EHS Regional Officer/Technical Assistant

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The New York City Bureau of Water Supply seeks to hire an Associate Public Health Sanitarian II for a position within the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Directorate, located in Queens, New York. The Bureau of Water Supply’s (BWS) Environmental, Health and Safety Facilities Compliance Unit is responsible for providing environmental health and safety resources in order to achieve compliance objectives for all BWS employees and facilities.

Under direction, of the EHS Supervisor of Downstate Facilities Compliance, the Associate Public Health Sanitarian II will serve as EHS Regional Officer/Technical Assistant and will be responsible for performing in order to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations governing health and safety and environmental standards in the workplace. Specific duties include:

• Ensuring that facilities and staff maintain general environmental conditions, and safety and health standards. Directly providing support and subject matter technical assistance on Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) matters in order to maintain compliance with Federal, State and Local regulations, laws and codes, and Agency and Bureau policies and guidelines. Providing day to day planning, coordination and implementation of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) objectives, overseeing the administration of safety and compliance work within the facility and other assigned locations within the reporting unit, planning immediate and long-range Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) programs, evaluating the effectiveness and success of safety compliance programs, conducting and attending regular Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and strategic planning meetings, remaining thoroughly familiar with applicable regulations and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) policies and programs.
• Working in conjunction with the facility Responsible Individual (RI) and others, acting as the primary conduit to ensure verification duties so that Downstate facilities maintain Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) compliance with any applicable regulations and Agency and Bureau policies and guidelines through the performance of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) inspections, investigations and reporting. Scheduling and completing regular facility/worksite level inspections as prescribed in the Agency Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Compliance and Continuous Improvement Policy, tracking relevant identified deficiencies to completion, and acting as the facility lead regarding the coordination of audits, inspection, and compliance visits by Agency, Bureau and external regulatory agencies for any assigned facilities.
• Acting as the principal in assisting with providing direct support for special projects, regulatory review, and subject matter expertise regarding any applicable regulations, and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Agency and Bureau policies and programs. Developing emergency action plans, incident investigation and reporting, reviewing Safety Data Sheets and chemical inventories, preparation of technical and interpretive reports, assessment of employee exposure and risk assessments, providing effective hazard communications, providing for the characterization, management and shipment of hazardous wastes at facilities, reviewing safe work plans and assisting with regional facility regulatory permit applications and records retention.
• Acting as the principal liaison to provide research, information, documentation and technical resources in order to ensure that all staff reporting to the assigned facilities have information on, and access to, tools and skills required to conduct their job duties in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Developing training profiles, mentoring new Site Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Officers, providing Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) toolbox sessions, programmatic training updates, providing for the maintenance of various Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) records, the development and update of personal protective equipment assessments, job hazard analysis, confined space entry program documentation, noise monitoring, and other technical Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) support and training as may be needed to maintain facilities compliance.
• Acting as the principal liaison with the facility Responsible Individuals, Regional Manager, and others for maintaining current and accurate information in appropriate Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) tracking systems. Ensuring regular updates and reviews to various information systems, including the Agency’s audit item tracking system (AIT), the Agency’s Compliance Tracking System (CTS), the Bureau Legacy Action Tracing System (LATS) to provide information on constituents of concern (COC’s), and monitoring and updating information in the Audit and Incident Information Management System (AIIMS) for BWS incident reporting and investigations. Providing periodic information regarding injuries, releases, Notices of Violation (NOVs), and other Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) performance metrics related to assigned facilities.
  
  

(This is a brief description of what you might do in this position and does not include all the duties of this position.)

Some of the physical activities performed by Associate Public Health Sanitarians and environmental conditions experienced are: stooping, climbing and lifting actions in order to view pertinent areas or obtain samples from premises being inspected. Some inspections require the Associate Public Health Sanitarian to work with instruments that operate with a sealed radioactive source; other inspections require protective equipment be worn, i.e., face masks, respirators, coveralls, gloves, etc. Associate Public Health Sanitarians carry their own equipment, which may be bulky, and normally travel from site to site by public transportation.

Special Working Conditions: Associate Public Health Sanitarians may be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Preferred Skills:

• A Motor Vehicle Driver License valid in the State of New York. This license must be maintained for the duration of employment.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel Teams, One Drive and Power Point
• Knowledge of NYC DEP EHS Policies and Procedures
• Knowledge of OSHA Law and Regulation
• Knowledge of US EPA RCRA Hazardous Waste Regulations
• Knowledge of US DOT Hazardous Material Transportation Regulations
• Interpersonal skills adequate to communicate with and liaison with personnel within the Directorate, Bureau and Agency, and with external regulatory entities; in order to provide effective and compliant facilities programs regarding EHS matters.
• Ability to perform highly responsible administrative functions using organizational skills and time management to provide effective direction so as to achieve deliverables regarding EHS tasking and assignments.
• Research and interpretation abilities adequate to understand and apply relevant EHS laws, standards and policies in the work place and communicate them to Responsible Individuals, the supervisory chain and others.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical and statistical calculations.
• Ability to write, review, edit and provide comments on technical reports and safety plans.
• Ability to use basic industrial hygiene instrumentation and tools.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle in the performance of assigned duties to make frequent site visits to remote facilities
• Interpersonal and communication skills adequate to work with facility staff and EHS team members in order to engage them to provide recommendations for continuous improvement and on-going education processes.
• Ability to travel to meetings, work facilities, and field locations throughout New York City and the 2,000 square mile upstate watershed (both east and west of the Hudson River).
• Ability to work effectively when faced with short timelines and evolving priorities
  
  

Hours/Shift:

40 Hours per week / May be required to work shifts including nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays

Work Location:

96-05 Horace Harding Expressway

Flushing, NY 11368

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by 30 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, i.e., biology, botany, chemistry, geology, physics, physiology, and zoology; of which not more than 12 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, i.e., environmental technology, sanitation technology, medical technology, public health, infection control or food service; and at least two years of satisfactory full-time experience performing inspections to assure compliance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations governing the areas of food, drugs and general environmental conditions; or
• An associate degree from an accredited college, with 15 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, of which not more than 6 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, and 4 years of satisfactory full-time experience as described in "1" above; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least 60 semester credits from an accredited college, including at least 15 semester credits in the physical and and/or biological sciences. Furthermore, to assure compliance with Section 11.112 of the Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR) – Title 10 (Health), all candidates must have at least 2 years of experience as a public health sanitarian as described in "1" above.
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by 30 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, i.e., biology, botany, chemistry, geology, physics, physiology, and zoology; of which not more than 12 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, i.e., environmental technology, sanitation technology, medical technology, public health, infection control or food service; and at least two years of satisfactory full-time experience performing inspections to assure compliance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations governing the areas of food, drugs and general environmental conditions; or
• An associate degree from an accredited college, with 15 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, of which not more than 6 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, and 4 years of satisfactory full-time experience as described in "1" above; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least 60 semester credits from an accredited college, including at least 15 semester credits in the physical and and/or biological sciences. Furthermore, to assure compliance with Section 11.112 of the Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR) – Title 10 (Health), all candidates must have at least 2 years of experience as a public health sanitarian as described in "1" above.
• In order to be eligible for promotion to a supervisory level, candidates must have 2 years of experience as a public health sanitarian, pursuant to Section 11.112 of the Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR) – Title 10 (Health).
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by 30 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, i.e., biology, botany, chemistry, geology, physics, physiology, and zoology; of which not more than 12 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, i.e., environmental technology, sanitation technology, medical technology, public health, infection control or food service; and at least two years of satisfactory full-time experience performing inspections to assure compliance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations governing the areas of food, drugs and general environmental conditions; or
• An associate degree from an accredited college, with 15 semester credits in the physical and/or biological sciences, of which not more than 6 credit hours may be in the applied sciences, and 4 years of satisfactory full-time experience as described in "1" above; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least 60 semester credits from an accredited college, including at least 15 semester credits in the physical and and/or biological sciences. Furthermore, to assure compliance with Section 11.112 of the Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR) – Title 10 (Health), all candidates must have at least 2 years of experience as a public health sanitarian as described in "1" above.
• In order to be eligible for promotion to a supervisory level, candidates must have 2 years of experience as a public health sanitarian, pursuant to Section 11.112 of the Compilation of the Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR) – Title 10 (Health).
  
  

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.