Environmental Specialist

The job bulletin is only available to current permanent residents of the State of Colorado. This position will have remote and hybrid workplace options available but will still be required to report to the listed address at the discretion of the supervisor and based on business need. This job bulletin will be used to fill multipole Environmental Protection Specialist I positions. Be BOLD and make a real difference . . .
Do you desire a career that provides you with opportunities to improve the world around you? The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is seeking diverse individuals from all backgrounds to apply for a career position that makes a direct impact on improving the lives of Colorado citizens. Our mission is to advance Colorado's health and protect the places we live, work, learn, and play. Our vision is to create a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations thrive.
 
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Our tobacco-free campus offers free parking and is conveniently located near RTD bus lines, Glendale City Set, and the Cherry Creek bike path. In addition to a great location and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:
Employee wellness programs and facilities  Extensive internal professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects  Bike to work programs, including access to storage lockers and bike racks  Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the State system  Strong, yet flexible retirement benefits including a choice of the PERA Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans  Paid life insurance  Short- and long-term disability coverage 11 paid holidays per year plus generous personal time off  Mentoring program with opportunities for mentors and mentees  Tuition assistance for college level courses including Masters degree programs  Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, and  A variety of employee resource groups  Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to:
We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.   Work Unit The Permits Section exists to develop, review, and issue discharge permit actions (new, renewal, modifications, termination) for discharges of pollutants from point sources to waters of the state. These activities are mandated by the Colorado Water Quality Act. In addition, the Section participates in the development of statutes, regulations and policies related to the issuance and implementation of such activities. The Section also provides compliance assistance and general public assistance. The work of the Permits Section is distributed across multiple work units. This permit writer position resides in one of the work units included in the Permits Section.
The Industrial and Natural Resources Extraction Permits Unit exists to complete work assigned to the Unit. Currently assigned work includes process water/mine water (including mining stormwater) industrial dischargers to surface water individual permits (with the exception of SIC 20- Food and Kindred), and the following general permits; coal mining (COG850000), oil and gas (COG840000), sand and gravel (COG500000), and Metal Mining Stormwater (COR040000). For the assigned permits the following types of permit actions are assigned to the unit: develop new, renewal, modifications, and terminations/evaluations of perpetual discharges.
About the position This position exists to:
* Develop water-quality discharge permit actions and authorizations, both individual discharge permits and certifications to discharge under the statewide master general permits assigned to the unit.
* Specifically, individual permit actions (including Water Quality Assessments), sand and gravel permit certifications, oil and gas certifications, and storm water mining permits.
* As part of issuing individual permits, evaluate complex hydrological conditions in streams and rivers, tributary contributions, and water diversions, as well as hydrological considerations for lakes to determine the available waterbody assimilative capacity for various pollutants.
* These analyses require surface water hydrological flow evaluations, surface water flow modeling (and the ability to understand external flow modeling submittals), decisions about watershed characteristics, and the ability to interpret water quality and stream flow and/or lake data.
* Utilize these watershed determinations as a basis to implement appropriate water quality and antidegradation-based permit effluent limits into CDPS discharge authorizations, using state statutes, regulations, policies, and SOPs.
* Download water quality data and flow reports from various websites, and compile and qualitatively evaluating data sets for representativeness, trends, and completeness.
* Evaluate Federal Effluent Limitation Guidelines (ELGs) and other technology-based regulations to determine applicability, and implement in the CDPS permit accordingly.
* Evaluate storm water discharges including pollutant potential, and assign discharge limitations for the mining sector.
* Respond to challenges and comments on implementation approaches taken in the assigned draft permit actions, including hydrologic approaches, and may be required to provide testimony in an administrative court to defend permit approaches based on factual information associated with the permit determinations.
Minimum Qualifications (Option 1) Five (5) years of water quality or related experience. 
(Option 2) Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, environmental engineering, hydrology, watershed science or closely-related field. 
AND One year of water quality related experience.
(Option 3) A graduate degree in biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, environmental engineering, hydrology, watershed science or closely-related field will substitute for the bachelor's degree and one year of experience.
The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. "See Resume" statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.
Preferred Qualifications and Essential Competencies Demonstrated ability to interpret, analyze, and summarize water quality and/or surface water flow data and to report findings of analysis.
Experience applying numeric water quality requirements related to industrial and/or domestic wastewater treatment facilities.
Knowledge using or interpreting State or Federal Permit Regulations and/or experience with the Clean Water Act and Colorado Water Quality Control Act.
Knowledge of hydrology, including Surface Water Flow Modeling.
Knowledge of storm water flows and/or contaminant characteristics from mining sites.
A strong knowledge of Excel software and applications.
Demonstrated experience manipulating large water quality or quantity datasets
Self accountable and a high level of initiative for high-quality and timely results
Ability to pay close attention to detail when completing work tasks.
Excellent communication skills
Ability to adapt quickly to change and easily consider new approaches
Foster an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with others
Conditions of Employment A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process. Should your background check reveal any charges and convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Human Resources office with an official disposition of any charges.
Appeal Rights : 
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position or that as a result of no longer being considered, you were discriminated against, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination. Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging. If an applicant seeks to have an allegation of discrimination reviewed by the Board, that person must file an appeal (petition for hearing) within 10 days of the action or receipt of any final written selection decision. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at A standard appeal form is available at: If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or representative, and received at the following address within 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: . Phone: . The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also applies to all charges of discrimination.  
Applicant Checklist:  The following must be submitted by the application deadline.
A completed State of Colorado application submitted online via colorado.gov/jobs by the application deadline. A cover letter that describes how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Cover letters must be uploaded as an attachment to your colorado.gov/jobs application. Cover letters will not be accepted after the closing date and time of the announcement. If using education to qualify, a copy of your college/university transcripts. Transcripts can be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application. The Selection Process: Applicants will be notified at each step in the selection process via email. Emails will come from .
All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.  Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.  A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.
E-Verify: CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about  E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities. 
You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. CDPHE does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.  ADAAA Accommodations : 
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator at or call , option 5.