Environmental Scientist

Job Description:
Job Functions and Responsibilities:
• Employ environmental and engineering principles and practices to assess and ensure environmental compliance of utility/Canals operations.
• Acquire legitimate data from the facilities and the field and develop consensus for action in an operating and/or construction environment.
• Act as the point of contact with operational staff and contractors as the technical expert in routine environmental compliance activities
• Review and interpret State and Federal Regulations in the areas of responsibility that may affect Authority operations including the preparation of applications to attain/maintain the permits for compliant operation under all applicable regulations and statutes.
• Develop scopes of services, review bid proposals, evaluate the suitability of proposed vendors and participate in contract negotiations provide quality assurance oversight of vendor services through feedback from users.
• Review external permit applications against the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) regulations
• Review internal project requests and operational tasks against environmental policies, regulations and provide project managers with direct support against anticipated permitting requirements
• Assist operations and construction teams in proper management and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
• Perform inspections of waste accumulation and storage areas at operations facilities
• Periodically conduct audits and field inspections to assess adherence to, and effectiveness of, environmental policies and processes; correct for failures and non-conformities.

Skills:
• As the staff consultant/expert, knowledge of both operational constraints and regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of state and federal agency regulations regarding wetlands, waste management, threatened & endangered species, water quality concerns and SEQRA.
• Knowledge of a wide variety of utility/transportation industry issues, with expertise in one or more specific environmental areas such as permitting, quality reviews and/or risk analysis.

Education and Certifications:
• Bachelor’s degree required; Engineering or related preferred
• RCRA Hazardous Waste and DOT Hazardous Waste Training
• 1-5 years of experience.