Environmental Specialist (213440)
Job Title: Environmental Specialist
Job ID: 213440
Location: Shawnee County
Job Posting Closes: July 22, 2024
Kansas Department of Health and Environment:
Our agency is led by Secretary Janet Stanek, who was appointed by Gov. Kelly in Dec 2021. KDHE is comprised of three divisions: Public Health, Environment, and Health Care Finance (which includes the State’s Medicaid program, KanCare). We are the only agency in the nation to have these three entities under one roof which allows us to take a holistic approach to improving and protecting the health and well-being of all Kansans.
About the Position
- Who can apply: Anyone (External)
- Classified/Unclassified Service: Unclassified
- Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time
- Regular/Temporary: Regular
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (Flexible schedules available)
- Eligible to Receive Benefits: Yes
- Veterans' Preference Eligible: Yes
Compensation:
- Hourly Pay Range: $26.30 - $26.98
* Salary can vary depending upon education, experience, or qualifications.
Employment Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage
- Sick & Vacation leave
- Work-Life Balance programs: parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave.
- Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)
- Fitness Centers in select locations
- Employee discounts with the STAR Program
- Retirement and deferred compensation programs
Visit the Employee Benefits page for more information…
Position Summary & Responsibilities
The position (K0150092)
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has an Environmental Specialist opening in Topeka. This position serves as a water quality analyst and modeler within KDHE's Watershed Management Section (WMS). Assists with the selection of existing environmental models to evaluate non-point source water pollution sources, quantify their potential impacts, and develop pollutant load reduction goals for streams, lakes, and rivers. Utilizes programming skills and familiarity with R-Project statistical software to produce data visualization products, data summaries and tables, and perform statistical analyses on complex environmental datasets. Contribute to the WMS R-project markdown library and provide assistance and training to other staff with R-project skills development. Contribute to the revision or development of Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) plans. Assist with compiling environmental data and modelling results for internal databases. Analyze and interpret environmental data for WRAPS stakeholder groups and local officials. Assist other program staff in the review of watershed project grant applications for consistency with overall WMS water quality improvement goals. Contribute to yearly WRAPS program progress reports. Other potential duties may include occasional collection of environmental samples, representing WMS at workshops and conferences, assisting with conference and workshop planning.
Job Responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:
Collaborate closely with other staff to complete multidisciplinary projects and project reports including landscape level weight of evidence evaluations of non-point water pollutant sources, developing, or evaluating environmental metrics and indices to assess WRAPS project effectiveness, WRAPS 9 element plan revisions and development. Analyze and interpret water quality data for local officials and stakeholder groups to identify water quality trends and impairments. Select and apply appropriate mathematical and scientific models and recommend solutions and best management practices to solve specific water quality problems and achieve pollutant reduction goals.
Serve as unit lead programmer and data analyst using R project statistical software. Support the unit with data visualization and graphing needs, retrieving, and summarizing environmental data, conduct parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses and models. Utilize, modify, or develop water quality models in support of WRAPS 9 Element Watershed Plan revisions or development to estimate pollutant loads in streams and lakes. Coordinate closely with lead unit data manager to ensure work products, e.g., R project markdown documents, data summary and statistical tables, model results and graphs are organized archived and organized on the shared drive.
Qualifications
Education:
- A bachelor's degree in environmental science with an emphasis on biology, chemistry, geology, or a related natural science.
Licensing & Certification:
- Valid Driver's License - Incumbent is required to have and maintain a valid driver's license when operating a state vehicle, a private vehicle, or a rental vehicle for the benefit of the State.
Minimum Qualifications:
- A bachelor's degree in environmental science with an emphasis on biology, chemistry, geology, or a related natural science.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Biology, Natural Resources, or related field.
- Experience in water pollution control.
- Knowledge of principles of watershed management, water quality, non-point source pollution.
- Knowledge of the principles of natural science related to environmental control or natural resources.
- Knowledge of water pollution biology, chemistry, and bacteriology of water and wastewater.
- Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations.
- Ability to exercise independent judgment and apply advanced analytical thought.
- Two years of experience in a field of environmental/agricultural sciences or natural sciences/resources.
- Ability to use Geographic Information System.
- Demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills.
- Proofreading, editing, attention to detail.
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, MS Office, Outlook.
Recruiter Contact Information
- Name: Ashley Webb
- Email: Ashley.webb@ks.gov
- Mailing Address: 1000 SW Jackson St. Suite 580 Topeka, KS 66612
- Please include the Job ID number when emailing.