Position:

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is hiring a Senior Hydrogeologist - Scientist 4, for the State Office in Boise.

PCN 4187/ LPN 7075

Salary Range: $37.00 - $40.00

Responsibilities:
• Provide statewide hydrogeologic and geoscience support for groundwater quality protection, waste management, remediation, and technical support to DEQ:

- Serve DEQ as a senior hydrogeologic expert for statewide hydrogeologic support.

- Support technical activity assignments across DEQ divisions and regions.

- Design, manage, and report on complex subsurface investigations, groundwater monitoring, and water resource projects.

- Analyze groundwater-vadose zone interactions, develop and use groundwater hydrology program models (e.g., WhAEM and MODFLOW), evaluate water quality, and guide environmental regulatory compliance.

- Apply advanced hydrogeologic expertise to design and interpret investigations; review conceptual site models; support groundwater modeling; evaluate groundwater monitoring plans; interpret field and laboratory data; and identify practical solutions for groundwater protection, permitting, waste management, remediation, and regulatory decision-making.

- Provide technical review and recommendations on complex hydrogeologic matters, including mining point-of-compliance evaluations, mine site National Environmental Policy Act/Environmental Impact Statement submittals, solid waste landfill projects, managed aquifer recharge, hazardous waste projects, mining permits, remediation projects (including those under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act/Superfund), wastewater infiltration proposals, water reuse, and source water assessment delineations.

- Perform source water delineations and related technical analyses of activities with the potential to degrade groundwater quality.

- Provide statistical reviews of annual water quality monitoring reports and monitoring plan reviews.
• Provide technical implementation of the Ground Water Quality Rule and related groundwater protection decisions:

- Provide expert technical interpretation and application of IDAPA 58.01.11, including groundwater quality standards, aquifer categorization and recategorization, degradation evaluations, beneficial use protection, groundwater contamination response, site-specific groundwater quality levels, and mining point-of-compliance determinations.

- Perform hydrogeologic evaluations and develop associated monitoring recommendations and technical reviews.
• Supports source water assessments and groundwater technical evaluations:

- Provide technical support for source water assessments for drinking water sources and related hydrogeologic analyses where the Refined Analytical Method (RAM) or Calculated Fixed-Radius Models are appropriate to be used, including time-of-travel evaluations, conceptual model development, review of modeling assumptions and outputs, interpretation of hydrogeologic data, technical report preparation, and statistical analyses.

- Train groundwater technical staff in using the RAM or Calculated Fixed Radius Models for more complex delineations.

- Assist and advise other groundwater technical staff, if needed, for arbitrary fixed-radius, watershed boundary, and water body buffer delineation methods.

- Perform periodic technical reviews and evaluation of groundwater wells under the influence of surface water.

- Provide statewide consistency and quality assurance for hydrogeologic methods, interpretations, and deliverables.

- Work with source water protection and groundwater staff to conduct potential contaminant source inventories and risk assessments.

- Provide the Groundwater Bureau technical assistance on other groundwater quality related issues such as concentrated animal feeding operations, managed aquifer recharge projects, and groundwater rule interpretations and applications.
• Coordinate and support technical work across programs and regions:

- Support junior hydrogeologist staff development. Mentor them as they pursue their professional Idaho geologist licensure.

- Provide hydrogeologic support among State Office programs and regional offices.

- Develop scopes of work for contractor provided professional geologist support and provides oversight of their work, if needed.

- Provide statistical reviews of annual water quality monitoring reports and monitoring plan reviews.
• Represent DEQ in technical and interagency matters and support groundwater program planning:

- Represent DEQ in meetings and technical discussions with regulated entities, consultants, local governments, other state and federal agencies, and the public.

- Provide input and develop guidance and assist with program priorities.

- Prepare and/or review technical memoranda, correspondence, reports, recommendations, and presentations on complex hydrogeologic and regulatory issues.

- Communicate technical issues with diverse audiences.

Minimum Qualifications:

Considerable knowledge of physical or biological scientific principles, methodologies, and applications:

Possession of a Bachelor's degree in the physical or biological sciences, or a related field and an additional six (6) years of professional experience designing and implementing scientific applications, investigations, studies such as chemical, physical, or biological monitoring, corrective action plans, analysis, and assessment,

OR;

Equivalent years of experience where two (2) years of applicable experience can substitute for one (1) year of college, and an additional six (6) years of related work experience, as defined above,

OR;

Possession of a Master's degree in the sciences or related field; and an additional four (4) years of related work experience, as defined above,

OR;

Possession of a Doctor of Philosophy in the sciences or related field; and an additional two (2) years of related work experience, as defined above.

OR;

Any other equivalent combination of education and work experience as described above.

Education and experience should include scientific assessment, environmental protection and pollution control techniques, such as designing, reviewing, or implementing scientific projects, investigations remediation projects, monitoring projects; OR; Organizing and interpreting laboratory and field data; performing activities associated with pollution prevention and mitigation; and recommending and overseeing the completion of remedial actions.

Required Specialty Minimum Qualification

DEQ 3120 - Waste

Registered Geologist as certified by the Idaho Board of Professional Geologists and in compliance with Idaho Code 54-2802; OR a registered Geologist certified by another state and eligible for cooperative licensing in Idaho.

You must identify your PG#, and State of issuance if other than Idaho, on your resume to be eligible for this position.

Required Licensure or Certifications:

Professional Geologist (PG)

Optional Licensure or Certifications:

Certified Erosion, Sediment and Stormwater Inspector (CESSWI)

Desired Qualification

This position requires an in-depth knowledge of hydrogeology, groundwater modeling, remediation techniques, and practical implementation of scientifically derived solutions. This person must have the knowledge to perform groundwater fate and transport modeling, aquifer characterization, and laboratory analytical data evaluation. The person in the position must have knowledge of lithology, soil science, and characteristics of aquifers in Idaho, and an understanding of Federal and/or Idaho regulatory requirements which pertain to assigned tasks. This position also requires knowledge of well completion techniques, investigative protocols for determining aquifer characteristics, and the development of hydrogeologic conceptual site models (CSMs). The person in this position requires advanced knowledge of procedures and protocols used in groundwater monitoring networks, environmental data analysis, establishing data quality objectives, and evaluation of quality assurance in the support of groundwater quality monitoring. This person should be knowledgeable of and proficient in the use of groundwater modeling programs such as WhAEM and MODFLOW and proficient in their use in delineating source water assessments.

The person in this position must have knowledge of data evaluation procedures, statistical analysis tools, and software used to analyze groundwater quality issues, track contamination plumes, and identify trends. The person in this position must be capable of evaluating the design of groundwater monitoring networks to identify and rank contaminant sources and adequately identify potential releases and movement of hazardous constituents.

This position requires a demonstrated ability to communicate professionally in written and verbal format and to clearly present comments and reports to peers, consultants, and outside agencies. This person must be able work with other team partners to coordinate regulatory and technical projects and, with supervision, negotiate path-forward positions with agency counterparts. This individual must have the capability of supporting multiple and concurrent projects and activities. This position requires an individual with project management experience who is familiar with statewide environmental issues and has a demonstrated ability to interpret and discuss complex scientific and regulatory issues with a diverse variety of audiences.

3018A Water

Have successfully attained a Bachelor's Degree with a major in either geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, environmental /civil engineering or a closely related field AND have a minimum of six (6) years full time work experience in geology, hydrogeology, or hydrology including experience in areas of aquifer assessment, aquifer protection, ground water contaminant transport and/or design of ground water remediation projects, ground water monitoring networks or the study of aquifer properties OR possession of a master's degree in any of the previously listed fields and a minimum of four (4) years of full-time work experience performing the previous examples of work OR have possession of a Doctor of Philosophy in the sciences or related field; and an additional three (3) years of related work experience, as defined above.

3023 Water

Have at least four (4) years of full-time work experience in remediation specific to groundwater pollution control such as investigating, monitoring and remediating groundwater contamination evaluating fate and transport of contaminants, applying short-term and long-term control and clean up technologies, interpreting and enforcing or complying with applicable state or federal environmental laws, regulations or permits. This individual must be capable of independently supporting multiple CERCLA/RCRA projects, fate and transport modeling, aquifer characterization, groundwater remediation, and analytical data evaluation. The person in this position must be capable of evaluating the design of groundwater monitoring networks to identify contaminant sources and adequately identify potential releases of hazardous constituents. Experience with, and solid understanding of, regulatory requirements, complex hydrogeological principles, and an ability to evaluate aquifer properties and laboratory analytical reports is necessary.

Physical Requirements (with or without reasonable accommodations
• Ability to sit and work on a computer for 2-4 hours at a time.
• Ability to bend and reach for filing purposes.
• Some travel may be required.
• Must have a valid driver's license.
• Occasional travel required.
• Eyesight needs to be 20/20 (as corrected) to observe field compliance.

Benefits:

The State of Idaho offers a robust total compensation package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance; PERSI retirement benefits; paid sick, vacation, and parental leave; and 11 paid holidays per year. For additional information related to benefits and/or State programs, please visit https://statecareers.idaho.gov/pages/benefits