Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist

The State of South Carolina is hiring an Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist to manage K–12 environmental education programs, oversee grant applications, and coordinate certification training for solid waste professionals. Candidates should have a high school diploma and experience in environmental health, with a preference for degrees in related fields. Strong organizational, communication, and presentation skills are essential. This position requires statewide travel.
Job Responsibilities

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Science | Service | Sustainability

This position will serve as the program manager for education/outreach programs of the Education, Technical Assistance, and Trust Fund Administration Section in the Mining and Solid Waste Management/Recycling Division, in the Bureau of Land & Waste Management.

Job Responsibilities:
• Serve as the program manager for Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow, a K–12 environmental curriculum supplement. Provide oversight and coordination of the contracted vendor responsible for promoting the curriculum, delivering classroom presentations and teacher training, and updating lesson content. Maintain and strengthen the Take Action SC partnership to support outreach and education efforts.
• Manage K–12 school and college/university grant programs, including promotion, application review, award selection, and tracking of grants and outcomes.
• Oversee the Solid Waste Recycling Professionals Certification Program. Coordinate with the contracted vendor to support the revision of training materials and facilitation of workshops.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

A high school diploma and experience in environmental health programs or radiological health.
A bachelor's degree in the natural or physical sciences, mathematics, public health, engineering or a related technical field may be substituted for the required work experience.

Note: Degrees in a related technical field include, but are not limited to, Earth sciences, chemistry, biology, physics, soil science, environmental science, mathematics, etc.

Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application are encouraged to upload an unofficial copy of the transcript as an attachment to the application. Please note that the agency may require an official, certified copy of the transcript or diploma prior to hiring.

Additional Requirements:
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent time management and planning skills.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to travel as needed statewide to attend meetings and events, make presentations to community groups, schools, and organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree in the natural or physical sciences or related technical field; or an associate degree in the natural or physical sciences or related technical field and two years of environmental health or related experience; or high school diploma and four years of environmental health or related experience.
Note: Degrees in a related technical field include, but are not limited to, Earth sciences, chemistry, biology, physics, soil science, environmental science, mathematics, etc.

Additional Comments

SCDES is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

The Department will not sponsor H1B visas for this position.

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees:
• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click here for additional information.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available (S.C. Deferred Compensation)
• Retirement benefit choices *
• State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
• State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)
• Remote Work: The option of partially remote work is available after successful completion of 6 months to 1 year of employment, based on job functions
• Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.