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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 00070583 |
Description Activated On: 8/6/2026 3:57:37 PM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. This position is within the Permits Section of the Southcentral Region and reports directly to the Permits Chief. It includes engineering reviews of water quality management permits and related issues within an assigned work area. These duties are under the direction and oversight of a responsible licensed professional engineer within the Permits Section. If the position is filled as an Environmental Engineering Trainee, the incumbent will participate in a one-year formal and on-the-job training program to learn the duties of an Environmental Engineering Specialist. If the position is filled as an Environmental Engineering Specialist the incumbent will perform a variety of duties to ensure compliance with the Commonwealth's Rules and Regulations, permits and environmental laws. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. Employee is generally assigned a geographic area of responsibility and most permitting related work is assigned accordingly; however, workload and expertise may dictate that staff be assigned work not normally within the assigned geographic area. Processes municipal, industrial, and non-municipal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits by evaluating existing facility performance, developing appropriate technology and/or water quality based effluent limitations using established laws, regulations, policies and guidance. Reviews Water Quality Management Permits for sewage collection systems, sewage and industrial waste treatment facilities to assure completeness, adequacy of design, mechanics of operation and adherence to Departmental regulations. Evaluates stream discharges and establishes the water quality effluent limits and wasteload allocations for toxics and other pollutants using established laws, regulations, policies, computer programs and guidance's to ensure that the water quality standards of the stream will be met. Prepares a Water Quality Protection Report to document findings and recommendations as part of the NPDES permit evaluation. This requires the extensive use of computerized water quality simulation models. Conducts field surveys and investigations as necessary to ensure that the collection and treatment facilities have been constructed and are operating in compliance with permit conditions; assists in solving technical problems encountered by the field staff. Fulfills the following obligations for developing permits: •Follows Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). •Reviews permit applications and draft Record of Decision (ROD). •Enters appropriate data into eFacts. •Drafts deficiency letters with regulatory citations. •Identifies issues encountered and recommends solutions to Section Chief. Meets, consults, and corresponds with applicants, engineers, and municipal officials on specific or general problems/questions regarding any of the programs employee may be involved with such as Water Quality Protection Reports, NPDES and other permit applications. Maintains several computer management information systems for permit tracking and discharge locations. Conducts stream surveys and assesses collected data necessary to refine travel times, background conditions, decay rates, reaeration rates, or other parameters needed to run a computer water quality simulation model. Responds personally or develops a response for higher level management to correspondence from the public or legislators. Completes special projects as requested by higher level management. Testifies as an expert or material witness before District Magistrates, Environmental Hearing Board, and the Courts. Employee will input necessary data into Departmental tracking systems to accurately reflect work performed during specified time periods. Promotes the Department’s mission. Inputs appropriate data in a prescribed format to meet data quality standards set forth by guidance, training, and policy across all of DEP’s electronic data systems; to include ensuring accuracy and completeness of entries, and where available, the use of system specific tools to ensure duplicative entries and data quality issues are minimized. This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Employee is responsible for selecting and interpreting applicable guidelines and running water quality computer models in the execution of the routine job responsibilities with minimum supervision. Follows programmatic, departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Program Clarification Memos, and protocols in the performance of their duties. The trainee level requires direct supervision by the supervisor for a period of 12 months, not to exceed 24 months. Employee performance is reviewed under the Commonwealth’s EPR system, with a review occurring at least semi-annually. Work is assigned by the section chief. The supervisor reviews work in progress and upon completion for technical adequacy, completeness, and overall quality. Employee is responsible for independently selecting and interpreting applicable guidelines in the execution of the routine job responsibilities with minimum supervision. The employee works on projects with aspects of varying complexity, discussing with supervisor as necessary. Most work products are reviewed for compliance with technical standards, departmental policies and procedures, and adequacy of results. Work products are reviewed by the supervisor for compliance with technical standards, departmental policies and procedures, and adequacy of results Employee may recommend or be required to handle enforcement action and other non-routine work after consultation with and approval from the Supervisor. Close supervision is exercised for legal action and non-routine cases. The employee aids the Compliance Specialist and legal office in enforcement matters, as needed. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. N/A 2. Class C Driver's License 3. N/A 4. 5. 6. |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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