The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is a national leader in pollution prevention, watershed protection, utility service provision, and climate action. Together, ESD employees positively impact every resident and business in San Jose.
Our department is an exceptional place to start or grow your career. We have a supportive leadership team, numerous professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture that is welcoming of your talents! We offer an array of meaningful career paths and value flexibility - offering hybrid work and alternative work schedules in select roles. Additionally, the City offers excellent health and pension benefits , as well as 15 paid holidays!
To learn more about ESD, follow @sjenvironment on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram and San Jose Environmental Services on LinkedIn.The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is recruiting for the Environmental Services Specialist (ESS) series which includes three levels/classifications: Assistant ESS, Associate ESS, and ESS. ESD intends to use the candidate pool developed from this recruitment to fill current vacancies, as well as future ESS series vacancies. Depending on your qualifications (see Minimum Qualifications below), the application you submit may be considered for an Assistant ESS, Associate ESS, or ESS position.
General Overview of the Environmental Services Specialist (ESS) Series Job Classification:
ESS employees play a critical role in providing the many vital services that help protect our environment and improve the lives of San Jose residents!
Employees in the ESS series perform highly technical and specialized functions to preserve environmental resources and provide public protection in the area of environmental sciences. ESS employees develop, organize, and coordinate assigned plans, programs, and/or special projects for the City and its environmental services; and act as a primary resource to City officials, the community, and businesses.
Typical duties for ESS positions across the department include:
- Developing and evaluating assigned environmental program goals and policies
- Developing, monitoring, and overseeing contract terms and negotiations, grant proposals, and project budgets
- Analyzing and interpreting data to prepare presentations and written reports
- Assisting the public with environmental compliance issues and City provided environmental services through coordinating environmental outreach events and programs, as well as preparing public education material regarding environmental services information
- Providing project or program-level environmental compliance support, serving as a liaison to outside agencies and regulatory bodies
- Performing duties in the field, such as outreach, inspections, etc.
Current ESS Series Vacancies
Currently, there are multiple exciting ESS series opportunities in the department's Sustainability and Compliance (SCD) and Water Resources divisions! To learn more about the great work we do in these divisions, please go to sjenvironment.org . Overviews of these teams and their ESS series positions are below:
Sustainability and Compliance Division's Wastewater Compliance Team
This position supports regulatory compliance and reporting at the Regional Wastewater Facility (RWF) and supports special environmental evaluation studies at the RWF and in San Francisco Bay by performing fieldwork in the lower South San Francisco Bay and tributary areas by boat to sample water and sediment for chemical and biological indicators to evaluate environmental conditions. This position will also manage environmental monitoring databases, ensuring data is valid, accurate, up-to-date, and readily available for answering questions about environmental condition. This position also participates on assigned technical teams as a responsible, proactive, and professional member supporting and advising Capital Improvement projects at the RWF and on regional stakeholder planning and scientific groups.
Responsibilities include:
- Compiling and analyzing water quality data and treatment plant process data for regulatory compliance reporting
- Leading, designing, conducting, and supporting field studies (water quality and environmental sampling) to evaluate environmental condition of San Francisco Bay
- Coordinating and collaborating with cross functional groups to ensure regulatory compliance databases are reporting complete and accurate data
- Responding to, compiling, and summarizing data requests from internal and external partners and colleagues as needed
- Drafting assigned reports or sections of reports as required
- Drafting and managing consultant contracts
- Attending assigned regional stakeholder meetings as a City representative and productive contributing member of the stakeholder group
- Reviewing technical and non-technical reports as assigned and providing comments and recommendations to managers
Water Resources Division's Water Conservation Team
This ESS will assist in implementing the water conservation program that is offered by the Environmental Services Department (ESD) Water Resources Division (WRD), which develops and implements water saving projects and activities, ensures compliance and completes reporting for regulatory agencies, and coordinates conservation, use efficiency, and water supply initiatives with other divisions, departments, and organizations.
The Municipal Water System is required to meet the demands of new ongoing mandatory conservation program initiatives, data collection, and reporting, including analysis of water supply and water use. Ongoing program components include implementing the WaterSmart Home Water Report program, gather information for and prepare the Annual Water Loss Audit, implementing new actions and programs resulting from prior Annual Water Loss Audits, and compiling and submitting data for mandatory monthly reporting on water use and conservation to the State Water Resources Control Board and partner agencies.
Responsibilities include:
- Support and daily administration of the technical, data analysis, and program support aspects of the ongoing water conservation programs.
- Assist customers with inquiries into high water use and provide information on water conservation tips and available programs to reduce water use.
- Perform occasional light field work as directed, such as water conservation inspections/audits, inspection or reading of water meters, tabling at community events, etc.
- Coordinate with communications staff for development of water conservation related information on city websites and on outreach material.
- Compile and organize data related to water supply and demand and run reports on a monthly and annual basis for the purposes of state and other reporting.
- Support actions and plans to be developed to address the new State regulation related to Urban Water Use Objectives.
- Support other water supply related efforts within WRD, including an upcoming transition to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).
- Support and/or lead other water supply initiatives under direction/guidance from the Supervising ESS.
Integrated Waste Management Division's Regulations Team
The Integrated Waste Management (IWM) Division oversees solid waste collection, processing and disposal for residential, commercial, and City facilities operations. IWM develops and implements programs to meet or exceed state regulations, provide ease of use and exceptional value to customers, and improve and protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gases.
The IWM Regulations team is responsible for leading the City's implementation efforts for Senate Bill 1383 regulations to keep organics out of the landfill and coordinating with other city departments to collect data and ensure compliance with the regulations. The team is also responsible for zero waste planning, managing the San José Environmental Innovation Center, reporting citywide data to the state's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), tracking legislation and developing strategic partnerships.
Responsibilities include:
- Supporting regulatory compliance and reporting of the City's solid waste programs to CalRecycle by coordinating and collaborating with cross functional groups to ensure reports are complete and accurate
- Compile and organize data related to solid waste and recycling programs for the purposes of state and other reporting/recordkeeping requirements.
- Responding to, compiling, and summarizing data requests from internal and external partners and colleagues as needed
- Drafting assigned reports or sections of reports as required
- Attending assigned regional stakeholder meetings as a City representative and productive contributing member of the stakeholder group
- Reviewing technical and non-technical reports as assigned and providing comments and recommendations to managers
Salary Information
The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidate's qualifications and experience. The below salary ranges include an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. The annual salary range for the positions are presently as follows:
Assistant Environmental Services Specialist: $79,781.52 - $96,947.76
Associate Environmental Services Specialist: $92,448.72 - $112,323.12
Environmental Services Specialist: $101,905.44 - $123,854.641.