Environmental Officer

THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

The Water Utilities Department is currently conducting a salary and compensation study to maintain standing as a regionally competitive water and wastewater employer. The results of this study may impact compensation rates in fiscal year 2024/25. This position will be starting July 1st, 2024 pending Council approval.

About Oceanside’s Water Utilities Department & Green Oceanside

The City of Oceanside is accepting applications for the position of Environmental Officer in the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) Program. This program is a part of the City’s innovative Green Oceanside environmental division.

The Oceanside Water Utilities Department is a forward-looking organization whose goal it is to ensure ongoing access to safe, affordable drinking water, reliable wastewater collection & treatment services, and environmental sustainability by maintaining top talent, resource resiliency, dependability, and system efficiency.

About the position

Green Oceanside is seeking a creative leader who is motivated to navigate the dynamic Water Use Efficiency group within the increasingly regulated and ever-changing water demand and supply environment. The ideal candidate is someone who can exercise considerable independence, initiative, and discretion within broad guidelines and who is proficient in leveraging information systems and communication to guide and empower us to meet our water use efficiency goals.

You should be excited about this opportunity because you will…

Oversee and plan the water use efficiency and water loss objectives for the City

Promote & implement water use efficiency programs and strategies

Affect change in official city policy by preparing memos, staff reports, agreements and documentation for a variety of water use efficiency state reporting requirements and programs

Bring in vital funding to our initiatives by preparing grant applications that will further support programming and infrastructure implementation

Supervise a team of specialists and analysts who are passionate about sustainability by counseling and training them, and monitoring their performance.

Train program staff on water use efficiency services and programs, customer service, regulatory and ordinance requirements and use of computer systems

Ensure high performance and a customer-oriented approach that supports achieving water use efficiency goals, regulations and objectives

Actively work with individual customers and groups of customers to provide service information and regulatory enforcement

Oversee, monitor and provide reporting for grant-funded projects

Attend public-facing discussions outside the normal workday and participate in tours and workshops on weekends and evenings as necessary.

We will also rely on you for…

Attending local, regional, state and national industry conferences and meetings to maximize program effectiveness and sharing new findings; representing the City at professional or industry group meetings and generally remaining current on new developments in statewide water use efficiency regulations and activities, the water utilities and public works industries; and overseeing the more difficult work associated with contract administration and enforcement actions.

If this sounds like you, keep reading

Examples of Duties

The Environmental Officer oversees the administration, coordination and monitoring of City-wide environmental programs including, but not limited to, the Stormwater NPDES Program, the Green Energy Efficiency Program, Water Use Efficiency Program, and Solid Waste/Recycling Program, coordinates compliance issues across City Departments; coordinates activities associated with non-point sources of water, pollution prevention, water efficiency, solid waste and recycling, best management practices, education and outreach, field investigation, and inspection of industrial, commercial, municipal and residential customers; plan and coordinate the work of professional and technical staff; and the enforcement of codes and regulations, reviews or assists in preparing compliance reports for any of the above; researches, proposes, plans and implements programs and policies in support of Green Energy; environmental plans and management regarding long-term water supply and demand management; rates and charges; appropriately delegates project assignments to project teams or individuals and mentors junior staff; communicates with regulatory agencies and acts as liaison with internal staff and representatives from outside agencies involved in environmental regulation; monitors new, proposed or pending environmental regulations pertaining to storm water, green energy, solid waste and recycling, water use efficiency, and initiates appropriate actions to assure compliance; attends and reports at hearings, meetings and technical committees as Department representative before State and County regulatory agencies; serves as primary technical expert within the department on matters involving regulation, environment; develops position papers and written testimony; interacts and negotiates with regulatory agencies and participates in negotiations to establish monitoring programs and permit conditions; interprets complex environmental topics, regulations, and casework and provides written or oral explanations to City staff or the public; attends Commission and Council meetings and makes presentations to City Council, commissions, community groups and other governmental officials; prepares and submits grant applications; administers grant funding and grant-funded projects and services; develops, and administers contract services for environmental projects; reviews the work of consultants and contractors; investigates accidents and incidents involving environmental compliance issues; performs related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of:

Current federal, state and local regulations affecting environmental management issues.

Principles and practices of municipal storm water systems and green energy/energy efficiency.

The methods, techniques, operations, and effects of environmental management systems and programs within the City and throughout the region.

Environmental rules, regulations, procedures and policies.

Sources and fate of pollutants, impact of exposure on public or environmental health.

Techniques for measuring and analyzing pollutants.

Methods of regulatory control.

Legislation regulating grant administration.

Methods and procedures used in review, rating, and evaluation of grant applications.

Principles and practices of management, training and performance evaluation.

Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications.

Principles and procedures involved in record keeping, report writing, and professional correspondence.

Basic principles of effective leadership, supervision and personnel management.

Ability to:

Read, understand and relate to others complex rules and regulations and to assess their impacts and summarize them into reports for consumption by a wide audience.

Read and understand laboratory reports, charts, graphs and mathematical or chemical models or formulas.

Plan, organize, and manage professional and support staff;

Negotiate on matters pertaining to City interests, contracts, and properties.

Speak and present effectively to groups, audiences, and regulatory bodies.

Maintain and update accurate records and files.

Prepare clear and concise reports.

Perform basic arithmetic calculations accurately.

Work independently and efficiently to carry out assignments.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Understand and carry out oral and written instructions.

Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Experience and Training

Experience:

Three years of increasingly responsible environmental management experience.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in environmental science or a related field.

License:

Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, an appropriate, valid California driver’s license.

Working Conditions and Selection Process

Environmental Conditions:

Primarily an office environment; exposure to computer screens; public contact; occasional field work, travel from site to site, and exposure to water or wastewater, toxic solvents, materials or fumes, electrical or radiant energy and extreme weather conditions.

Physical Conditions: Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time; exposure to computer screens, speaking and hearing to exchange information; walking or traversing over various types of outdoor terrain including uneven, unpaved, steep or slippery surface areas; visual acuity to read and interpret reports.

Selection Process: All properly completed applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed, and the most appropriately qualified individuals will be invited to continue in the selection process. The process may include any combination of a written exam, oral exam, and/or skills assessment to further evaluate job-related qualifications. Candidates who successfully complete the selection process will be placed on an eligible list for a period of six months.

Note: Prospective employees will undergo and must successfully pass, a background reference check (including fingerprinting) and a medical examination. Drug screening may be required.

RESUMES ARE NOT ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS, BUT MAY BE ATTACHED.

CANDIDATES WHO REQUIRE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN THE SELECTION PROCESS SHOULD STATE THEIR NEEDS IN WRITING WHEN SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION.

THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BULLETIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. ANY PROVISION CONTAINED IN THIS BULLETIN MAY BE MODIFIED OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE.

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