TDEC-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST 3 - 04272023-45470

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION(S) TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION, DOE OVERSIGHT DIVISION, ANDERSON COUNTY

For more information, visit the link below:
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/environment/job-announcements-/preferred-service/00107303_tdec_env_sci_3_doe_oak_ridge_tdec-job-opp_ps.pdf

This position is designed as Hybrid.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in environmental science, physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, geology, meteorology), ecology, sustainability or applied science in sustainability, life sciences (e.g. biology, microbiology, health physics or biophysics), environmental health, pre-medicine, engineering or other acceptable science or natural resource related field and three years of full-time professional environmental program, natural resource conservation work or full-time professional work that involved ensuring compliance with radiation safety standards and/or regulations.

Substitution of a Specific Bachelor's Degree for Experience:A bachelor's degree in health physics or nuclear engineering may substitute for one year of the required experience in the Division of Radiological Health.

Substitution of Education for Experience: Graduate coursework in environmental science, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, physics, ecology, sustainability, applied science in sustainability, or other acceptable science or natural resource related field may be substituted for the required experience, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of two years (24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours is equivalent to one year).

Substitution of Experience for Education: Qualifying fulltime environmental, sustainability, or natural resource conservation program experience may substitute for the required education, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of four years.

OR

Three years fulltime professional environmental, sustainability, or natural resource conservation program work with the State of Tennessee.

Other Requirements

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:

• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license at the time of appointment in some positions;
• Applicants who are working in the Division of Radiological Health must have successfully completed the training courses offered by the Division of Radiological Health. Failure to do so may result in termination;
• TDEC Environmental Scientist's 3 performing geologic duties the major portion of their time must: Either a.) have completed the required college course work at the time of appointment to be eligible to take the licensing examination offered by Tennessee's Department of Commerce and Insurance's Board of Professional Geologists, or b.) hold and maintain a current Geologic license from the State of Tennessee during employment or hold a current Geologic license from another State that Tennessee has evaluated and granted reciprocal licensing rights. Applicants hired with a current Geologic license from a reciprocal licensing State must obtain, and then maintain, a current license in Geology from the State of Tennessee Board of Professional Geologists within one year of appointment;
• Some TDEC Environmental Scientist 3 positions assigned to function as Biologists must meet the specific educational requirements for Biologists, as follows: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, including at least 36 quarter hours (or 24 semester hours) in biology, in one of the following areas: (1) biology or biological sciences, (2) botanical sciences, (3) environmental or conservation sciences, (4) zoological sciences, or (5) aquatic, terrestrial, or wetland biology or ecology or other acceptable biological science related field.

Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Job Overview

Summary: Under general supervision, may be responsible for professional environmental, natural resources and/or similar science related program work of average difficulty; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Features: ,This is the advanced working and/or lead level in the TDEC Environmental Scientist subseries. An employee in this class will perform a full range of complex environmental compliance inspection, monitoring, problem identification, corrective action and enforcement duties in an environmental regulatory or assistance division. An employee in this class may perform natural resource management and/or inventory duties in conservation or other non-regulatory programs.

Work Activities

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Other:

• Coordinate meetings and projects with stakeholders.
• Lead, plans and coordinates the activities of other staff to ensure operational and strategic priorities are met.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others:

• Investigates complaints; develops corrective recommendations for identified problems, and if necessary, initiates legal action to effect compliance of established standards, laws, rules, regulations, or policies.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others:

• Interprets findings, results, (i.e. site inspections, permits, lab results, etc.) and communicates interpretation of regulations, policy, guidance to stakeholders.

Processing Information:

• Compile legally defensible environmental documents.
• Compiles, processes, and reviews records, data, operational plans, enforcement action requests, reports, etc.
• Reviews Quality Assurance/Quality Control parameters, specific to and required by acceptable methodologies, to ensure they are performed with each data set.
• Prepare statistical/metric reports for aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland evaluations.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

• Determine the validity and severity of an incident and appropriate response.
• Analyzes available information and makes recommendations to ensure the best solution is chosen to meet regulatory, project, and/or stakeholders' needs.
• Determine validity and severity of violation(s) and if an enforcement action is warranted.
• Review plans and reports to determine future regulatory actions.

Developing Objectives and Strategies:

• Assist in developing, implementing and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material:

• Conduct inspections of equipment, structures and/or material, to ensure proper installation, maintenance, and/or operation.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment:

• Prepares documentation (such as permits, designs, layout, blueprints, soil evaluations, etc.), in a concise and defensible manner, to ensure missions are met.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

• Perform inspections and/or investigations when required by a specific TDEC program area such as air pollution, water resources, remediation, underground storage tanks, solid waste management, radiological health, natural areas, etc. to determine compliance with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Enforce environmental or other standards, laws, rules, regulations, and/or administrative policies and procedures, taking corrective action as warranted.
• Determines if documents (i.e., permits, applications, National Environmental Policy Act, licenses, accreditations and certifications, etc.) may be approved by reviewing and evaluating information submitted by applicant or acquired by site inspections and/or other informative sources used for determining minimum environmental or other compliance with established standards.
• Ensures statutory obligations are fulfilled.
• Reviews and evaluates applications, forms, plans, inspection documents, general correspondence, reports or other records to ensure technical adequacy.
• Oversee environmental sampling and/or investigations to assure that acceptable procedures are followed.
• Adheres to requirements specified in Standard Operating Procedures and any applicable federal and/or state standards.
• Audits third party inspections of facilities to determine compliance with regulatory standards.
• Compares environmental and/or health related data to applicable criteria.
• Assesses fees based on the regulatory standards.

Analyzing Data or Information:

• Assist in developing standards.
• Analyze environmental and/or other information, such as monitoring records, site inspections, sampling data to determine if further action is necessary and to evaluate trends.
• Review plans to ensure protection of human health and the environment.
• Interpret analytical results to determine data quality and usability.
• Perform studies of environmental pollution or ionizing radiation and any socioeconomic effects.
• Analyze environmental data using mathematical and statistical methods.
• Prepare plans, maps or reports of findings relating to health and environmental data.
• Performs laboratory or field tests based specific sample requirements.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Performs environmental or health investigations, remediation, and/or monitoring work, including sampling and evaluation of pollutants to determine compliance with environmental or other standards.
• Coordinates and serves as technical lead for projects.
• Serve as a technical advisor to emergency responders for incidents/accidents.
• Reviews monitoring data to determine permit compliance, environmental standards and/or ecological conditions.
• Comply with safe handling, storage and disposal procedures for samples, laboratory reagents and other chemicals.
• Verify expiration dates of chemicals and supplies, disposing of expired materials as required by safety rules and regulations.

Selling or Influencing Others:

• Build consensus among internal and/or external stakeholders in order to further TDEC's missions and goals.

Interacting With Computers:

• Possesses general knowledge and utilizes computer software including but not limited to: statistical programs, scientific instruments, modeling, Geographic Information System (GIS), databases, word processing, spreadsheets, email, etc.
• Generate reports and documents utilizing contemporary computer software.

Scheduling Work and Activities:

• Manages or assists in managing state programs including certifying officials/professionals; coordination and training; records management; and federal reporting requirements (e.g. the ginseng program, asbestos, lead based paint, etc.).
• Participate in a required on-call rotation to respond to incidents/accidents as assigned.
• Schedules assigned work to address compliance monitoring inspections, complaints and/or investigations, tasks, directives, correspondence, laboratory activities, biological surveys, etc.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

• Provide expert testimony for legal hearings and proceedings.
• Ensures all customers are serviced in a timely, professional and knowledgeable manner so as to meet the mission.
• Participates and/or leads compliance review meetings with stakeholders to achieve compliance with regulations.
• Explain the validity and severity of incidents to governmental agencies and other stakeholders.
• Provide high-quality outreach, including design, distribution of information, and technical assistance to stakeholders.
• Communicate findings in applicable approval letters, notice of deficiencies, notice of violations, license or amendment agreement or enforcement action requests.
• Uses tools, such as GIS, to inform and educate stakeholders and to improve or maintain environmental resources.
• Coordinate with stakeholders for consultations, meetings, workshops and joint projects.
• Informs stakeholders of public participation opportunities, policy and regulation changes.
• Participate in public participation opportunities as assigned.

Getting Information:

• Conducts, observes and/or oversees environmental or health surveys, sampling, inventories or monitoring, testing, including site evaluations.
• Perform regulatory and other research in order to stay current with local, state, and federal standards and procedures.
• Obtains and receives records, data, operational plans, enforcement action requests, survey information, etc.
• Searches for and/or identifies entities or locations that should be regulated and inform those that need to be brought into compliance.

Training and Teaching Others:

• Train other staff, in the proper methods and procedures for performing environmental work as requested.
• Provides training to stakeholders who may require specific knowledge.
• Provide materials and tools needed for training.

Coaching and Developing Others:

• Coaches, develop, and mentor other staff to improve their knowledge or skills for an assigned job task.
• Provide input, recommendations, and advice during the performance management cycle for other environmental staff as requested.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Prepares and maintains complete and accurate records, reports, logs, databases, chain-of-custody and correspondence based on established guidelines and procedures.
• Maintains records of observations made during field evaluations to document data collection, ambient site conditions, and the location of the evaluation.
• Documents all relevant work activities, contacts, and meetings.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources:

• Oversees and/or prepares cost estimates, grants, contracts or financial assurance documents.
• Provide technical oversight, review, and/or project management of ongoing state and/or federal grant/loan programs.
• Ensures contractors' proposed work activities comply with established rates and/or approved scope of work.
• Submit requests with justification for large expenditures for approval.
• Conduct periodic inventory of equipment and supplies to ensure availability of necessary materials.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:
• Organizes, plans and prioritizes work to ensure completion by a given deadline or other time constraint.
• Develops work and study plans to identify specific goals and activities to ensure proper implementation of the assigned work.
• Implements cross training programs to manage staff development and to avoid work flow interruptions.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

• Works harmoniously with and ensures healthy relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Works with other agencies and organizations to ensure that operational and programmatic activities receive early concurrence and input from regional and statewide authorities.
• Relate observations, conclusions, and opinions to co-workers/internal customers in a respectful and professional manner.

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment:

• Maintains, repairs and calibrates electronic equipment, such as radiation detection meter, photo ionization detector, pH meter, GPS, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) as needed.
• Ensures that malfunctioning equipment is repaired, replaced or surpluses according to state guidelines.

Developing and Building Teams:

• Uses team building, leadership and effective communication skills to encourage and instruct others in their work activities.
• Seek out ways to involve staff in developing and meeting departmental goals.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

• Fulfill established educational, training, and safety requirements.
• Keeps up-to-date with technical developments, standard operating procedures and regulations, and applies new knowledge to the job.
• Seek opportunities for professional development within and outside of the agency.

Performing General Physical Activities:

• Collect environmental samples and/or monitoring data (e.g., soil, rock, air, water, sediment, sludge, biological), under physically demanding conditions.
• Perform physical activities, such as walking (i.e. ditches, uneven terrain, etc.), wading in water, climbing, lifting (such as coolers, generators, etc.), operating field equipment (backpack shockers, augers, core samplers, or probes), etc.
• Performs physically demanding, ecologically-based stewardship and natural resource management on state natural areas, (utilizing equipment, such as backpack sprayer, chainsaw, bush hog, lawnmower, tractor, etc. in the management of rare species habitat, controlled fire, trail maintenance, boundary maintenance, invasive species control, etc.)
• Operates, carries or handles equipment/machinery unassisted that may weigh up to 50 pounds.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment:

• Maintains, repairs, and/or calibrates mechanical equipment, such as ozone monitor, air monitoring, laser level and watercrafts as needed.
• Ensures that malfunctioning equipment is repaired, replaced or surpluses according to state guidelines.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:

• Operates personal or assigned vehicles (such as, but not limited to watercraft, all-terrain vehicles, tractors, etc.), in accordance with agency policy and procedures, as well as all traffic laws.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public:

• Schedules, attends, observes, and/or participates in public meetings or public outreach, as required.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others:

• Provide consultative, technical, or educational services to industry, municipalities, counties, individuals, or groups in the necessity and methodology of enhancing environmental stewardship, health or other standards, practices, and safety.
• Provide technical expertise in handling events involving radiation and radioactive material, including transportation, and industrial incidents as well as natural catastrophes.
• Update regulatory information to stakeholders.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:

• Provide relevant, effective and routine written or verbal communication to supervisors or peers.
• Advise management about work issues of concern as they occur.
• Disseminate information as appropriate within the agency.
• Recognizes, provides, and communicates potential areas of improvement.

Staffing Organizational Units:

• Make recommendations regarding the hiring of new employees for the work unit.

Performing Administrative Activities:

• Drafts and/or develops documents for review and signature within the required timeframe.
• Enter time and leave within the designated computer program in a proper and timely manner.
• Conducts meetings to plan future work, solve problems and to inform the manager and staff of progress and changes.
• Recognizes and coordinates interpretation or translation services, as needed.
• Complete required documentation for travel and/or field use of vehicle (e.g. mileage logs, travel time, vehicle inspection checklist).
• Ensures all information is properly filed.
• Distribute documents to appropriate parties to ensure proper routing.
• Ensures files are managed according to the Records Disposition Authorization.

Competencies (KSA'S)

Competencies:

• Decision Quality
• Functional/Technical Competency
• Problem Solving
• Written Communications
• Building Effective Teams
• Directing Others
• Technical Learning
• Time Management
• Listening
• Planning
• Customer Focus

Knowledge:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Geology
• Physics
• Law & Government
• Mathematics

Skills:

• Complex Problem Solving
• Science
• Judgment & Decision Making
• Critical Thinking
• Time Management
• Instructing
• Active Listening
• Active Learning
• Quality Control Analysis
• Equipment Selection

Abilities:

• Written Expression
• Oral Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Comprehension
• Gross Body Coordination
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Stamina
• Static Strength

Tools and Equipment Used

Hand Tools
Projector
Laboratory Equipment
Personal Dosimetry
Film Processing Equipment
Radiation Survey Equipment

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

**Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.