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Environmental Specialist 3

Category: Classified/Excluded
Pay Grade: C26                              
Job Code: 02434

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job summary, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description. 

JOB SUMMARY

This is specialized professional and technical work performing functions in an environmental program including air, water, coastal, environmental lands management, hazardous/toxic materials, or land use management. Promotion to this level within the Environmental Specialist career ladder will be competitive or through a career ladder.  Work involves planning, organizing, assigning, leading, or performing a variety of specialized environmental management activities related to the protection of the county’s natural resources. Work includes performing scientific studies and regulatory compliance monitoring and the enforcement of national, state and local environmental laws, ordinances, codes and regulations. Duties also include independent research and complex studies of environmental land use management; air or water quality assessment, regulatory compliance and enforcement requiring considerable independence and judgment; research on complex public health and environmental programs, as well as bio-assessment, vegetation and mosquito control programs, and the development and implementation of programs.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)

• Plans, organizes, and leads technical and professional staff, or independently performs work involving monitoring and regulating air, water, coastal, environmental lands, hazardous materials/toxics, mosquito control or land use management;
• Reviews permits for monitoring, reporting, or other compliance conditions;
• Investigates, conducts inspections, prepares follow-up reports on enforcement actions and notices on inspections, and performs re-inspection to ensure regulatory compliance;
• Conducts independent studies and research on complex public health and environmental problems, grant applications, land use development, bio-assessments, vegetation management, mosquito control, and related areas and prepares complex and comprehensive environmental assessment reports;
• Reviews and determines proper interpretation of laws, rules and regulations affecting environmental compliance;
• Initiates and coordinates enforcement actions regarding violations of federal and state law and regulations or Pinellas County code;
• Makes presentations to the various public and private organizations and coordinates with various local, state and federal regulatory agencies;
• Researches and develops various reports and assists with administrative work relating to environmental regulation compliance and enforcement;
• Reviews compliance test results and reports to determine compliance to applicable rules;
• May appear as an expert witness in court cases;
• Develops, implements and teaches innovative environmental outreach programs for targeted groups and the general public;
• Researches and writes grant proposals to support various environmental programs;
• Assists and informs managers during the budget development process;
• Coordinates the activities of volunteer personnel as needed within the section or department;
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Seven (7) years of professional level experience in the assigned field of environmental management; or a 4-year college or university degree with major course work in physical, natural or biological science, anthropology, ecology, environmental engineering, or related field, and three (3) years of professional level experience in the assigned field of environmental management; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.

Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):

• Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
• Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
• Other highly desirable knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles, practices and methods of environmental management;
• Knowledge in specialized area of assignment;
• Knowledge of national, state and local environmentally related laws, ordinances, codes and regulations;
• Knowledge of advanced mathematics, natural, physical and biological sciences and computer technology;
• Knowledge of scientific research and writing techniques including the use of automated systems for statistical analysis of research data;
• Knowledge of OSHA regulations and recognized safety procedures and practices for fieldwork;
• Ability to present ideas and findings clearly and concisely in written, oral and graphic form;
• Ability to train subordinate staff, participate in and lead complex studies, analyze information and formulate substantive recommendations based upon findings;
• Ability to plan and carry out detailed environmental assessments of proposed developments, ascertain environmental impact, and determine regulatory compliance;
• Ability to plan and execute environmental services related to surface water quality, ground water, hazardous or toxic materials management, coastal management, land use management, mosquito control, and air quality;
• Ability to testify in court as an expert witness.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

The work requires a medium level of strength occasionally exerting up to 50 pounds of force, up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
• Climbing: Ascending or descending ditches or pond banks, ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Crawling: Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Smelling: Ability to detect orders related to potential pollution events.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual acuity: Have close visual acuity such as color differentiation, depth perception, and adequate field vision.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is typically performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to changing goals, priorities, and needs.