Environmental Program Specialist 1/2/3 (PCN 187717)

Full Job Description

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.

Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

This position is being recruited for in Valdez.

Pay will be determined based on level of selected individual.

Environmental Program Specialist 1 (Range 14) salary: $29.59

Environmental Program Specialist 2 (Range 16) salary: $33.99

Environmental program Specialist 3 (Range 18) salary: $39.16

What you will be doing:

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is looking to fill an Environmental Program Specialist (EPS) 1/2/3 position within our Division of Spill Prevention and Response; Prevention, Preparedness & Response Program (PPRP) in the Central Alaska Region.

This position is a flexibly staffed position and will be hired at the EPS 1, EPS 2 or EPS 3 level, depending on the selected applicant’s training and/or experience.

It offers a unique opportunity for professional development and upward career mobility in a relatively short time span.

That is, candidates hired at an EPS 1 or EPS 2 level will be given a training plan, a mentor, and a clear path forward for advancement to the next level in the series.

The diversity of the job requires a resourceful candidate who enjoys working independently and as part of a team in oil spill prevention, preparedness and response.

Main responsibilities of this position are to review industry oil discharge prevention and contingency plans, manage cleanup of oil and hazardous substance releases, and participate in facility inspections and spill response exercises.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Spill Response – Coordinate and oversee the cleanup of oil and hazardous substance releases to land, air, or water.

• Contingency Planning – Review and approve Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plans submitted by regulated entities.

• Compliance Inspection – Conduct facility inspections and participate in spill response exercises to verify compliance with environmental regulations.

• Incident Management – Respond to complex spills using the FEMA Incident Command System framework.

• Database Management – Maintain and use internal databases to track plan reviews, approvals, compliance status, and incident data.

Learn more about the Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program at: about (alaska.gov).

Our organization, mission, and culture:

The Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program protects public health, safety, and the environment by preventing and mitigating the effects of oil and hazardous substance releases and ensuring their cleanup.

This position is one of fourteen members on the Central Alaska Region team, four currently in Valdez, four in Anchorage, one in Wasilla and four in Soldotna. We offer a positive and inclusive office culture with an emphasis on professional development. Work-life balance is a high priority and is supported through flexible work arrangements, hybrid telework, and approved time off. This posting will be filled in the Valdez office.

The benefits of joining our team:

• Professional growth and development opportunities.

• 37.5-hour work weeks; 12 paid holidays; personal leave accrual starting at 6 hours per pay period (about 21 days annually) and increasing with years of service.

• Optional hybrid telework schedule following completion of probationary period.

• Optional membership in the General Government Unit (GGU) Labor Union: ASEA/AFSCME Local 52 - ASEA/AFSCME Local 52

• Competitive health and retirement benefits.

Learn more about what to expect as a new State of Alaska employee at: New Employee Orientation, Division of Personnel and Labor Relations, Department of Administration (alaska.gov)

The working environment you can expect:

While mostly an office job, the individual filling this position will be based in the Valdez office and will coordinate closely with Central Region Team management and staff in other locations.

Our team typically travels to Anchorage, Soldotna and the diverse areas of Central Region for spill response, facility inspections, and response exercises.

We are looking for a candidate that has experience in the following areas:

• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Problem Solving: Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
• Compliance: Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
• Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.
• Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Special Notice:

• 40 Hour HAZWOPER (OSHA) is required (obtained after hire)
• Respirator fit testing (OSHA-Annual) is required (obtained after hire)
• A Valid Driver’s License is required

Requirements

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions

This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications.

Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description

The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class.

They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency.

They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines.

A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Environmental Program Specialist 1 (Range 14):

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with the following competencies

• Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
• Research - Knowledge of the scientific principles, methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
• Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in an environmental, physical, biological, or natural science; engineering; planning; or natural resources.

Environmental Program Specialist 2 (Range 16):

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with the following competencies

• Environmental Science - Knowledge of the interdisciplinary concepts, principles, theories, and methods of investigating the natural and physical environment, including examination of ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography, atmospheric, and other related sciences in the protection and improvement of the environment and its resources.
• Scientific Research - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of scientific principles related to environmental, ecological, biological, or physical science and the methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
• Critical Thinking - Analyzes and evaluates data to draw logical and well-reasoned conclusions.
• Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in an environmental, physical, biological, or natural science; engineering; planning; or natural resources.
AND
Professional experience developing knowledge and skills in environmental regulations, pollution control, environmental damage recovery, or programs to improve or protect environmental quality; or learning to evaluate the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of construction projects; prepare environmental documentation; and determine, negotiate, and monitor permitted activities.

Environmental Program Specialist 3 (Range 18):

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with the following competencies

• Scientific Research - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of scientific principles related to environmental, ecological, biological, or physical science and the methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.
• Compliance - Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
• Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in an environmental, physical, biological, or natural science; engineering; planning; or natural resources.
AND
Professional experience developing knowledge and skills in environmental regulations, pollution control, environmental damage recovery, or programs to improve or protect environmental quality; or learning to evaluate the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of construction projects; prepare environmental documentation; and determine, negotiate, and monitor permitted activities.

Qualifications

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW

• Three (3) professional references and current contact numbers, including at least one (1) from a current or former supervisors/professors

FLEXIBLY STAFFEDThis position is flexibly staffed. The level of the job offer will be based on the selected candidate’s credibly possessed and proven competencies.

If hired at the lower level, you will be promoted to the higher level after completing the training plan and demonstrating competency in the work.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENTThe State’s online recruitment system, Workplace Alaska, requires applicants to certify that they have a legal right to accept employment in the United States.

It is the responsibility of the employee to maintain the appropriate documentation to accept or continue legal employment. The State of Alaska does not function in the role as an employer sponsor.

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLYPlease be sure to check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

EDUCATIONTo verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application.

If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed.

Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application.

(Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts).

Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATIONEducation completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable.

If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

education programs; or an accredited U.S.

state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Omission of required documentation listed will result in an incomplete application and you will not receive further consideration.

NOTE: The State of Alaska does not provide VISA Employer sponsorships.

WORK EXPERIENCEWhen using work experience not already documented in your application, please provide the employer's name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time.

Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported, and minimum qualifications are clearly met.

Work experience needed to meet the minimum qualifications must be documented in the application.

If the application does not support minimum qualifications, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

A resume will not be used to determine that minimum qualifications have been met for the position in which you are applying.

If you are currently or previously been appointed to a flexibly staffed position, please ensure your work experience within a flexibly staffed position indicates the actual dates employed at each level.

Ensure your time and any subsequent flex promotion(s) are documented as a separate position.

This is required as there are minimum qualifications that require experience at a particular level in which the lower level may not be considered.

If this information is not accurately reflected in your application this may cause the processing of your application for consideration to be delayed.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety.

Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

MULTIPLE VACANCIESThis recruitment may be used for more than one (1) vacancy.

The applicant pool acquired during this recruitment may be used for future vacancies for up to ninety (90) days after this recruitment closes.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply to each recruitment notice to ensure consideration for all vacancies.

APPLICATION NOTICEYou can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via hardcopy application.

If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to successfully apply.

Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/ NOTICEQuestions regarding the application process can be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095.

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the ‘governmentjobs.com’ domains.

For information on allowing emails from the ‘governmentjobs.com’ domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword EEO STATEMENTThe State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O.

Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCEQuestions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area.

Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov. For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword

Additional Information

For specific information about the position please contact the hiring manager:

Anna Carey-Eiman

Environmental program Manager 1

907-835-3038

anna.carey@alaska.gov