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City of Palo Alto

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST

City of Palo Alto, Palo Alto, California, United States, 94306

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Watershed Protection Team Overview Public Works– Watershed Protection is part of the City of Palo Alto Public Works Department–Environmental Services Division. The team is charged with protecting water quality in local creeks and the San Francisco Bay by working with industry, businesses, residents, and City operations to reduce pollutants entering surface waters by way of the sanitary sewer and storm drain systems. Public Works–Watershed Protection creates and implements innovative watershed protection projects and programs, develops policies, ordinances and public education, and ensures compliance with the Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit. In addition, the Watershed Protection team oversees the City’s programs for industrial wastewater pretreatment, recycled water, and maintains regulatory compliance for the Regional Water Quality Control Plant, a wastewater treatment plant serving Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, East Palo Alto Sanitary District, and Stanford University.

Position Responsibilities

Provides outreach, education and public engagement for the Watershed Protection programs including those related to pollution prevention for stormwater and wastewater, recycled water, and sea level rise planning efforts

Oversees consultants and contractors to prepare outreach campaigns and collateral including print, web and other material; keeps data metrics and evaluates program success

Under direction, sets outreach goals and develops annual workplan

Attends a selection of meetings with regional groups including Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group (BAPPG), and Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP)

Creates and maintains Watershed Protection web content for the City website

Leads and staffs public events, including tabling at events like Earth Day, Municipal Services Day, Rain Barrel and Rain Garden Workshops, Creek Cleanups, and tours of the wastewater treatment plant

Under direction, ensures the City maintains compliance with select components of the City’s wastewater discharge (NPDES) permit stormwater permit and select Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit provisions

Prepares regulatory reports in compliance with the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, including the Pollution Prevention Report for the wastewater treatment plant and select components of the stormwater annual report

Oversees the City’s stormwater rebate program

Ideal Candidate

At least two years of experience working in the environmental field, with a focus on wastewater or stormwater

Knowledge of stormwater pollution prevention, wastewater treatment, recycled water and sea level rise, and ability to interpret the importance of technical environmental concepts to diverse audiences

Experience working with contractors, like professional consultants and service contractors, in a leadership role

Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ideal writing skills include experience writing a variety of material including work proposals, technical scopes of work, regulatory reports and correspondence, web content, and public outreach material

Experience in public education, which could include developing outreach campaigns, creating public outreach materials in various media, preparing or administering surveys, and informing and connecting with the local community via direct communication

Ability to work effectively both independently and on a close team

An effective collaborator: this position will require collaboration within the organization, other agencies and with the public

Ability to work select weekends

Bachelor’s degree in natural sciences, environmental studies, or a related field

Essential Duties

Prepare designs, specifications, plans, estimates, reports, and request for proposals for projects of moderate complexity

Develop outreach for environmental programs that meets regulatory requirements

Assist manager of environmental control programs and project manager with environmental programs and implementation

Assist in preparing quarterly reports and other related reports required by various regulatory agencies

Performs other duties of a similar nature or level

Position-specific Responsibilities

Administering consultant contracts, writing scopes of work, preparing RFPs, evaluating and selecting consultants, reviewing consultant work, monitoring associated budgets, and ensuring compliance with established schedules.

Coordinating with various departments, public groups and agencies on Watershed Protection and pollution prevention topics

Outreach and public education

Essential Functions

Works with technical staff in preparing designs, writing requests for proposal and report preparation.

Utilizes computer in administering contracts; prepares monthly progress payments, contract change orders, interpretation of project plans and specifications, coordinates final inspection and job closeout.

Utilizes computer in monitoring the project budget including revisions, budget allocations, and assures full value received.

Related Functions

As assigned may perform tests and inspections of various projects.

Acts as liaison with and controls professional services of consultants on conceptual design, working drawings, and specifications and estimates.

Participates in consultant selection.

Assists in managing consultant contracts.

Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Special Requirements

Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Selection Process

Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email. Governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates.

Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time after the posting closes.

The screening process for this position typically may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.

Applicants may contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.

This position is represented by Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU).

The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

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