austin, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Under limited supervision and using comprehensive knowledge of concepts, practices, procedures, and regulations, this role verifies and ensures compliance of the pretreatment regulated community in accordance with authority delegated by EPA/TCEQ. This position is responsible for projects and programs that are of diverse scope and complexity. The position performs environmental compliance work for Austin Water’s approved pretreatment program. This critical work ensures that the City meets all federal and state requirements for administering a program to protect the City’s wastewater treatment and collection systems from adverse effects of industrial and commercial wastewater pollutant discharges to the City’s system. The pretreatment program helps to make sure that the wastewater treatment operations are protected and effective in assuring that the millions of gallons of wastewater treated each day at our facilities meets the strictest water quality standards and permit effluent for discharging to receiving streams in our community. This program is also responsible for ensuring that pollutant sludge standards are met consistently to allow the City to continue producing biosolids that can be re-used beneficially. The position requires someone with environmental regulatory expertise and an ability not just to learn and understand existing and new complex regulations, but also to teach commercial and industrial stakeholders and community members about these regulations and how to comply with them in furtherance of these goals. The Pretreatment Compliance Specialist position being advertised will play a large role in sample collection activities for the program, but will also be expected to contribute and develop experience and expertise in all other program areas and activities.

Requirements

Knowledge of applicable Federal, State and Local regulations.
Knowledge of City practices, policies, and procedures.
Knowledge of architectural and engineering principles and practices.
Skill in oral and in written communication.
Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
Skill in using computers and related software applications.
Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
Skill in planning and organizing.
Skill in providing leadership, training, guidance, and technical support.
Ability to conduct research and/or investigations.
Ability to provide customer service and problem solving.
Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with city employees and the public.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major/minor course work in a scientific field related to the job, plus four (4) years of relevant experience; OR Associate's degree in a scientific field related to the job, plus six (6) years of relevant experience; OR Master’s degree with major course work in a scientific field related to the job, plus two (2) years of relevant experience.
Valid Texas Class "C" Driver's License.

Nice To Haves

Professional work experience in Natural, Environmental or Physical Science
Experience with pretreatment or environmental/field investigations, or other regulatory compliance related activities and knowledge of local, state or federal water and regulations
Experience collecting and analyzing field samples in support of regulatory compliance work.
Experience providing technical advice and assistance to internal and external customers.

Responsibilities

Conducts, participates in, and reports on investigations, audits, surveillance, monitoring, inspection, sampling, analyses, research, training, outreach, recognition, permitting, registration, enforcement and other environmental and pretreatment-related activities and programs related to general industrial users and liquid waste haulers.
Initiates negotiation to resolve cases or enforcement proceedings for environmental, pretreatment, and pollution prevention issues of diverse scope and complexity related to residential customers and general industrial users.
Reviews and ensures that all site and building plans and proposals meet or exceed all Federal, State, and Local code, ordinance, and regulation pretreatment guidelines and criteria.
Collects, processes, analyzes, and evaluates information and data submitted within permit applications, contracts, schedules, proposals, self-monitoring reports and laboratory reports to provide approvals and recommendations and assesses compliance with applicable regulations related to general industrial users.
Interprets and explains City policies and procedures, and provides technical information, advice, assistance, and training for internal and external customers.
Conducts and assists with case file preparation, initiates and participates in administrative and criminal enforcement proceedings, and provides testimony in legal proceedings for alleged violations of regulations related to residential customers, general industrial users, and liquid waste haulers.
Researches, recommends, and implements changes to specifications, standards, policies, procedures, codes, regulations, and ordinances.
Participates in public outreach efforts, task forces, and committees.
Represents department at board and commission meetings.
Conducts and makes presentations for internal and external customers.
Performs field sampling at sample ports for compliance and financial measurements.
Reviews analytical data to establish surcharges and violation notifications for extra strength pollutants of concern and sanitary sewer overflows.
Performs rotational on-call duty and responds to spills and emergency events, incidents, complaints, actions, and other related situations.
May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.