Water Quality Investigator II

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

1d • $31 - $49 • Onsite

About The Position

The Water Quality Investigator II works in the City and County of Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), within the Wastewater Management Division. The role enforces Denver municipal codes and DOTI rules and regulations concerning sanitary and storm sewers, maintains sewer-asset and customer-account information, and manages commercial sewer accounts, including onsite inspections and sewer-use and water-consumption calculations.

The position is based on-site at the Denver Wastewater Management Building, Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 3:00 PM. It includes an on-call standby rotation, which may require after-hours emergency response, and occasional evening, weekend, and overtime work. Employees use a personal vehicle for field work and emergency response; mileage is reimbursed. The work may involve exposure to sanitary sewage and requires the physical ability to open manhole lids.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Environmental Science, or a directly related field, or qualifying education-and-experience equivalency.
• Two years of experience conducting water-quality investigations and inspections related to stormwater or sanitary infrastructure, or in stormwater/environmental management activities that included interpreting engineering or architectural drawings, working with mapping systems, or applying environmental-science principles or water-quality standards to storm/sanitary infrastructure.
• Valid driver’s license at the time of application; required licenses and certifications must be kept current.
• Ability to open manhole lids and work in conditions where exposure to sanitary sewage may occur.
• Ability to work an on-call standby rotation and occasional after-hours, evening, weekend, or overtime shifts as required.
• Applications accepted until 11:59 PM Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Nice To Haves

• Three or more years of underground utility experience, preferably involving sanitary and storm sewers.
• One year of asset-management software experience, preferably with Lucity, Accela, or GIS mapping tools.
• Experience in code enforcement, regulatory compliance, or applying established codes, regulations, and standards.
• Strong customer-service and communication skills, including experience working with the public, resolving concerns, and de-escalating difficult situations.
• Ability to work independently, manage schedules and priorities, and follow through with minimal supervision.
• Dependability, accountability, self-motivation, teamwork, and consistent attendance.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex onsite investigations and inspections to ensure compliance with city codes and federal, state, and local wastewater regulations.
• Respond to city emergencies, including basement sewer floods, cave-ins, spills, illicit discharges, and backups.
• Investigate illicit discharges into storm and sanitary sewer systems.
• Coordinate with other city agencies, private utility companies, and Wastewater Management sections to resolve problems or damage involving city-owned storm and sanitary utilities.
• Respond to citizen complaints and concerns about sewer odors, illegal discharges, and other sewer-related issues.
• Issue summonses, written warnings, citations, and complaints against violators of Denver wastewater regulations.
• Gather evidence, provide testimony, and assist in prosecuting offenders who violate municipal wastewater codes.
• Manage commercial customer accounts and calculate sewer-billing adjustment percentages accurately.
• Perform enforcement and compliance actions related to DOTI pretreatment requirements and work with the public to resolve compliance issues.
• Assist in training new employees on inspection procedures, compliance requirements, and reporting standards.
• Assist with complex cases involving repeat violations, legal disputes, or technical system failures.
• Participate in standby, overtime, and weekend work as required for enforcement activities or emergencies.
• Use a personal vehicle for field work and emergency response; mileage is reimbursed.

Benefits

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision insurance; coverage begins within one month of the start date, and the City pays most premiums.
• Pension plan for life; employee contributes 8.45% and employer matches at 17.95%.
• 457(b) retirement plan with no early-withdrawal fee.
• Paid time off exceeding three weeks in the first year and 14 paid holidays.
• Merit increases.
• Short-term disability, long-term disability, HSA, FSA, and life insurance.
• CARE Bank and family-leave benefits.
• Employee Assistance Program and Employee Volunteer Program.
• Tuition reimbursement up to $2,000 per year and eligibility for the Student Loan Forgiveness Program.
• Learning and development opportunities, courses, and career-development resources.
• EcoPass providing unlimited free RTD bus and train rides.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level