Senior Environmental Specialist

CONAGRA•Council Bluffs, IA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Senior Director of Environmental, you will serve as the Sr. Environmental Specialist responsible for optimizing the daily performance of wastewater treatment systems across Conagra’s manufacturing network. You will lead initiatives to enhance reliability and efficiency of lagoon treatment, dissolved air flotation (DAF), neutralization, and equalization systems while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. You will provide technical guidance, analyze system data, and support operator training to maintain best-in-class wastewater operations.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in operation and optimization of industrial or municipal wastewater treatment systems.
Experience in lagoon treatment systems, DAF units, neutralization, and equalization processes.
Experience interpreting data, identifying trends, and implementing corrective actions.
Experience with SCADA systems, laboratory testing, and process control strategies.
Ability to explain technical requirements to non-technical audiences.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental, Chemical, or Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, or related field.
Experience with wastewater solids management and agricultural land application.
Wastewater operator certification or EIT / PE.

Responsibilities

Serve as the subject matter expert on wastewater treatment process design, control, and troubleshooting.
Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS teams to evaluate system modifications and upgrades.
Lead process monitoring and optimization of lagoon treatment, DAF, equalization, and neutralization systems.
Evaluate biological and chemical treatment performance through sampling, laboratory analysis, and data trending.
Develop operational playbooks.
Travel to various sites to identify and implement process improvements that optimize treatment efficiency, energy use, and chemical consumption.
Support daily operation of pumps, aerators, clarifiers, and other treatment infrastructure across the manufacturing network.
Ensure continuous compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local wastewater discharge permits and environmental regulations.
Set standards for operational logs, sampling records, and performance reports.
Support preparation of permit applications, renewals, and regulatory inspections.
Develop and deliver training for operators and plant personnel on treatment system operation, safety, and best practices.