05/12/2007 14530

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER

DEFINITION: This is advanced professional environmental engineering work in an environmental regulatory, resource management, conservation or construction program area.

An employee in this job performs advanced professional environmental engineering work requiring judgment in the independent evaluation, selection and substantial adaptation and modification of standard techniques, procedures and criteria. Work assignments typically include a variety of complex features, such as the potential for significant environmental degradation, the application and interpretation of complex regulatory requirements, complexity of the technology or industrial processes used, conflicting design requirements, difficult external coordination requirements, significant political or public interest, or the high probability of legal action taken against or by the agency. Work involves independently preparing or reviewing and evaluating plans, specifications and permit applications for complex projects and proposals, which may include communicating directly with licensed professional engineers outside the agency to identify and resolve engineering issues; designing or reviewing the design of projects for replacement or renovation of infrastructure or to mitigate environmental hazards or acid mine drainage; or developing statewide policies, procedures, technical guidance documents and reports involving the engineering aspects of an environmental regulatory or conservation program. Work may involve coordinating engineering reviews with staff in other programs, requiring a working knowledge of various program requirements and engineering disciplines. Employees independently perform most assignments with little or no supervisory intervention until final agency action needs to be taken. Employees may be required to take professional responsibility for their own work products and may be directed to assume responsible charge for unlicensed employees within the work unit. Work assignments include individual projects, permit applications, studies, cases and investigations on a geographic, functional or programmatic basis, and the employee independently selects appropriate approaches and methodologies within program guidelines and professional standards. Work is reviewed upon completion by a licensed professional engineer for technical adequacy and/or by a professional supervisor for completeness, overall quality and attainment of objectives.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Performs advanced professional engineering work in the design of projects, preparation of specifications and preparation or evaluation of permit applications, work plans and reports involving municipal, residual and hazardous waste management, land recycling, multi-site cleanup agreements, drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, air pollution control, erosion and sedimentation control, water resources management, bathing place or the surface mining of coal and industrial minerals.

Reviews engineering reports to determine the adequacy of the scope and methods of investigation, the appropriateness of analytical procedures, the validity of data, the soundness of conclusions and the technical and economic feasibility of recommendations in order to ensure the protection of the environment and of public health and safety.

Develops the engineering components of a statewide environmental regulatory program, including regulations, policies, standards, procedures, methods and technical guidance and coordinates and evaluates program implementation.

Leads or serves on statewide work groups to study engineering issues for a specific program area or for issues that cross program lines.

Participates in the development of legislation.

Analyzes and solves engineering problems using analytical and numerical computer modeling techniques, evaluates the suitability and reliability of various models for site-specific situations, and modifies existing computer models to meet the unique needs of the assigned program.

Investigates complaints directed toward a facility, operation or landowner by conducting site visits, interviewing individuals, performing engineering analyses and preparing technical reports outlining findings and recommendations.

Conducts field inspections to determine the compliance status of a permitted facility from an engineering standpoint and recommends appropriate enforcement action.

Conducts facility and project inspections during construction and after completion to determine adherence to engineering design plans and specifications.

Provides programmatic and engineering information and requirements to coworkers, facility owners or operators, special interest groups and individual citizens.

Reviews and evaluates applications for major sewage and industrial National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits and Part II construction permits that have significant regulatory or legal implications, numerous outfalls, complex treatment systems or multiple agency involvement.

Develops effluent limits for water quality permits, conducts toxic parameter reviews, develops Total Maximum Daily Loads and makes Best Professional Judgment determinations.

Assumes complete project management responsibility for large multi- municipal wastewater collection, conveyance and treatment projects.

Reviews sewage plans, corrective action plans, performance standards and certification reports, change orders, engineering plans and specifications, and contract documents for complex wastewater projects.

Conducts engineering reviews of complex erosion and sedimentation control plans submitted with applications for Department permits that involve large and complicated construction projects.

Conducts hydraulic and hydrologic analyses for encroachment permits involving complex highway bridge and culvert projects.

Reviews water supply permit applications for filter plants and projects that involve public financing, pilot studies or innovative technology.

Performs engineering analyses as part of Filter Plant Performance Evaluations, including determining the need for new or modified equipment.

Reviews complex water allocation permit applications involving direct stream withdrawals, reservoirs and conservation release modeling.

Reviews feasibility studies, corrective action plans, performance standards, funding applications, change orders, engineering plans and specifications, and contract documents for complex public water supply projects.

Reviews and evaluates permit applications for the design and operation of a new or expanded major landfill, including its geosynthetic lining systems, leachate collection and treatment, and gas collection systems, as well as processing, treatment, storage, beneficial use and land application of wastes.

Reviews and evaluates environmental cleanup design submissions from the federal EPA, responsible parties and Department contractors, prepares written comments to document the Department’s position on various proposals, and prepares cost estimates for site specific and regional remediation budgets.

Researches leading edge pollution control technologies as applied to complex industrial processes in the waste minimization site visit program.

Reviews plan approval and operating permit applications and makes technical decisions for agency action for complex air contamination sources, which include new facilities of significant size and impact that are subject to the most complicated federal and state regulations; existing facilities with numerous and integrated processes; or facilities that are major emitters of hazardous air pollutants.

Determines the effects of mining operations on surface waters and evaluates or designs treatment systems to ensure feasibility and effectiveness.

Investigates public health and safety incidents potentially related to abandoned mines by conducting detailed field examinations, reviewing all available mining information, evaluating site data, determining if the incident is mine related and preparing reports of findings.

Designs a complete abandoned mine reclamation project, such as passive treatment, active chemical treatment, municipal water line extensions or surface mine restoration with significant permitting requirements.

Completes detailed engineering evaluations of constructed passive and active treatment systems for performance evaluation and recommended system modifications or improvements.

Researches and evaluates the performance of permitted innovative wastewater technologies and develops reports on the performance of the technologies to facilitate the transfer of information to the regulated community and to agency staff.

Provides expert testimony at hearings and legal proceedings.

Conducts meetings and provides training in workshops and seminars.

Develops complete complex designs and manages large projects from planning through construction.

Designs complete water and sewage systems; conducts field investigations and surveys; prepares cost estimates, permit applications, specifications and plans; and conducts construction inspections.

Provides technical advice and regulatory requirements relating to the maintenance and operation of swimming pools, water systems and sewage systems and the monitoring and testing of potable water, bathing place water and sewage effluent.

Provides oversight for drafters, designers and other personnel on technical matters.

Advises private individuals, companies and local and municipal governments on matters pertaining to the operation and maintenance of State Park and Forestry sanitary facilities when requests are made for water and sewage service and develops and negotiates agreements when water and sewage services are granted to anyone outside the agency.

Provides consultant project coordination, reviews drawings and specifications prepared by consulting firms, and conducts construction site inspections.

Travels to various field sites.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the federal and Commonwealth laws and regulations governing environmental protection in the program area of responsibility.

Knowledge of principles and practices of environmental engineering as applied to water supply, sewage and industrial waste treatment, air pollution control, mine drainage control and water quality management regulatory programs.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of water resources engineering, including water distribution and wastewater collection, water resources planning, hydrology and watershed processes for storm water and natural water systems, and fluid mechanics and hydraulics.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of water and wastewater engineering, including hydraulics, fluid mechanics, unit operations, engineering drawings, strength of materials, mechanics, environmental microbiology, ecology and environmental chemistry.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of air quality engineering, including air quality standards and control technologies, pollution sources, combustion, ambient air quality and atmospheric sciences.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of solid and hazardous waste engineering, including site remediation, geohydrology and geotechnology.

Knowledge of environmental science and management, including industrial and occupational health and safety, environmental monitoring and sampling, risk assessment, pollution prevention and waste minimization, environmental management systems, and pollutant fate and transport in air, water and soil.

Knowledge of commercial and industrial operations and processes, particularly as they affect the emission of pollutants.

Knowledge of the types, operation, characteristics and proper application of pollution control devices.

Knowledge of the engineering principles used in the development of drawings and specifications for components of environmental engineering projects.

Knowledge of chemistry, water bacteriology, aquatic biology and physics.

Knowledge of physical, chemical and biological treatment processes.

Knowledge of treatment plant design, operation and performance.

Knowledge of the procedures and techniques used in reviewing applications for environmental permits.

Knowledge of the relationships of environmental conditions to human health.

Knowledge of hydrologic systems and watershed processes.

Knowledge of linear algebra, analytical geometry and plane trigonometry.

Knowledge of differential and integral calculus.

Knowledge of fluid mechanics and hydraulics.

Knowledge of the engineering principles of construction cost estimating.

Knowledge of the engineering principles of construction inspection.

Knowledge of the characteristics and properties of natural and manufactured materials used in construction.

Knowledge of plane and engineering surveying.

Knowledge of the practices and objectives of environmental planning and the procedures and techniques used in reviewing and evaluating local, regional and state environmental plans.

Knowledge of engineering economics.

Knowledge of the financing of public works.

Ability to use computer software applications to perform engineering modeling and analyses.

Ability to read and interpret inspection and testing reports, engineering drawings and specifications, and topographic and other maps.

Ability to conduct technical investigations applying engineering principles and procedures.

Ability to analyze and present technical data in clear, concise engineering reports.

Ability to read and interpret federal, state and local codes, regulations and standards applicable to the design, construction or evaluation of engineering projects.

Ability to effectively communicate orally.

Ability to effectively communicate in writing.

Ability to read and interpret Commonwealth and Departmental administrative rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Two years as an Environmental Engineering Specialist;

                                                                                                                                                 or

Three years of professional experience in environmental engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or in any engineering field that includes or is supplemented by 9 credits in environmental engineering;

                                                                                                                                                or

Four years of professional experience in environmental engineering, and possession of a valid Engineer-in-Training certificate issued by or acceptable to the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists;

                                                                                                                                               or

Three years of professional experience in environmental engineering, and possession of a valid Professional Engineer license issued by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists.

Graduate study in environmental engineering or in a closely related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Certain positions in this job will require possession of a valid driver’s license.

Certain positions in this job will require possession of a valid Professional Engineer license issued by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists.