Wastewater Operator Certification Assistant (Office Specialist 2)

State of Oregon • Portland, OR

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status , gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, or physical or mental disability in the administration of our programs and activities. Visit DEQ’s Civil Rights and Environmental Justice page. Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Wastewater Operator Certification Assistant (Office Specialist 2) in Portland, Oregon. Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality. About DEQ! The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources. The Water Quality Division has a critical role in achieving the Department’s mission by developing policy, implementation tools, and implementation priorities for improving and protecting the quality of water in Oregon’s waterways. The Water Quality Division works cooperatively with the Department’s three regional offices and the Laboratory to deliver programs and services that protect and enhance the quality of the waters of the state to protect public health and the environment. This position sits within DEQ’s Northwest Region’s Water Quality Source Control section. Regions provide the following services: compliance inspection of regulated entities; enforcement of permit requirements and administrative rules; issuance of air, water, and solid waste permits; investigation of complaints; issuance of subsurface permits in counties; response to spills or other incidents with environmental impacts; direct contact and liaison with other governmental entities, industries, and the public; and technical assistance to regulated entities and the public. For a visual representation of DEQ’s offices and their locations, view our DEQ Offices and Vehicle Inspection Testing Stations map.

Requirements

• 2 years of general clerical experience that included keyboarding, word processing, and generating documents, OR an Associate’s degree.
• Demonstrated experience and personal commitment to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive culture where all team members feel empowered to contribute.
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 and Office products: Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, and Access.
• Familiarity with business connectivity software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom or other similar software.
• Experience using standard office equipment such as desktop and laptop computers, printers, copiers, scanners, video equipment, etc.
• Experience with databases, including entering data, running reports, and maintaining data integrity; familiarity with various DEQ Databases such as YDO, JIRA, etc.
• Demonstrated customer service skills; ability to act professionally and courteously with internal and external individuals, including coworkers, managers, other staff, and members of the public in-person, via e-mail, and via phone.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with an ability to switch priorities or projects seamlessly; high aptitude for learning new things and an ability to pay attention to detail.
• Experience with records management; experience maintaining electronic and hard-copy files; experience using software for records management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills.
• Experience researching, analyzing, and interpreting data, laws, policies, and procedures, and providing guidance on them to the general public.

Responsibilities

• Review new applications and process renewal certificates for wastewater certificates.
• Perform first-tier review of incoming applications.
• Respond to phone and email inquiries from the public about the operator certification program.
• Create various written communication products.
• Serve as the first point of contact to the public.
• Respond to inquiries in the program’s shared email inbox.
• Work within Your DEQ Online (YDO).

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members.
• Paid sick leave.
• Vacation leave.
• Personal leave.
• 11 paid holidays a year.
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS).
• Opportunity for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree