Environmental Program Specialist 3

The State of Alaska is hiring an Environmental Program Specialist 3 for Alaska residents, with positions in Anchorage, Soldotna, Wasilla, Fairbanks, or Juneau. The role involves managing contaminated sites, reviewing cleanup plans, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The job offers telework options and a hybrid work schedule. Candidates should have strong communication skills and experience in scientific research related to environmental science.
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 Anchorage, Soldotna, Wasilla, Fairbanks, or Juneau.

Pay will be determined based on location of selected individual.

Anchorage, Soldotna, Wasilla salary: $34.25

Fairbanks salary: $35.28

Juneau salary: $35.96

What you will be doing:

Want to do meaningful work that helps protect human health and the environment? Are you self-disciplined, motivated, and can work collaboratively with others and independently? Do you have strong oral and writing skills? Please join a group of environmental professionals with the Spill Prevention and Responses’ Contaminated Sites Program. Our mission is to protect public health and the environment by managing the cleanup of oil and hazardous substances in the soil and groundwater around the State of Alaska.
With supervision and mentoring from other environmental professionals, you will review and provide comments on cleanup work plans and reports, write letters to responsible parties and their consultants, manage contaminated sites assigned to you, and learn the department’s roles for ensuring the information is technically accurate and consistent with current guidance and State and Federal laws.

Our organization, mission, and culture:

At DEC, our mission is conserving, improving, and protecting Alaska's natural resources and environment to enhance the health, safety, economic, and social well-being of Alaskans. Our core values are customer service, accountability, integrity, collaboration and objectivity.
Clean water and land are essential to every Alaskan. By joining our team, you can help support DEC’s mission by completing tasks to guide the regulated community, stakeholders, and general public through all aspects of the regulatory process required to characterize and clean up oil and hazardous substances at sites across Alaska.

The benefits of joining our team:

We offer a positive office culture with an emphasis on professional development. You will be provided internal and external training opportunities for learning and development. Work-life balance is a high priority and is supported through flexible work arrangements, telework opportunities, personal leave accrual and approved time off.

The working environment you can expect:

The physical work location of this position will depend on the successful applicant and will be in either Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage or Soldotna. There will be telework options to those who qualify.
Within the Contaminated Sites Program, most of our staff are working a hybrid schedule with a combination of working in office and telework. We maintain a positive atmosphere through collaboration in-person (in office) and through Microsoft Teams for weekly staff meetings. This position is primarily a desk job. Occasionally, (2-4 times a year) you will be able to travel for site inspections, meetings and/or training.

We are looking for a candidate that has experience in the following areas:
• 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.
• Written Communication: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Speical Notice:
• Valid Alaska Driver`s License is required.
• 24 - 40 hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response HAZWOPER and annual refresher courses are required (can be obtained after hire)

Minimum Qualifications

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.

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.

Additional Required Information

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW
• Copies of post-secondary academic transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) if using education to demonstrate meeting the minimum qualifications.
• Three (3) professional references (preferably current or former supervisors) with a current daytime phone number and email address.
• A cover letter is required at the time of interview to highlight writing abilities.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT
The 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 ONLY
Please be sure to check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

EDUCATION
To 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 EDUCATION
Education 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 EXPERIENCE
When 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 VACANCIES
This 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 NOTICE
You 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/

NOTICE
Questions 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 STATEMENT
The 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 & ASSISTANCE
Questions 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

Contact Information

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

Dennis Shepard

Environmental Program Manager 1

907-451-2180

dennis.shepard@alaska.gov

Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits
• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
• The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
• AVTEC
• Confidential
• Correctional Officers
• Marine Engineers
• Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
• Supervisory
• Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
• Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
• The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
• General Government
• Labor, Trades and Crafts
• Public Safety Employees Association
• Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits
• Group-based insurance premiums for
• Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
• Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits
• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See https://drb.alaska.gov/retiree/ for additional information

Paid Leave & Other Benefits
• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year