The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability.

Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for an Agency Quality Assurance Officer (Natural Resource Specialist 4). This position will be located in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality.

About DEQ!

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/E-Cs6M9AAlU

The Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Division (LEAD) supports the Agency’s mission by providing timely, high quality scientific information through water and air quality monitoring, laboratory services and data analysis. The Division serves the Agency programs and regional offices throughout Oregon and provides the scientific information necessary for the agency to be an active leader to restore, enhance, and maintain the quality of Oregon’s air, water, and land. Check out the DEQ Laboratory video: https://ordeq.org/labvideo. The Administration section provides oversight of the Division’s programs. The section’s responsibilities include technical input on policy development, quality assurance activities for the laboratory & agency programs, and legislative coordination.

Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.

What you will do!

You will coordinate the Agency’s Quality Management Systems (QMS) and serve as a technical expert on quality assurance activities for the agency’s environmental programs. You will maintain and improve the quality of environmental information produced and used by DEQ for making decisions regarding allowable emissions and discharges, ambient water and air quality, hazardous waste determinations, and other regulatory requirements. You will develop and manage quality assurance activities within the agency’s media divisions/programs and regions, ensuring internal compliance with State and Federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. You will ensure DEQ meets its quality management requirements under EPA grants across all media. You will provide consultancy to complex technical questions from scientific staff and others, evaluating technical data as well as interpreting regulations and requirements. In addition, you will assume the role of the state coordinator for the annual EPA Discharge Monitoring Report Quality Assurance program in support of the Clean Water Act and DEQ’s wastewater permitting program. You will develop and provide agency training on quality assurance, scientific integrity and data integrity. You will interact extensively internally with all DEQ programs as well as with EPA and other federal, state and local entities on a regular basis.

What’s in it for you!

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! DEQ cares deeply about employee wellness and benefits. We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon's environment, apply today!
 

This is a full-time, AFSCME represented position.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Qualifications:

• 7 years of experience in a natural resource or environmental field, with at least 1 year of experience at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities.

Substitutions:

• Bachelor’s degree in physical science, environmental science, natural resources, or a closely related field may substitute for 3 of the required years of experience. 

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following:

• Demonstrated understanding of environmental justice and the historical impacts for marginalized communities; ability to take personal responsibility for increasing your knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Familiarity with environmental inorganic and organic analytical data review, including GC, GC/MS, IC, ICP, ICP/MS, HPLC, and general chemistry methods and QA/QC protocols.
• Experience working with Federal and/or State requirements and regulations under the Clean Water Act, EPA Resource Conservation Recovery Act, EPA Hazardous Rules, EPA Superfund/Contract Lab Program National Air Toxics Trends Stations (NATTS) program, and Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Experience in field sample collection techniques and its impacts on analytical data stability.
• Working knowledge of both laboratory and accreditation body standards.
• Strong understanding of quality management principles including EPA’s Quality Management System guidance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to provide clear, concise, and compelling communication of policy and technical information tailored to the needs of diverse audiences; skill in writing and presenting clear and concise reports that include qualitative and quantitative analyses, recommendations, and conclusions to diverse audiences.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Working Conditions:

DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.

This position will be based out of DEQ’s laboratory in Hillsboro; however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

This position requires statewide travel by car for site visits, meetings, conferences, trainings, and workshops, some of which may involve extended work hours, overnight stays, and /or weekend work. During site visits, there may be exposure to adverse weather conditions, pollutants, chemicals, contaminated soil and water, fumes, airborne contaminants, fall or tripping hazards, stairs, and extensive walking.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. Click this link for the External Candidate job aid, and view this video for additional information.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account.  View this knowledge article for assistance.

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Help Your Application Rise to the Top!

Your application materials are the perfect opportunity to highlight your interest in the position and showcase your amazing skills and experience. In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials.

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Veterans Information:

DEQ provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. Instead, you will be asked to submit those at a later time as part of a future task in Workday.

Equal Pay Analysis:

As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

Work Authorization:

DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.

Questions/Need Help?

If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at jobs@deq.oregon.gov or 503-229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.