Ergon Asphalt and Emulsions - Regional Environmental Specialist

Ergon Asphalt and Emulsions, Inc•Charlotte, NC

15d

About The Position

The Regional Environmental Specialist supports day-to-day environmental compliance across an assigned regional portfolio of asphalt and petroleum plants and terminals. This field-based, generalist role involves inspections, waste management, spill and incident response, sampling and monitoring, employee training, and maintaining audit-ready site records. The Specialist serves as a routine compliance resource for plant personnel and works with the corporate environmental/EHS team, outside consultants, and regulatory agencies on more technical or specialized matters, including permit-related tasks and complex reporting. The position requires frequent regional travel, typically 40–60% of the time, including occasional overnight travel. The Specialist may need to respond to spill or incident calls outside normal business hours. Work takes place at industrial facilities and involves walking plant and terminal grounds, climbing stairs and ladders, accessing elevated platforms, tank areas and containment structures, and wearing required PPE. Candidates must be able to pass site-specific safety orientation and any required medical or respirator clearance.

Requirements

Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record; frequent regional travel is required.
Practical, hands-on approach to environmental compliance and comfort inspecting industrial sites and identifying field issues.
Good judgment about when to address matters directly and when to involve corporate EHS, legal or a specialist consultant.
Solid written and verbal communication skills for inspection records, incident reports and employee training.
Organization and dependability in tracking recurring tasks across multiple sites.
Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word and Outlook, and willingness to learn environmental tracking software or apps.
Ability to work independently in the field with minimal direct supervision while traveling across the region.
Calm, methodical approach to spill and incident response.
Ability to walk plant and terminal grounds, climb stairs and ladders, and access elevated platforms, tank areas and containment structures.
Ability to occasionally lift up to 25–40 lbs.
Ability to pass site-specific safety orientation and any required medical or respirator clearance.
Must be authorized to work in the United States; employment offers are contingent on a pre-employment drug test, background check and MVR.

Nice To Haves

Associate's or bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Health & Safety, or a related field; equivalent hands-on experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Two or more years of environmental, EHS or compliance-related experience in an industrial, manufacturing, refining, or asphalt/terminal environment; entry-level candidates with strong field aptitude will be considered.
General familiarity with waste management, spill prevention and stormwater compliance.
40-Hour HAZWOPER certification, or willingness to obtain it within a specified timeframe.
Additional certifications such as DOT hazmat or first aid/CPR.

Responsibilities

Serve as the day-to-day environmental contact for multiple plants and terminals, assisting plant management and operators with routine compliance questions.
Conduct facility inspections and self-audits, including inspections of tanks, containment areas, waste storage areas, stormwater outfalls and spill kits, and track findings through correction.
Manage routine hazardous and non-hazardous waste handling, including characterization, labeling, accumulation-area inspections, manifests and disposal-vendor coordination.
Support SPCC and SWPPP programs by conducting required inspections, maintaining spill-response equipment and helping keep site plans current.
Respond to and help lead initial response to spills, releases and other environmental incidents; assist with cleanup coordination, notifications and documentation.
Collect environmental samples and monitoring data, coordinate with laboratories or contractors, and compile and organize data for required reports.
Maintain site environmental records and compliance calendars to track inspections, training and reporting deadlines.
Deliver hands-on environmental training to plant personnel on spill response, waste handling, stormwater awareness and general environmental practices.
Assist the corporate environmental/EHS team and outside consultants with permit-related tasks, including data gathering, site access and facility walk-throughs; permit drafting and negotiations are not owned by this role.
Support EPA, state and local regulatory agency inspections and site visits by coordinating logistics and providing requested site information; escalate technical or enforcement matters to corporate EHS.
Participate in incident investigations and corrective-action follow-up, helping identify practical site-level fixes.
Flag emerging compliance risks and regulatory changes observed in the field to corporate EHS leadership.
Support environmental aspects of site capital projects and process changes, including pre-startup walk-downs and coordination with site personnel.
Perform other assigned environmental compliance support duties across the region.