Environmental Specialist

About The Position

Who can apply: External (Open to Anyone)

• 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

Verification of identity and employment eligibility to work in the United States is required by federal law. For a list of acceptable documents that establish these criteria, please refer to the federal Form I-9.

KDHE does not provide sponsorships for this position. E-Verify: Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. For additional information regarding E-Verify, please click here. For additional information regarding Immigrant and Employee Rights (IER) please click here. http://www.kdhe.ks.gov/

Position Summary & Responsibilities

Position (K0233511)

• Job Responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:
• Geospatial and Data Support Specialist for Surface Water Monitoring Unit.
• Seeking candidate with experience in ArcGIS, database management, and data analysis.
• Familiarity with programming is a plus, as is experience working with surface water quality data.
• The incumbent will have three primary responsibilities.
• First, she/he will maintain and update the Kansas Surface Water Register and its map, working closely with KDHE programs and external partners to ensure data consistency, quality, and currency.
• Second, s/he will provide technical support for monitoring programs in service to the Clean Water Act. This includes review and analysis of chemical and biological databases, water quality assessment, geospatial analysis, and production of maps and statistical analyses.
• Third, the incumbent will support the Harmful Algal Bloom response program, assisting with complaint tracking and mapping, workflow management, and outreach and coordination.
• The incumbent may also participate in field work and special projects, as needs arise; travel of 2-3 days per month is anticipated.

GIS Support and Data Management

• Serve as geospatial data manager for the section.
• Provide technical support to colleagues and maintain geospatial context for Clean Water Act mandated water quality assessments and associated efforts.
• Partner with unit chief to coordinate data management, QA/QC, and software for the section to ensure accurate assessment and reporting.
• Develop code and customize tools to improve data management and analysis.
• Aid in updating national water quality databases (WQX and ATTAINS) and the National Hydrography database.
• Serve as liaison to KDHE IT department for Intranet Web Mapping applications and the public HAB web page as well as the state geospatial data repository (DASC).

Kansas Surface Water Register (KSWR) and Use Attainability Assessment (UAA)

• Update and maintain the KSWR list of classified waters of the state; maintain and develop accurate GIS coverages, coordinating with municipal, state, and federal partners as needed to research and correct errors in the National Map.
• Work closely with the Use Attainability Assessment (UAA) program and unit chief to ensure accuracy of KSWR designated uses and assist in maintaining UAA database.
• Maintain coverage of watersheds underlying classified and unclassified stream segments, lakes, wetlands, and associated data.
• Cook with the Planning and Standards Unit to ensure that WQS/KSWR updates and submittals are streamlined for triennial review.

Qualifications

• Education: High School, GED
• 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: Four years of environmental science with an emphasis on geography, hydrology, biology, chemistry, geology or related natural science
• Preferred Qualifications: Microsoft Office and Lotus Notes Proofreading, editing, attention to detail Four years of Environmental, Natural Sciences/resources, Statistics, Hydrology, Biological sciences, Geographical Six years in Environmental or Natural Sciences such as Geography, Hydrology, Chemistry, or Biology Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access Proofreading, editing, attention to detail Statistical analysis and software development experience, preferably in R coding environment Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, cartography, and scripting Good oral and written communication skills Federal data exchange programs and databases Knowledge of Harmful Algal Blooms; Hydrology Experience working with enterprise level databases Experience applying scientific principles and practices of water quality monitoring and assessment Knowledge or course work in chemistry, aquatic biology, water resources, hydrology, statistics Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate: A valid Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate is a condition of employment for all employees of the State of Kansas.