Salary: $71,643.66 - $107,465.50 Annually
Location : Downtown Minneapolis
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26EED380LV16
Department: Environment and Energy
Division: Lic & Insp -General Activities
Opening Date: 08/10/2026
Closing Date: 8/31/2026 11:59 PM Central
Description The Hennepin County Environment and Energy department is seeking an Environmental Protection Specialist, Senior to conduct licensing, inspections, outreach, enforcement, and related work in the commercial hazardous waste program, which is responsible for administering and enforcing Hennepin County Ordinance 7.
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Location and hours: This position is hybrid and will be performed both on-site at the 625 Building located at 625 Fourth Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415, and remote as job duties require. This position will also routinely travel to field sites throughout Hennepin County. Work hours will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. While this position is designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire.
About this position type:
This is a full-time, benefit earning position.
This position is internally classified as an Environmentalist, Senior.
Click to view the job classification specification.
In this position, you will: - Conduct commercial hazardous waste inspections of regulated businesses and complaint investigations to determine compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, as well as County Ordinance 7.
- Review documentation to evaluate business processes, waste produced, waste management methods, and whether regulatory violations exist.
- Detail findings in written reports and letters, and articulate corrective actions when appropriate that are needed to meet or exceed standards.
- Review and process licensing and re-licensing applications.
- Lead the research and development of new and revised policies, procedures, proposed legislation, regulatory language, and strategic plans.
- Prepare communications for internal and external audiences including communications on complex and controversial issues.
- Develop and maintain fact sheets, forms, and web-based training program and self-audit licensing forms.
- Develop and implement compliance programs focusing on businesses in specific industry groups.
- Maintain operational records in the hazardous waste licensing and inspections database; compile, sort and filter electronic data using software tools such as Excel, Access, and SQL.
- Prepare civil and criminal enforcement cases.
Need to have:- One of the following:
- Bachelor's degree or higher in chemistry or chemical engineering or a closely related field and two years or more of experience in hazardous waste management or industrial chemical testing and analysis.
- Associates degree in chemistry or chemical engineering or a closely related field and four years or more of experience in hazardous waste management or industrial chemical testing and analysis.
- A valid driver's license and the ability to obtain a within six months of employment.
Nice to have:- Experience:
- Conducting inspections or audits of industrial facilities.
- Preparing civil and criminal enforcement cases.
- Reviewing and processing environmental licenses or permits.
- Using Microsoft Excel, Access, and SQL.
- Interacting with regulated communities of diverse backgrounds and varying levels of understanding of environmental regulations.
- Knowledge of:
- Commercial hazardous waste management regulations and related environmental regulations, issues, and business operations.
- Provisions of federal and state regulations governing hazardous waste management, including RCRA, EPA regulations, and state-specific requirements.
- County ordinances and applicable local laws.
- Ability to:
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of staff, regulated communities, and the general public.
- Communicate environmental policies and regulations to non-technical audiences both verbally and in written form.
About the department:The Environment and Energy department protects and preserves the environment to enhance the quality of life for current and future generations. We engage communities to develop and enact sustainable solutions. We focus on reducing and responsibly managing waste, protecting and preserving ecosystems, delivering clean energy and promoting environmental stewardship.
Watch this video for application best practices and tips.Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. Final candidates may be required to complete a criminal background check.
If you have any questions, please contact:Lidy Vu
01
This position is hybrid and will be performed both on-site at the 625 Building located at 625 Fourth Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55415, and remote as job duties require. This position will also routinely travel to field sites throughout Hennepin County. Work hours will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. While this position is designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire.
A valid driver's license and the ability to obtain a
Hennepin County driver's permit within six months of employment.
Are you willing and able to meet these requirements?
02
Select the highest degree/certificate you have completed in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or other field appropriate to the position.
- Associate's degree
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- Neither of the above
03
Describe your relevant education including area(s) of study, school(s) attended, and degree(s)/certification(s) earned. If you do not have relevant education, type "None" in the space provided.
04
How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have in hazardous waste management or industrial chemical testing and analysis?
- I do not have this experience
- Less than 2 years
- 2 years or more, but less than 4 years
- 4 years or more
05
Describe your experience in hazardous waste management or industrial chemical testing and analysis, referencing positions listed on your resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided.
06
How many years of experience do you have conducting inspections or audits of commercial and/or industrial facilities?
- I do not have this experience
- Less than 1 year
- 1 year or more, but less than 2 years
- 2 years or more, but less than 3 years
- 3 years or more, but less than 4 years
- 4 years or more
07
Describe your experience conducting inspections or audits of commercial and/or industrial facilities, referencing jobs listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided.
08
Do you have experience preparing civil and criminal enforcement cases?
09
Describe your experience preparing civil and criminal enforcement cases, referencing jobs listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided.
10
Do you have experience reviewing and processing environmental licenses or permits?
11
Describe your experience reviewing and processing environmental licenses or permits, referencing jobs listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided.
12
Which of the following computer applications do you have experience using? Check all that apply.
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- SQL
- Other data management software
- None of the above
13
Briefly describe your experience using the computer application(s) you selected in the previous question, referencing jobs listed on your application/resume. If you selected, "Other data management software", include the name of the software. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided.
14
Please choose the one recruitment source that best describes how you first learned about this job opening. Please review all possible choices before making your selection. Your response to this question helps us evaluate the effectiveness of our recruitment methods.
- College or university (job board, career services, or instructor)
- Community or nonprofit organization (counselor, job board, etc.)
- Employee or recruiter of Hennepin County (supervisor/manager, colleague, or Human Resources)
- Friend or family member that is not a Hennepin County employee
- Hennepin County job notification emails
- Indeed.com
- Job fair or networking event
- LinkedIn
- Print advertisement (flyer, postcard, billboard, transit ad, etc.)
- Professional association (ASCE, APWA, ISACA, etc.)
- Social media (Handshake, Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.)
- hennepin.jobs or governmentjobs.com
15
For the recruitment source selected above, please provide the specific name of the person, website, or media source.
Required Question
