Environmental Specialist 1/Trainee 1/Trainee 2 (NY HELPS)

Duties Description

Environmental Specialists perform a variety of duties related to the interaction of the environment and the State's transportation network and transportation projects, including data gathering, analysis, report writing, reviewing consultant work products, making recommendations to higher levels of management, contributing to the drafting or revision of guidance and procedures, negotiating solutions to

environmental problems acceptable to both the Department of Transportation and environmental regulatory agencies, and advising construction, design, highway maintenance, and other program areas concerning environmental rules and regulations and the preparation of environmental documents.

This position is in the Environmental Science Bureau within the Office of Environment. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will support NYSDOT’s Wetlands/Waters Program as a subject matter specialist on stream and wetland systems. This includes work related to avoidance and minimization of impacts to streams and wetlands, design to eliminate or reduce barriers to aquatic organism passage, wetland and stream mitigation (creation, enhancement, restoration), and waters/wetlands environmental permits and approvals.

Duties

Under the direction of an Environmental Specialist 2, the Environmental Specialist Trainee 1/Trainee 2/ Environmental Specialist 1, typical duties would include:

• Providing advice and guidance on stream and wetland topics for regional staff and other program areas within the Department
• Reviewing project documentation prepared by regional staff or consultants
• Contributing to the preparation of reports, policies, procedures, and guidance documents
• Assistance with preparation and delivery of statewide training, both office and field-based.
• Assignments on other environmental topics and duties
  
  

This is primarily an office position using a computer. The candidate should be able to perform field work for the purposes of regional support and/or in-field training, but that type of work is infrequent.

In addition to the minimum qualifications, extra consideration will be given to applicants with a strong background and experience with:

• Wetland delineation in accordance with the 1987 Corps wetland delineation manual and NCNE Regional Supplement
• Design, permitting, construction, and adaptive management of wetland and/or stream compensatory mitigation, enhancement, and restoration projects
• Fluvial geomorphology, stream dynamics, Rosgen method, natural stream channel design, stream intervention, stream simulation methodology and/or bioengineering practices; and
• Improvement or re-establishment of aquatic organism passage and barrier resolution in transportation infrastructure contexts
  
  

If selected for an interview, applicants will be asked to provide a writing sample.

Minimum Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*

Qualifications

To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:

Environmental Specialist Trainee 1: A bachelor's degree including or supplemented by 30 semester credit hours in acoustics, air pollution, American architectural history, animal behavior, anthropology, aquatic resources, archeology, architectural history, atmospheric science, biology, botany, chemical engineering, chemistry, coastal resources management, cultural resource management, cultural resources and historic preservation studies, dendrology, ecology, ecosystem management, environmental and community land planning, environmental and natural resources conservation, environmental biology, environmental engineering, environmental health, environmental law, environmental management, environmental planning, environmental preservation law, environmental resource engineering, environmental science, environmental studies, environmental toxicology, forest biology, forestry, forest science, geographic information systems, geography, geological engineering, global/natural environment, historic preservation, historic preservation law, historic preservation planning, public archaeology, hydrology, landscape architecture, land use planning, meteorology, Native American studies, natural resources, natural resources management, natural resources planning, silviculture, soils, transportation systems, urban forestry, wildlife biology, or zoology.

Environmental Specialist Trainee 2: In addition to the Trainee 1 requirements listed above, you must also have:

Either 1. One year of professional environmental analysis experience*; OR

• A master's degree including or supplemented by 30 semester credit hours in acoustics, air pollution, American architectural history, animal behavior, anthropology, aquatic resources, archeology, architectural history, atmospheric science, biology, botany, chemical engineering, chemistry, coastal resources management, cultural resource management, cultural resources and historic preservation studies, dendrology, ecology, ecosystem management, environmental and community land planning, environmental and natural resources conservation,
  
  

environmental biology, environmental engineering, environmental health, environmental law, environmental management, environmental planning, environmental preservation law, environmental resource engineering, environmental science, environmental studies, environmental toxicology, forest biology, forestry, forest science, geographic information systems, geography, geological engineering, global/natural environment, historic preservation, historic preservation law, historic preservation planning, public archaeology, hydrology, landscape architecture, land use planning, meteorology, Native American studies, natural resources, natural resources management, natural resources planning, silviculture, soils, transportation systems, urban forestry, wildlife biology, or zoology.

Environmental Specialist 1: In addition to the Trainee 1 requirements listed above, you must also have:

Either 1. Two years of professional environmental analysis experience*; OR

• A master's degree in or supplemented by 30 semester credit hours in acoustics, air pollution, American architectural history, animal behavior, anthropology, aquatic resources, archeology, architectural history, atmospheric science, biology, botany, chemical engineering, chemistry, coastal resources management, cultural resource management, cultural resources and historic preservation studies, dendrology, ecology, ecosystem management, environmental and community land planning, environmental and natural resources conservation, environmental biology, environmental engineering, environmental health, environmental law, environmental management, environmental planning, environmental preservation law, environmental resource engineering, environmental science, environmental studies, environmental toxicology, forest biology, forestry, forest science, geographic information systems, geography, geological engineering, global/natural environment, historic preservation, historic preservation law, historic preservation planning, public archaeology, hydrology, landscape architecture, land use planning, meteorology, Native American studies, natural resources, natural resources management, natural resources planning, silviculture, soils, transportation systems, urban forestry, wildlife biology, or zoology AND one year of professional environmental analysis experience*
• Environmental analysis experience which must include substantial involvement (at least 50% of your time) in the preparation and review of environmental impact analyses, requiring knowledge and application of state and federal environmental laws, regulations, methods, procedures, and standards. This must also include preparation of technical analyses on environmental impact matters, providing consultation on environmental impact laws, rules, and regulations or conducting office evaluations and field investigations related to environmental regulatory programs.
  
  

If chosen, you may, at the agency's discretion, be appointed to a higher level. You must inform the agency of any additional qualifications at your interview.

Candidates may also be qualified for permanent competitive appointment if reachable from the appropriate Civil Service eligible list or eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.

Additional Comments

• For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
  
  

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

If you are on the Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) eligible list, please state that along with your score in your cover letter.

Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@oer.ny.gov.

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The New York State Department of Transportation is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minority group members, disabled persons and Veterans are encouraged to apply. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be provided for the disabled.

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In compliance with Public Law 99-603, candidates selected for appointment must provide an original document to prove their citizenship and/or legal right to work in the United States.