Environmental Protection Specialist

Summary

Position serves as the Environmental Protection Specialist for the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Healthcare System Occupational Safety and Health Service Line. The purpose of this position is to provide environmental expertise and support in on or more specialized environmental fields. The Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Program Manager provides professional technical services related to environmental issues and program planning to achieve compliance with proposed regulations.

Duties

***Compressed or alternate work scheduled and/or Telework: Ad-Hoc can be offered to highly qualified applicants***

***Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized to highly qualified applicants***

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Environmental Protection Specialist is responsible for interpreting policy, laws, regulation, Executive Orders, and directives related to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and management of the GEMS Program.
• Advises stakeholders, federal, and state partner agencies on federal responsibilities and the requirements of NEPA and EPA, the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR , and implementation to assure compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
• Reviews, analyses, and recommends modifications to existing environmental programs and practices. Determines whether such practices comply with applicable standards and determines requirements needed to meet continuously changing regulations.
• Completes and manages environmental analysis; environmental regulatory and compliance evaluations; risk assessments; assessments of past environmental practices; implementation of environmental regulations and policy, requiring interpretation of laws, orders, regulations, and agency guidance; and technical direction and guidance to other specialists.
• Advises executive leadership on the status of environmental programs and recommends changes in the design of facility programs to meet new environmental requirements. Interacts with federal, state, and local environmental agencies with respect to facility environmental issues. Independently schedules and leads environmental inspections.
• Provides technical direction to facility staff and contract support staff on environmental issues and program planning to achieve compliance with proposed regulations. Environmental protection programs are designed to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing air emissions, hazardous materials and hazardous waste, oil spills, water quality, and the storage of regulated substances (e.g., petroleum products, chemicals, and wastes) and to alleviate the adverse impacts of human activities on the environment.
• Maintains 100% accountability of waste manifests.
• Analyze and propose recommendations concerning capital improvement of expenditures affecting specific programs and service areas.
• Ensures that regulatory reports to the State agency are accurate and timely.
• Reviews construction project plans and specifications for pollution control features to ensure compliance with established standards.
• Advises management of any permit requirements needed to comply with federal, state, or local administrative requirements.
• Actively participates in construction projects as the technical expert on environmental issues.
• Provides guidelines to improve operation and maintenance of environmentally related systems and functions.
• Assists design engineers in the preparation of operation and maintenance manuals. Systematically inspects on-site operations, maintenance procedures, and record-keeping practices to ensure compliance with established policies.
• Exercises judgement and broad perspective in applying a thorough knowledge of the principles, concepts, and practices relating to environmental protection programs as they concern problems of organizing, planning, funding, and controlling environmental activities.
• Participates in coordinating activities with municipal, state, regionals, and federal environmental regulatory agencies.
• Reviews laws, codes, and regulations promulgated by environmental control agencies at all levels and assess their impact on operations and real property in terms of changes in both equipment and dollar requirements.
• Performs periodic on-site inspections of facilities to determine compliance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental, hazardous materials, and waste standards.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist/PD142370

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

---