Food Systems Specialist (Natural Resource Specialist 4)

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualification. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether or not you meet the qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.

Are you passionate about reducing the environmental impacts of food and supporting sustainable food systems in Oregon? Do you have a strong background in leading collaborative project teams to achieve shared goals? If so, please consider applying for the full-time Food Systems Specialist (Natural Resource Specialist 4) position with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality in Portland, Oregon.

About DEQ!

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state’s natural resources. 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

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

What you will do!

The Food Systems Specialist will play an important role in DEQ’s Materials Management Program, which is focused on reducing the environmental and social impacts of materials and products throughout their full life cycle. We work with partners statewide and beyond to advance Oregon’s 2050 Vision for Materials Management and Framework for Action in order to conserve resources, protect the environment, and enhance well-being. This full-time opportunity is based in Portland, OR and sits within the Life Cycle Programs section, which supports the 2050 Vision through innovative, collaborative, and research-based work.

The Materials Management Program is part of DEQ’s Land Quality Division. Land Quality programs support DEQ’s mission through a wide range of environmental work, such as assessing and managing environmental cleanups, safely managing the disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, and responding to spills of oil and hazardous materials. Consider joining a dedicated team and helping advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality.

As the Food Systems Specialist, you will provide key staff leadership for the Food Systems team in the Materials Management Program, and lead implementation of DEQ’s new food systems strategic plan. You will develop program goals, strategies, policy priorities and action plans to reduce the environmental, social, and health impacts of food and other high impact materials produced, used, consumed, and/or discarded in Oregon. You will design and manage new projects, research and pilot programs to support sustainable production, consumption and waste management of food. You will collaborate with partners across the food chain, and act as a statewide expert on food waste and sustainable food systems.

What’s in it for you!

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! DEQ cares deeply about employee wellness and benefits. 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!

This is a full-time, AFSCME represented position.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Qualifications: 7 years of experience in a natural resource or environmental field, with at least 1 year of experience at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities.

Substitutions:

• An equivalent combination of education and experience is acceptable. Bachelor’s degree in physical science, environmental science, natural resources, or a closely related field may substitute for 3 of the required years of experience.
• A Master’s degree in physical science, environmental science, natural resources, or a closely related field may substitute for 4 years of the required years of experience, and a Doctorate with a degree in these fields may substitute for 5 years of experience.

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following desired attributes:

• Environmental Justice and DEI: Demonstrated understanding of environmental justice and the historical impacts for marginalized and underrepresented communities; ability to take personal responsibility for continually deepening your knowledge of environmental justice and diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging.
• Sustainable Food Systems: Significant knowledge of and experience working to reduce the environmental impacts of food systems including production, consumption and waste management or food waste recovery. Experience may include working with a range of state and/or local governments, foodservice businesses, farms, community-based organizations addressing food systems issues, hunger relief agencies, or others.
• Food Waste Prevention: Significant knowledge of and experience addressing the causes and factors that create food waste, barriers to reducing such waste, and existing or potential future interventions to reduce food waste across the food system.
• Life Cycle Thinking: Significant knowledge of and experience working with the life cycle impacts of materials and the reduction of those impacts, especially food and food waste, and ability to envision alternative futures and strategies.
• Project Management: Experience with project management processes and best practices; demonstrated experience managing complex projects including organizing, planning, tracking deadlines, identifying potential problems, recommending solutions, and coordinating work of others.
• Relationships, Collaboration and Partnerships: Demonstrated experience building and fostering relationships with a diverse group of internal and external partners including project teams, impacted communities, community-based organizations, and/or food businesses; proficiency leading effective teams of technical and non-technical collaborators.
• Research Monitoring and Design: Demonstrated experience monitoring and working with qualitative and quantitative research approaches, designing effective research projects, and ability to understand quantitative results.
• Communication and Storytelling: Ability to deliver compelling, concise, and accurate policy and technical information tailored to the diverse needs of different audiences; exceptional skill composing and presenting clear reports and recommendations that include qualitative and quantitative analyses, evidence, and conclusions.

Working Conditions:

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 DEQ’s Headquarters office in Portland, 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.

This position requires occasional travel for meetings, trainings, conferences, public hearings, consultations, and presentations, some of which may involve evening work, weekend work, and/or overnight stays.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. Click this link for the External Candidate job aid, and view this video for additional information.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account.  View this knowledge article for assistance.

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Help Your Application Rise to the Top!

Your application materials are the perfect opportunity to highlight your interest in the position and showcase your amazing skills and experience. 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 materials.

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Veterans Information:

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. Instead, you will be asked to submit those at a later time as part of a future task in Workday.

Equal Pay Analysis:

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.

Work Authorization:

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.

Questions/Need Help?

If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at jobs@deq.oregon.gov or 503-229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.