ECMC Northwest Area Environmental Protection Specialist

Department Information

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Are you interested in investing in a career that makes a difference?

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

Medical, Vision and Dental plans

Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans

Paid life insurance

Short- and long-term disability coverage

Employee Wellness programs

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave

Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options

Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program For more detailed information, please visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits

About Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC):

The mission of the Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) is to regulate the development and production of oil and gas, deep geothermal resources, the capture and sequestration of carbon, and the underground storage of natural gas in a manner that protects public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife resources.

The Environmental Work Unit performs the following functions:

Planning and developing remedial action plans implemented by ECMC staff and our 3rd party consultants, and evaluating, approving, and overseeing remedial action plans developed by operators and their 3rd party consultants.

Estimating fiscal and manpower requirements, scopes of work, and working with DNR purchasing to procure 3rd party consultants for special projects, such as baseline investigations, follow-up investigations for comparison to conditions determined by baseline studies, creating ways to collect data used to determine whether oil and gas activities are impacting or are likely to impact water, soil, air, or biological resources.

Evaluating and approving applications for permits for pits, centralized waste management facilities, and other E&P waste management facilities.

Analyzing the public health or environmental impacts of O&G operations.

Formulating plans to mitigate impacts from O&G operations on human health and the environment.

Conducting tests and studies related to any of the environmental media.

Inspecting for and investigating sources of pollutants, safety hazards, or contaminants.

Initiating enforcement actions against violators.

Training industry, local government, land owners, environmental groups, and other interested parties on environmental programs and educating the public on issues and solutions to environmental problems.

Preparing reports on program activities and objectives, making presentations of investigation results to the ECMC Commissioners, industry, WQCC, WQCD, local governments, and other stakeholders.

Representing the ECMC at public outreach events and meetings.

Providing technical knowledge and guidance to the regulated community on implementation of ECMC Rules and applicability of ECMC Rules.

Evaluating and proposing new rules and regulations for implementation by ECMC.

Designing procedures, and developing forms and processes for implementation of new rules.

Description of Job

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

This position exists to provide rapid response to an investigation of complaints alleging impacts to public health,safety, welfare, and the environment and when necessary to take appropriate enforcement actions; to provide operational level technical support in the permitting, inspection, review, and remediation of oil, gas, and injection wells, and exploration and production (E&P) waste management facilities; to conduct investigations to establish baseline, current conditions, or evidence of impacts from O&G activities.These investigations include preparing work plans, collecting samples for laboratory analysis, collecting field data, making scientific observations, interpreting analytical results, compiling data, preparing comprehensive reports, making presentations, and providing testimony at hearings. This position also works with procurement to hire 3rd party consultants and experts to assist in investigations.

Complaint Response:

Interview the complainant, look at available data, decide what kind of samples need to be collected, what parameters should be analyzed, whether samples should be collected from O&G wells, other water wells, or other potentially impacted media.

Decides what laboratories should be used to analyze the samples, whether it is necessary to hire 3rd party contractors to assist in the investigation, what method should be used to analyze the data, and in what format the results should be presented to the complainant and operator.

Decisions are made using geological, hydrogeological, geochemical, soil science, petroleum engineering, geophysical, and biological theories, principles, and professional standards.Fund 170 Project Proposal & Management:

Proposes appropriate projects to management for the expenditure of Fund 170 monies that establish baseline groundwater, surface water, soil, gas seep, and vegetation conditions, and track and document changes, if any, to these media that result from O&G activities.

Develops detailed work plans, procures necessary services and commodities, implements or manages the implementation of the work plan, including tracking costs, approving invoices, and ensuring that projects proceed in compliance with state procurement rules.

Conducts public meetings to disseminate information to interested parties, local, state, and federal agencies.

Makes presentations to the ECMC Commission regarding the status of the projects and the results and conclusions.

Work often includes incorporating comments and suggestions from other state, local, or federal agencies, industry, and other interested parties and conducting public meetings.

This position decides whether baseline and current condition data should be collected using Fund 170 prior to, during, and after O&G activities.Evaluation of Spill Clean-up and Environmental Site Investigation:

Evaluates spill reports and remedial action plans developed by operators and their third party contractors that involve the remediation of impacted groundwater, surface water and soil.

When necessary apply appropriate conditions of approval to remediation plans to verify appropriate implementation in a manner protective of public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife resources.

Evaluates remediation, closure, and reclamation plans for E&P waste management facilities, such as pits, centralized waste management facilities, land application sites. Performs field inspections to document progress and completion of spill cleanup and remediation actions and to verify appropriate management of E&P waste.

Plans, develops, and carries out remedial action plans and estimates fiscal and labor requirements for remediation conducted by the ECMC using Fund 170 money.Facility Inspection & Permit Evaluation:

Conducts the technical review of, determines conditions of approval on a site-specific basis for, and approves applications for permits for E&P waste management facilities.

Assists when needed the review of applications for permits to drill, waste management plans, and oil and gas location assessments in regard to environmental impact reduction.

Conducts inspections to ensure compliance with applicable environmental rules and regulations and to ensure that impacts to public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife resources are not occurring as a result of the operations at these facilities.

Collects samples of ground water, surface water, soil and soil gas for laboratory analysis to determine both violations and compliance.

Initiates and provides technical support for enforcement actions and determines appropriate level of enforcement.

Other Technical Support:

Provides other technical support and work functions required by the Environmental Unit.

Includes providing technical knowledge and guidance to the regulated community on implementation and applicability of ECMC Rules.

Works with local governmental agencies to provide information to the public on oil and gas operations, practices and procedures, and ECMC Rules, orders, and policies. Performs support and research when required to support updates and changes to ECMC rules.

Creates guidance documents and training internally and externally.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application. Minimum Qualifications:

Six (6) years of professional work experience with oil and gas drilling and production field operations and exploration and production waste management; or similar environmental consulting experience performing environmental assessments at oil, gas, and injection well sites and facilities; designing, evaluating, and implementing remediation plans for soil and ground water contamination due to oil and gas or similar operations; and/or monitoring remediation activities and evaluating results at hydrocarbon, produced water or other remediation sites.

OR

A combination of graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Geology, Geological Engineering, Hydrogeology, Environmental Sciences or a closely related field and professional work experience with oil and gas drilling and production field operations or exploration and production waste management; or similar environmental consulting experience performing environmental assessments at oil, gas, and injection well sites and facilities; designing, evaluating, and implementing remediation plans for soil and ground water contamination due to oil and gas or similar operations; and/or monitoring remediation activities and evaluating results at hydrocarbon, produced water or other remediation sites equal to six (6) years.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Class Code: Environmental Protection Specialist

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Geology, Geological Engineering, Hydrogeology, Environmental Sciences or a closely related field and professional work experience.

Current or former State experience relevant to this position.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Competent personal computer skills using Google applications will be necessary for success in this position.

Ability to manage various complex remediation projects utilizing field inspections and remediation workplansConditions of Employment:

Must be able to travel the Northwest Region of the State of Colorado.

Colorado residency is required at the time of application.

Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).

Must possess and maintain a valid Colorado's driver's license.

Able to travel with occasional overnight stays within Colorado.

This position works independently from an office at home.

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DNR does not sponsor non-residents of the United States

APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, US Mail, faxed or hand delivered within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board go to spb.colorado.gov or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Supplemental Information

The Assessment Process

All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.

Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.

Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.

Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.

This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

Must submit Cover letter.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.

The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability,