Hazardous Materials Inspector III

Salary : $102,294.40 - $123,988.80 Annually
Location : City of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Varies by Position
Job Number:
Business Area: N/A - Multiple Departments
Opening Date: 10/02/2026
Closing Date: 10/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

JOB INFORMATION
See NOTE(S) below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.
Hazardous Materials Inspector III positions train and review the work of, and provide technical guidance to, subordinate staff performing hazardous materials inspections and training activities; lead inspection of, or manage complex hazardous materials projects; review environmental site assessment reports associated with construction projects and provide contractual language related to hazardous waste; conduct tailored hazardous materials training; coordinate and prepare correspondence on complex pending legislation and draft state or federal regulations; interpret and determine the impact of new regulations and legislation; annually review, coordinate and redesign the hazardous materials training information; assist with investigation and enforcement actions; assist with developing program budget; and perform other duties as assigned.

NOTES:

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
  • 3.5% effective 7/1/27
  • 2% effective 7/1/28
  • 2% effective 1/1/29
• Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

EDUCATION: A Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Industrial Hygiene, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Sanitary Engineering, Environmental Health, Biology or a closely related degree. Individuals applying with a closely related degree MUST have completed at least 18 semester/27 quarter units of college-level chemistry coursework, which MUST include lecture and laboratory classes in both organic and inorganic chemistry.

NOTE:

• Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year-for-year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.

EXPERIENCE: Three years of full-time experience in ONE of the following areas:

1. Investigative/inspection experience, including inspecting and investigating hazardous materials and waste management practices for conformance with laws and regulations. Job experience should include hazardous waste sampling, storage, testing, packaging, and manifesting of hazardous waste; knowledge of regulations contained in CCR Title 22, 40 CFR, 49 CFR, and Health and Safety Code Division 20, Chapter 6.5; site inspections and report preparation; and/or conducting hazardous material training activities.
2. Household hazardous waste experience, including coordinating and assisting with community collection events or permanent centers; testing materials collected through a household hazardous waste or load check program; identifying, confirming, and categorizing chemical waste, and packaging and manifesting waste received; and knowledge of regulations contained in CCR Title 22, 40 CFR, 49 CFR, and Health and Safety Code Division 20, Chapter 6.5.
3. Environmental control experience, including storm water, pesticide site assessment, and/or air pollution control management, with job duties including inspection and sampling, reporting, process design, knowledge of regulations, training, and program implementation.

NOTE:

• A Master's Degree in Chemical, Environmental or Sanitary Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Health or Industrial Hygiene may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of six months of the required experience.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver's License is required at the time of hire.
NOTE:

• Candidates will generally be required to show proof of the driver license within about two weeks of receiving a conditional job offer.

HIGHLY DESIRABLE:

• Possession of a current DUSTO or HazWOPER Certification.
• Knowledge of local, State, and Federal hazardous material and hazardous waste regulations.
• Experience with CUPA regulatory compliance inspections, especially those conducted by County of San Diego DEHQ.
• Experience preparing, maintaining, and submitting Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) elements through the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

• Proof of degree/transcripts, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• Proof of transcripts showing completion of the required coursework, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: (619) 533-3337; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.
SCREENING PROCESS

Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may constitute cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.
Rev. 1 - October 2, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)
City employees may be eligible to participate in a benefit program including holidays, vacations, savings and retirement plans, health programs, and other benefits.

Eligible City employees initially hired or assuming office on or after July 10, 2021, with the exception of Police Recruits participating in the City's Police Academy, will participate in the City's Defined Benefit Plan administered by the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System (SDCERS).

Benefits may change due to employer-employee contract negotiations.

or review the
01

I understand that failure to respond to the following questions in the spaces provided may result in the rejection of my application. In addition, I may miss out on employment opportunities. Resumes are NOT reviewed for assessing the minimum requirements, qualifications will be determined from the answers provided to the supplemental questions.

• Yes
• No

02

Are you a current or former City of San Diego government/municipal employee?

• Current city employee
• Former city employee
• Current & former city employee
• None of the above

03

If you have previously worked or are currently working for the City of San Diego, please enter your PERNR.
04

The minimum age for this job is 18, unless you are 17 and a high school graduate. Do you meet the minimum age requirements for this job?

• Yes
• No

05

Specify which ONE of the following options you are using to meet the education requirement. NOTE: Attach proof of degree/transcripts to your application.

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Industrial Hygiene, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Sanitary Engineering, Environmental Health, Biology.
• Master's Degree in Chemical, Environmental, or Sanitary Engineering, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Chemistry, or Biology.
• Closely related degree with at least 18 semester/27 quarter units of college-level chemistry coursework, which MUST include lecture and laboratory classes in both organic and inorganic chemistry.
• Combination of education and experience.
• None of the above.

06

If you have a degree in a closely related field, have you completed at least 18 semester/27 quarter units of college-level chemistry course work in lecture and laboratory classes in chemistry? NOTE: Attach transcripts showing completion of the required course work to your application.

• Yes
• No

07

If you are using a combination of experience and education to qualify, which of the following best describes your level of education?

• 0 to 29 semester/44 quarter units
• 30 semester/45 quarter units to 59 semester/89 quarter units
• 60 semester/90 quarter units to 89 semester/134 quarter units
• 90 semester/135 quarter units to 119 semester/179 quarter units
• 120 semester/180 quarter units or more

08

Indicate which ONE of the following options you are using to meet the three years of full-time professional level experience:

• Investigative/inspection experience including inspecting and investigating hazardous materials and waste management practices for conformance with laws and regulations. Job experience should include hazardous waste sampling, storage, testing, packaging and manifesting of hazardous waste; knowledge of regulations contained in CCR Title 22, 40 CFR, 49 CFR, and Health & Safety Code Division 20, Chapter 6.5; site inspections and report preparation; conducting hazardous material training activities.
• Household hazardous waste experience including coordinating and assisting with community collection events or permanent centers; testing materials collected through a household hazardous waste or load check program; identifying, confirming, and categorizing chemical waste, and packaging and manifesting waste received; and knowledge of regulations contained in CCR Title 22, 40 CFR, 49 CFR, and Health and Safety Code Division 20, Chapter 6.5.
• Environmental control experience including storm water, pesticide site assessment and/or air pollution control management with job duties including inspection and sampling, reporting, process design, knowledge of regulations, training, and program implementation.
• None of the above.

09

How many years of full-time professional experience do you have in the area you indicated above?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 4 years
• 4 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years to less than 6 years
• 6 years to less than 7 years
• 7 years or more

10

Describe your full-time professional experience in the area you indicated in question #8. Specify from which employer the experience was gained, your specific duties, your title, level of responsibility, percent of time spent performing the duties and the total length of your experience. If you do not have any experience in this area, write "None."
11

I understand I will be required to provide proof of my driver license if I receive a conditional job offer (generally within two weeks after the offer).

• Yes
• No

Required Question