Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the environment and your community? The Department of Environmental Conservation's Wastewater Management Program is seeking a section supervisor for its Industrial Pretreatment and Compliance and Enforcement Section. This position will serve as the State's Pretreatment Coordinator, leading the department's work with Industrial Dischargers to publicly owned treatment works (POTW) such breweries, dairies, landfills, and other industries to protect Vermont's POTW infrastructure, reduce conventional and toxic pollutant levels discharged by industries, and reserve capacity at POTWs by reducing high strength waste. Vermont is one of five states in the nation to serve as the control authority for wastewater industrial pretreatment, making this a unique opportunity for qualified applicants. This position also serves as the Program's Compliance and Enforcement Supervisor, supervising the Program's Compliance and Enforcement Analyst, and coordinating with the program's technical analysts, wastewater NPDES permittees and DEC's Environmental Enforcement Officers to protect Vermont's surface waters.
This role is a working supervisor position, that supervises others doing the same work within the section, with region specific, administrative, technical and investigative work at a professional level.
Ideal Candidate Profile/Preferred Experience:
- A minimum of two years of supervisory experience
- Prior regulatory experience in a permitting program
- An understanding of proper operation and maintenance of wastewater treatment systems
- Knowledge of State and Federal Environmental Regulations applicable to wastewater treatment facilities
- Experience in wastewater sampling including using an automatic composite sampler
- Solid technical writing skills
- Ability to speak effectively in public fora, including formal hearings and court proceedings
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Regulation of industries discharging wastewater to municipal POTWs including permit determinations, permit writing, inspections, and compliance and enforcement.
- Working with municipalities to identify sources of wastewater pollutants and develop limits to protect Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) operations and preserve capacity.
- Leading cutting-edge work with emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
- Overseeing annual sampling of Significant Industrial User permittees.
- Establishment of rules to implement Vermont's pretreatment program.
- Overseeing investigations of Wastewater Noncompliance Issues
- Drafting: Notices of Alleged Violations, Referral documents, and Citations.
Because issues can occur any time, the person in this role will may need to mobilize quickly to support noncompliance investigations, including occasional duties outside regular working hours.
This dynamic position often requires balancing long-term projects with urgent situations. DEC seeks candidates that are knowledgeable in environmental law, aquatic chemistry/biology, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment processes and lab practices, with strong leadership skills. The successful applicant must be able to interact professionally with business owners, WWTF operators, municipal governments, collaborators and stakeholders, DEC team members, and the general public.
