Description of Work

This Environmental Specialist II (ES II) serves as a senior environmental specialist within the Asheville Regional Office. This position’s duties and responsibilities would include those of the Environmental Specialist I position but to a lesser extent or reduced geographical area. This includes but is not limited to preliminary plan reviews, inspections, emergency response and training. This position mentors the Environmental Specialist I’s in the regional office and performs higher-level technical activities in the region as related to sedimentation and erosion control, stormwater, mining and dam safety. This includes evaluation of severe violations in the region under consideration for enforcement. This position also serves as regional office liaison to other State, Federal and Local government agencies. This position is also responsible as the Lead Trainer for new and existing Environmental Specialists within the regional office on LQS program policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities:

• Performs preliminary reviews of applications submitted for the four regulated programs within the Division: Sedimentation Control, Stormwater, Dam Safety, and Mining.
• Performs inspections of sites/facilities regulated under each of DEMLR’s four programs: Sedimentation Control, Stormwater, Dam Safety, and Mining.
• Advises and provides technical assistance, guidance, and written technical/compliance including enforcement documentation to staff and clients.
• Meets with applicants and their consultants to facilitate project development, design, construction, and ultimately permit approval and site compliance.
• Mentoring and training of Environmental Specialists in the Regional Office.

The NC Department of Environmental Quality:

The primary mission of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is to provide science-based environmental stewardship for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the lead stewardship agency for the protection of North Carolina's environmental resources. The organization, which has offices from the mountains to the coast, administers regulatory programs designed to protect air quality, water quality, and the public's health, and works to advance in all-of-the-above energy strategy that fits North Carolina's needs. DEQ also offers technical assistance to businesses, farmers, local governments, and the public and encourages responsible behavior with respect to the environment through education programs provided at DEQ facilities and through the state's school system. DEQ touches the lives of all North Carolinians in many ways to enhance and ensure our quality of life. Please visit our website at the Department of Environmental Quality for more information.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies

To qualify for this position, applicants must document on the application that they possess ALL of the following:

• Documented experience in reviewing or designing permit applications and/or engineering plans for evaluation or compliance and/or performing inspections/audits of project sites or facilities.
• Demonstrated experience communicating information to clients, municipal/local officials, or the public using written and/or oral communication skills.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for details.

Bachelor’s degree in one of the agricultural, biological, engineering, environmental or natural resource sciences or a closely related curriculum from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of experience related to the area of assignment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Supplemental and Contact Information

• Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, to their applications.
• If applicants earned college credit hours but did not complete a degree program, they must attach an official transcript to each application to receive credit for this education.
• If applicants earned a foreign degree, foreign degrees require an official evaluation for U.S. equivalency, and must be submitted to Human Resources for verification. There are several organizations that perform this specialized service, feel free to use any service of your choosing. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) has several options on their website that can provide credential verification: https://www.naces.org/members