Please see the following website for application link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/oregon/jobs/2240926/transportation-stormwater-specialist-natural-resource-specialist-4

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality currently has a full-time Limited Duration opportunity for a Transportation Stormwater Specialist (Natural Resource Specialist 4) in Portland.  This Limited Duration position is expected to run through June 30, 2019 but may be extended or become permanent.

About the Department:
The DEQ’s Stormwater and Underground Injection Control section is responsible for regulating stormwater that is discharged into waterways and underground statewide. Through various activities such as program and policy development, rulemaking, regional coordination and stakeholder involvement, permit development, and issuance and implementation, this section works to ensure that stormwater from municipal, industrial, construction, and commercial activities protect groundwater and surface water to achieve federal and state water quality standards and requirements.

What you will do!
The successful applicant will serve as the agency’s technical and policy expert on stormwater associated with roads, highways, and other transportation related facilities managed by the Oregon Department of Transportation. The Transportation Stormwater Specialist will lead and participate in multidisciplinary and multiagency teams to develop stormwater permit conditions and TMDL requirements.

What’s in it for you?
The opportunity to join a dynamic team of mission focused individuals tasked with providing high quality environmental data needed for developing sound and effective environmental strategies.  Put your technical, analytical, and project management skills to great use helping to keep Oregon green.  We offer full medical, dental, and vision health benefits with paid sick leave, vacation, personal leave, and 10 paid holidays a year. If you are passionate about Oregon’s environment and have experience with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES) program, apply today!

Duties & Responsibilities

Permitting Activities:

• Develop permit conditions, and write permits and permit evaluation reports associated with roads and transportation facilities.
• Renew NPDES stormwater permits for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4).
• Establish, direct, and staff citizen and technical committees to secure input in the development of MS4 permits.
• Review and evaluate stormwater pollutant loading and reduction modeling/models to determine appropriate permit conditions and incorporate stormwater monitoring information in development of water quality management plans.

Establishing Strategies and Requirements:

• Draft, coordinate, and guide the development of policy and guidance necessary to implement the NPDES stormwater program requirements and associated TMDL requirements for municipal separate storm sewer systems associated with roads and transportation facilities.
• Conduct literature reviews on the effectiveness of stormwater treatment technologies.
• Serve as an agency expert on the effectiveness of best management practices and treatment technologies associated with roads and transportation facilities; seek out new information about best management practices and treatment technologies from academic/scientific journals and other state, local, and federal agencies to ensure that these treatment technologies and best management practices are incorporated into DEQ’s stormwater permits.
• Analyze water quality data to determine appropriate best management practices for stormwater management.

TMDL Development and Implementation for Stormwater Associated with Roads: 

• Serve as the expert technical resource related to stormwater from roads and associated TMDL parameters such as bacteria, mercury, salt, and temperature.
• Work with DEQ TMDL staff and the Oregon Department of Transportation to ensure that the appropriate TMDL requirements and wasteload allocations associated with stormwater discharges from roads are developed and implemented.
• Work with Designated Management Agencies, such as the Oregon Department of Transportation, to develop implementation strategies and provide guidance for implementation plans associated with stormwater discharges associated with roads.
• Review and approve plans and other reports submitted by DMAs to ensure compliance with TMDLs or other actions pursuant to DEQ’s enforcement policy.

Assisting Businesses, Organizations, and Individuals: 

• Participate in program meetings that have responsibilities related to stormwater. Meet with EPA, other federal and state agencies, and other water quality programs to assure that program implementation is consistent with environmental regulations.
• Provide technical assistance to regional staff, permittees, and consultants about alternatives for achieving and maintaining compliance with permit requirements.
• Respond to requests for information from the public, communities, and consultants, and prepare written correspondence as necessary.

Ensuring Compliance:

• Conduct field inspections during and/or following construction of major pollution control facilities or implementation of complex pollution control measures to assure that work complies with approved plans and specifications.
• Inspect facilities to determine if stormwater discharges and/or control practices are within permit requirements.

Enforcing Environmental Law:

• Respond to evidence of non-compliance with stormwater permit requirements or water quality standards following DEQ’s enforcement guidance.
• Write Warning Letters or Pre-Enforcement Notices. Complete concise enforcement referral packages.

Qualifications, Required & Requested Skills

• Four (4) years of experience in a natural resource or environmental science program.
  • At least one (1) year of your natural resource or environmental experience must be at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program such as: researching and analyzing data; conducting investigations; applying pertinent laws and regulations; or coordinating and monitoring project activities; AND
• A Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, or a closely related field (e.g., Natural Resources, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Economics, Chemistry, Biology, or Physics); OR three (3) additional years of related (pertinent) experience.               

Desired Attributes/Requested Skills:

• Experience in writing and/or implementing NPDES stormwater permits.
• Experience in research and development of implementation and/or requirements for stormwater associated with transportation systems.
• Experience in documenting policy decisions for programs implemented for compliance with the federal Clean Water Act.
• Experience in making policy and technical recommendations for permit conditions.
• Experience in synthesizing legal viewpoints into a coherent description of problems to be solved and associated resolutions.
• Experience in explaining complex environmental and legal problems and solutions to a variety of audiences.
• Experience in communicating complex technical information or controversial environmental issues.
• Experience in analyzing and evaluating complex water quality or other environmental issues.
• Ability to present DEQ’s viewpoint and policy to advise other State and Federal agencies about NPDES stormwater permit conditions.
• Ability to participate constructively in conflict resolution and legal discussions associated with Oregon’s MS4 permit conditions.
• Ability to manage time effectively by providing examples.
• Ability to manage projects effectively.

Additional Information

Application Instructions:

To apply, please follow these steps:

1. Complete the application. We will not accept a resume or position description in place of a completed application. Because of the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to review attachments that we do not ask for.
2. Please include a cover letter demonstrating your experience and how it qualifies you for the position you’re applying for. Please make sure this is attached to your application before submitting it.
3. The work experience and/or education section of your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet all of the minimum and special qualifications listed above. If it does not, we are required to disqualify it.
4. Complete the supplemental questions. Answers to the supplemental questions must be substantiated with the experience you listed in the work experience section of the application. (Please note that your responses may also be evaluated for grammar, spelling, and punctuation).
5. To receive credit for higher education coursework, transcripts (official or unofficial) must be submitted prior to interview (if selected). Note: To protect your confidential information, please redact (black out) your social security number on all transcripts before attaching to your application.

Veterans Information:
If you are an eligible veteran and wish to claim veterans’ preference points, AND you also meet the minimum qualifications for this position, the points will be added to your score. For more information on veterans’ preference points, visit our Veterans Resource page. To receive veterans’ preference points, please submit the following required documentation prior to your first interview (if selected): 

• A copy of your DD214/DD215 form; OR a letter from the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs indicating you receive a non-service connected pension for the five (5) point preference.
• A copy of your DD214/DD215 form; AND a copy of your veterans’ disability preference letter from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs for the ten (10) point preference.

Pay Equity:
As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. We determine salary from applicable professional experience and education. Please visit the website: http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information.

Work Authorization: 
The Oregon DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three (3) days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States.

Need Help?
If you need assistance to participate in the application process, you are encouraged to e-mail Maddy Ouye at the email: ouye.madeline@deq.state.or.us or call (503) 229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service: 1-800-735-2900.

Consider Joining Us!
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is a regulatory agency whose job is to protect the quality of Oregon’s environment.

DEQ strives to create inclusive environments that welcome and value the diversity of the people we serve. DEQ fosters fairness, equity, and inclusion to create workplace environments where everyone is treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, physical stature, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, political affiliation, and any other factor applicable by state or federal law.