Permit Specialist & Consultant (Natural Resource Specialist 4 – Environmental Health Specialist)

Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/E-Cs6M9AAlU

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a permanent, full-time opportunity available for a Permit Specialist & Consultant (Natural Resource Specialist 4 – Environmental Health Specialist). This position will be located in Bend, Klamath Falls, The Dalles, or Pendleton, Oregon (finalist may choose work location).

This position is identified for potential reduction during the 23-25 legislative session.  There is no certainty in reductions being implemented at this time.  The final determination will be after legislative session ends late June 2023.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality. There are 3 regions (Northwest, Western, and Eastern); this position is in Eastern Region, which includes all of the counties east of the Cascade Mountains. The Regions provide the following services: compliance inspection of regulated entities; enforcement of permit requirements and administrative rules; issuance of air, water, and solid waste permits; investigation of complaints; issuance of subsurface permits in counties; response to spills or other incidents with environmental impacts; direct contact and liaison with other governmental entities, industries, and the public; and technical assistance to regulated entities and the public.

This position is in the Eastern Region Water Quality Wastewater Permitting Section, which supports the department’s water quality permitting program, including NPDES and WPCF permits. The work of this section is supported by the Headquarters Water Quality Division.

Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.

You will serve as the regional agronomy expert for land application activities providing technical assistance for both the water quality and solid waste programs and be responsible as the Subject Matter Expert for both NPDES and WPCF permitting staff. You will independently investigate major sites or complex facilities determining the approvability of treatment wastewater disposal or beneficial use applications and whether the systems are adequate to protect public health and waters of the state. You will make decisions on the type(s) of remedial action required for violations of the regulations. You will be responsible for drafting and issuing complex individual wastewater permits, performing compliance inspections, and ensuring enforcement for assigned, permitted sources. You will serve on State task forces, serve on advisory committees, and represent the agency in litigation, negotiation, and settlement of conflicts for crop, soil, fertilizer, and irrigation management in association with land application activities. In addition, you will serve as a consultant to co-workers, counties, cities, and wastewater treatment facilities on agronomy, biosolids, recycled water, industrial reuse, and wastewater treatment processes; provide technical assistance, compliance assurance, and enforcement for both industrial and domestic sewage sources and respond to complaints concerning water pollution; and consult with and advise managers, administrators, director, commissioners, legislators, and the public on existing or proposed laws, regulations, standards, and policies associated with agronomy and land application. 

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon's environment, apply today!

Minimum Qualifications:

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following:

DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.

This position will be based out of the DEQ office in Eastern Region of the candidates’ choosing, however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

There will be frequent travel by car for field work, some of which will require extended hours, evening work, and overnight stays. Field work involves climbing, bending, and use of site evaluation and inspection equipment in all types of weather at sites where wastes may be present. During field visits, there may be exposure to contaminated soil, water, and fumes, as well as airborne contaminants. There will be occasional travel for public hearings, public presentations, meetings, conferences, seminars, and training.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

Please Note: In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application material.

DEQ provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. You will be asked to submit those at a later time.

As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.

If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, please contact Grecia Lora Motz, Human Resources Analyst, at grecia.loramotz@deq.oregon.gov or (503) 863-0621. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.