Field Investigator

Position Description Harris County Pollution Control Services Department (HCPCS) Mission The mission of Harris County Pollution Control Services Department (HCPCS) is to protect the citizens of Harris County from environmental impacts through firm, consistent enforcement of state and federal regulations.

The ultimate goal of PCS is clean air, water, and proper management of waste.

The activities PCS are directed toward ensuring clean air and water for the citizens of Harris County, consistent with the protection of public health, enjoyment of property and the protection of plant, animal, and marine life.

What you will do for Harris County Pollution Control The Investigator I is an entry level field position.

This position will have a critical role in identifying & coordinating investigations, interacting with the general public, and commercial & industrial entities to support key Pollution Control initiatives and services.

The Investigator I will be responsible for conducting routine inspections and investigate complaints regarding air, solid and hazardous waste, stormwater and wastewater and generate detailed investigation reports documenting investigations.

This position will report to the Field Supervisor.

Duties and Responsibilities: * Investigate complaints of air, water, solid or hazardous waste problems to determine compliance with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules and regulations.

* Perform inspections of facilities for compliance with existing environmental regulations and permit parameters and complete detailed reports.

* Plan daily schedule to maximize work time and minimize drive time, while establishing priorities and other work as assigned * Work on-call shift when assigned * Work evenings and weekends per the assigned rotation * Collect samples and perform field tests and maintain chain of custody protocols as required * Enter complaints into Client Record Management (CRM) during assigned weekends, holiday and evening shifts.

* Gather evidence for court action as required * Prepare for and provide testimony in court cases * Responsibilities include other duties as assigned, including special tasks involved in responding to an emergency event Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer If you need special services or accommodations, please call or email . This position is subject to a criminal history check.

Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements Education: * Bachelor's degree with 30 hours in Biology, Chemistry, Ecology or related field from an accredited college of university Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: * Must have good written and verbal skills * Must have a cell phone * Must have transportation to and from work * Must be able to drive extensively, prioritize, and organize routes for maximum efficiency * Must establish effective working relationships, exercise balanced judgment and organize work for maximum efficiency * Must be a self-starter, able to work with minimal supervision * Must be able to use discretionary judgment in routine fieldwork and must be able to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy * Must be able to follow the policies and guidelines established by the County and the department * An understanding of the principles and practices of pollution control is preferred * Knowledge of state and federal statutes related to air, water, solid waste issues is preferred * Ability and knowledge necessary to collect samples and operate analytical field equipment such as pH meters, DO meters, composite samplers, and summa canisters is preferred NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application.

You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration.

"See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

General Information Position Type and Typical Hours of Work: * Full-time Monday - Friday Typically 8 am to 5 pm.

* After hours and/or weekend work on a scheduled on-call basis * On call during emergency events, natural disasters, etc.

* This position may require employee to be deployed to alternative county locations during emergency events.

Reporting Relationships: * Reports to Position: Field Supervisor * Supervised Positions: None Work Environment and Physical Demands: * Work in an office environment * Work in an outdoor environment * Possible exposure to inclement weather or various temperature changes * Possible exposure to loud noises * Possible exposure to dangerous chemicals * Exposure to dangerous or aggressive/adverse populations Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

BENEFITS Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as defined benefit retirement plan.

The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions: * Medical Coverage * Dental Coverage * Vision Coverage * Wellness Plan * Life Insurance * Long-term disability * Employee Assistance Program * Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service * Accrual rates increase based on years of service * Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday * Professional development opportunities * Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan * Healthcare Reimbursement Account * 457 Deferred Compensation Plan The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees: * Retirement Pension (TCDRS) * Flexible schedule (varies by department) * Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program) In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time.

Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website: 01 Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?

* High School or GED diploma * Associate Degree * Bachelor's Degree * Master's Degree or higher * None of the above 02 If you selected a college degree in response to the previous question, which of the following best describes your major?

* Chemistry * Biology * Environmental Sciences * Ecology * Other Related Field * Unrelated Field * N/A; No Degree 03 In which of the following concepts do you have strong knowledge and/or professional experience?

(Select all that apply) * Basic knowledge of state and federal statutes related to air, water, solid waste issues * Basic understanding of the principles and practices of pollution control * Ability and knowledge necessary to collect samples and operate analytical field equipment such as pH meters, DO meters, composite samplers, and summa canisters * None of the above 04 Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions: Advanced: A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data.

Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code.

Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.

Intermediate: A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports.

Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel.

Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms.

Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.

Basic: A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup.

Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions.

Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it.

Entry Level: A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel.

Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents.

Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

* Advanced * Intermediate * Basic * Entry Level * Not proficient Required Question Employer Harris County Address 1111 Fannin St Ste.

600 Houston, Texas, 77002 Phone Website