Senior Permit Program Consultant (Natural Resource Specialist 5)

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.

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.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Senior Permit Program Consultant (Natural Resource Specialist 5) in Portland, Oregon.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality.

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. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/E-Cs6M9AAlU

The Water Quality Division has a critical role in achieving the Department’s mission by developing policy, implementation tools, and implementation priorities for improving and protecting the quality of water in Oregon’s waterways. The Water Quality Division works cooperatively with the Department’s three regional offices and the Laboratory to deliver programs and services that protect and enhance the quality of the waters of the state to protect public health and the environment.

This position is within the Water Quality Permit and Program Development (WQPPD) section. The WQPPD section’s vision is to protect and improve Oregon’s waters for beneficial uses, such as drinking water, fish habitat, recreation, and irrigation. Their mission is to restore, maintain, and enhance Oregon’s waters and protect them from the discharge of pollutants. This is accomplished by issuing and renewing permits on schedule through a defined, consistent, and transparent process utilizing legal and regulatory authorities.

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

What you will do!

You will provide technical, analytical, and administrative support to DEQ’s WQPPD program through strategic planning, policy development, and technical consultation on National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. You will serve as the technical liaison for the NPDES program, coordinating with other state agencies, EPA, federal partners, other state permitting authorities, industry representatives, advocacy organizations, and the public to address complex regulatory and policy issues. You will apply cross-program knowledge to guide the development and continual improvement of the NPDES program, ensuring alignment with other Clean Water Act subprograms, including Water Quality Standards, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), Monitoring, and Assessments. You will identify and conceptualize needed legislation, rulemaking, and policy reforms to advance the effective implementation of the NPDES permitting framework. You will lead and direct the work of subject matter experts and permit writers by providing statewide technical oversight for NPDES permit development, auditing permit actions, validating methodologies and technical tools, and designing strategies for consistent and defensible implementation of regulatory requirements.

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: 8 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:

• 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.
• Master’s degree in physical science, environmental science, environmental engineering, natural resource engineering, natural resources, or a closely related field may substitute for 4 of the required years of experience.
• Doctorate degree in physical science, environmental science, environmental engineering, natural resource engineering, natural resources, or a closely related field may substitute for 5 of the required years of experience.

Candidates who are most competitive will demonstrate the following attributes:

Technical Skills (core regulatory, analytical, and subject-matter expertise)

• Extensive knowledge of and experience with the Clean Water Act, supporting federal and state laws, and associated regulations, including how these authorities apply to the interrelationships among subprograms and the overall structure of DEQ’s water quality program.
• Extensive knowledge of current trends, emerging technologies, and evolving issues related to water quality, with the ability to anticipate and adapt to changing regulatory and technical landscapes.
• Experience with water quality assessments, including identifying impaired waters and understanding how such determinations inform the development of NPDES permits, TMDLs, and other regulatory actions.
• Advanced analytical skills, including interpreting and evaluating water quality data and statistical trends; identifying the influence of multiple variables on program outcomes; and developing targeted intervention, remediation, or adaptive strategies.
• Experience with policy development, including drafting policies, legislative proposals, and regulations related to water quality protection, management, and control.
• Excellent project management, analytical, and organizational skills, with experience in planning, leading, and implementing complex projects and programs; prior consulting or regulatory project management experience preferred.
• Strong program analysis skills, with the ability to evaluate current and future needs, develop strategic recommendations, and foster creativity and innovation in program implementation.

Soft Skills (relationship-building, leadership, and communication abilities critical to success)

• Demonstrated understanding of and experience with environmental justice, including the historical impacts on marginalized and underrepresented communities; commitment to increasing personal knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Demonstrated experience building and sustaining relationships with diverse partners, including colleagues, interested parties, communities, organizations, and businesses.
• Strong skills in conflict resolution, negotiation, collaboration, and engagement, with the ability to break down barriers between programs and foster coordinated approaches to problem-solving.
• Proven leadership skills, including the ability to analyze, integrate, and balance multiple perspectives, backgrounds, and priorities; demonstrate flexibility, patience, and effective facilitation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to convey complex policy and technical information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner; skill in preparing and presenting reports with both qualitative and quantitative analyses, supported by sound recommendations 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 by car statewide to attend meetings, trainings, public hearings, conferences, workshops, and seminars, and to conduct field visits, some of which may involve extended work hours, overnight stays, and/or weekend work. During field visits, there is the potential for exposure to inclement weather, pollutants, chemicals, contaminated soil and water, fumes, airborne contaminants, fall and tripping hazards, stairs, and substantial walking.

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.