Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Environmental Specialist III

Opening Date: April 25, 2023

Closing Date: May 12th, 2023

Job Class Code: 9253
Grade: 23 (Pro/Tech)
Salary: $45,136.00 - 60,881.60/ yr

Position Number: 2000-2358

Job duties:

The Drinking Water Program (DWP) regulates over 1900 public water systems to ensure the safety of Maine’s public drinking water. If you join our team, you will serve as a Rule Specialist within the Rules Group of the Drinking Water Program. You will be responsible for reading, understanding and interpreting all rules and regulations related to drinking water. In this job, you will assist drinking water program staff, public water systems and other interested parties in interpreting/understanding the rules and ensuring that public water systems remain in compliance with all necessary regulations.

You will also:

• Track total coliform positives and issue required level assessments
• Track compliance with various drinking water rules to aid with compliance decisions
• Assist with compliance determination- including review of all candidate violations, assisting with the determination/issuing of appropriate violations and resolving violations
• Review documents for compliance with rule requirements
• Review high sample results and provide information to staff to assist with determinations on the appropriate course of action to be taken
• Review testing requirements for public water systems and set up/change appropriate sample schedules
• Provide rule assistance for the new well approval process, treatment reviews and other public water system issues
• Provide rule expertise during the development of policies, rules and procedures related to drinking water
• Provide training and support for staff and other entities on drinking water rule information and changes to those rules
• Develop and write letters related to schedule changes, violations, plan approvals, rule requirements and other issues related to drinking water rules

Minimum Qualifications:

A six (6) year combination of education and/or experience in environmental, biological, physical science, or engineering which includes two (2) years of environmental experience. Qualifying education must include at least 15 credit hours of science or engineering coursework from an accredited educational institution.

Preferred candidates will also have:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Knowledge and experience with public water systems
• Knowledge of and understanding of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Maine Rules Relating to Drinking Water
• An understanding of water chemistry and treatment processes
• Knowledge of environmental sampling/monitoring/testing methods and practices
• Thorough knowledge of federal and State laws and rules/regulations related to the safe and reliable provision of public drinking water
• Knowledge and experience with EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Information System
• Ability to develop/implement training sessions related to drinking water data
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of internal and external partners
• Computer skills, including Microsoft Access

Agency information:

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The Maine CDC, Drinking Water Program, is looking for an Environmental Specialist III to provide technical support and assistance in implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) rules and regulations. The Drinking Water Program is tasked with overseeing public drinking water systems throughout Maine, administering federal and state safe drinking water regulations and ensuring that water systems provide safe, secure, and reliable drinking water.

Application Information:

For additional information about this position please contact Amilyn Stillings, Rules Administrator, at (207) 287-6472 or at amilyn.stillings@maine.gov.

• To apply, please upload a resume and cover letter with your application.

• In your cover letter, you must provide the following information:

1) explain what prior education and/or experience you have had doing the elements under “Job Description,” above; and

2) explain which, if any, of the attributes under “Preferred candidates will have” section, above.

Please note: applications sent with cover letters that do not have the information required above may not be considered for this vacancy.

To request a paper application, please contact Ashley.smith@Maine.gov .

BENEFITS

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($9,893.52-$11,942.16 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.

• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.

• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($350.40 annual value).

• Retirement Plan – The State of Maine contributes 13.16% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.

• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive four weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.
• Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.