Job Description

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the City.

The Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all facilities related to the treatment of sewage within the five boroughs of the City. This includes 14 wastewater resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), collections facilities (pumping stations, combined sewer overflow retention facilities, regulators, tide gates, etc.), wastewater laboratories and harbor vessels.

The Office of Regulatory Strategy (ORS) is housed within BWT’s Regulatory Compliance, Strategy, Technology and Innovation Directorate. ORS is responsible for developing strategies to meet DEP's myriad regulatory requirements related to discharge permits and consent order driven work to improve the quality of effluent discharge to receiving waterbodies. ORS is an interdisciplinary team that works across the BWT organization and the Agency.

ORS is seeking to hire a City Research Scientist. selected candidate will support ORS in delivering its responsibilities with regard to consent order mandates (e.g. Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan; Total Residual Chlorine, Biological Nitrogen Removal, etc.) and permit compliance support (e.g. support in analysis of new permit limits, support with regard to instances of permit exceedances, etc.). The selected candidate will also support the management of several consultant contracts that support overall regulatory compliance as well as studies on the consolidation of two or more WRRFs.

Responsibilities will include but not limited to:

Under direction, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative, the City Research Scientist II will:

• Track consent order milestones and ensure the reporting of schedule progress, including the development of progress reports to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

• Identify research needs based on new and existing regulatory requirements and/or regulatory compliance challenges at BWT facilities.

• Assist with and conduct assigned research, investigations and analysis of specific challenges in a major scientific field of physical, biological, or environmental science, including literature reviews, surveys, field studies and data analysis.

• Provide technical research and evaluation of industry and internal best practices in water quality and support the identification and assessment of new treatment and/or operational improvement opportunities.

• Assist with tracking and review of planning, design and construction contracts pertaining to consent order and/or permit compliance.

• Provide project management assistance, including developing and maintaining project plans and other documents, managing and coordinating project elements, reviewing milestones, and ensuring efficient progress on implementation through consistent monitoring of progress of initiatives and commitments.

• Assist senior staff in project management responsibilities, including adhering to internal and external timelines; ensuring the completion of high-quality deliverables; and managing budgets.

• Supporting the development of a broad array of new policies, initiatives, and communication strategies by managing comments and version control of edits throughout the drafting and editorial process.

• Participate in ad hoc projects as they arise.

Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or

2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:

Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.