Water Program Specialist

State of Pennsylvania

$69K — $104K *
Energy & Utilities
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of professional environmental protection experience
  • Bachelor's degree in biological, physical, or environmental sciences, or related engineering field
  • Experience with water program operations and compliance assessment
  • Ability to analyze data and identify discrepancies
  • Strong communication skills for public engagement and technical training

Responsibilities

  • Develop and evaluate compliance and enforcement activities for drinking water programs
  • Create and update rules, policies, and procedures for water system monitoring
  • Audit data in PADWIS and eFACTS for issue identification
  • Train field staff and stakeholders on compliance techniques
  • Prepare activity reports that identify trends and suggest improvements
  • Represent the Commonwealth at public meetings regarding regulations

Benefits

  • Multiple health coverage options including dental and vision
  • Retirement and investment plan options for financial wellness
  • Generous paid leave, including vacation and parental leave
  • Flexible work schedules and part-time telework opportunities
  • Internal mobility and professional development opportunities
Full Job Description
Salary: $69,086.00 - $104,959.00 Annually
Location : Dauphin County, PA
Job Type: Civil Service Permanent Full-Time
Job Number:
Department: Department of Environmental Protection
Division: EP BSDW Op Mntrng Div
Opening Date: 07/28/2026
Closing Date: 8/10/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Job Code: 75670
Position Number: 50285668
Union: Non Union
Bargaining Unit: B3
Pay Group: ST08
Bureau / Division Code: 00353930
Bureau / Division: Bureau of Safe Drinking Water, Operations and Monitoring Division
Worksite Address: 400 Market Street
City: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Zip Code: 17101
Contact Name: OA, CE DEP
Contact Email: [email protected]

DESCRIPTION OF WORK
This position helps protect public health by supporting statewide Safe Drinking Water Program operations through assessments, compliance work and technical guidance. It ensures consistent implementation of rules, procedures and data practices across the program. As a Water Program Specialist, you will perform the following duties:
  • Program Assessment: Develop and evaluate surveillance, compliance, and enforcement activities for statewide drinking water operations
  • Regulation Development: Create and update rules, policies, and procedures related to water system monitoring and reporting
  • Data Review: Audit information in PADWIS and eFACTS to identify issues and recommend corrections
  • Technical Training: Teach field staff and regulated parties proper techniques and requirements for program compliance
  • Report Preparation: Prepare analyses and activity reports that identify trends and propose improvements
  • Public Engagement: Represent the Commonwealth at meetings and explain state and federal regulations to various audiences


Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:
  • Full-time employment
  • Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch.
  • This position requires travel
  • Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, up to 3 days per week. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
  • Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
  • You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY
QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:
  • Three years of professional environmental protection experience; and a bachelor's degree in the biological, physical, or environmental sciences, engineering, or in a field closely related to environmental protection or regulation; or
  • An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes three years of professional environmental protection experience.

Other Requirements:
  • You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
  • You must be able to perform essential job functions.

How to Apply:
  • Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
  • If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
  • Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
  • Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
  • All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans:
  • Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):
  • 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

  • Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
  • Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
  • Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
  • You must provide complete and accurate information or:
    • your score may be lower than deserved.
    • you may be disqualified.
  • You may only apply/test once for this posting.
  • Your results will be provided via email.

Learn more about our Total Rewards by watching this short !
See the total value of your benefits package by exploring our

Health & Wellness

We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*

Compensation & Financial Planning
We invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.

Work/Life Balance
We know there's more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, eight weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.*

Values and Culture
We believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.

Employee Perks
Sometimes, it is the little "extras" that make a big difference. Our employees receive special employee-only discounts and rates on a variety of services and memberships.

For more information on all of these Total Rewards benefits, please visit and click on the benefits box.

*Eligibility rules apply.
01

Do you possess 3 or more years of full-time professional environmental protection experience?
  • Yes
  • No

02

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.)
03

You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You must complete the application and answer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.
All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.

Read each question carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training. The "Level of Performance" you choose must be clearly supported within the description of the experience and training information entered in your application or your score may be lowered. In order to receive credit for experience, you must have worked in a job for at least six months in which the experience claimed was a major function.

If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.

If you have general questions regarding the application and hiring process, please refer to our
  • Yes

04

WORK BEHAVIOR 1 - DEVELOPS, IMPLEMENTS, AND EVALUATES A DRINKING WATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Develops, implements, and evaluates a drinking water management program to ensure program standards and requirements are being met. Levels of PerformanceSelect the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.
  • A. I have experience developing, implementing, AND evaluating a drinking water management program.
  • B. I have experience developing, implementing, OR evaluating a drinking water management program.
  • C. I have experience developing, implementing, or evaluating ANY environmental management program NOT related to drinking water.
  • D. I have successfully completed college-level coursework related to environmental science, or environmental or civil engineering.
  • E. I have NO experience or training related to this work behavior.

05

In the text box below, please describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed in this work behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below which relate to your claim. If you indicated you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the box below.
  1. The name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience.
  2. The actual duties you performed related to developing, implementing, or evaluating a drinking water management or other environmental management program.
  3. Your level of responsibility.

06

If you have selected the level of performance pertaining to college coursework, please provide your responses to the items listed below. If you indicated you have no education/training related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.
  1. College/University
  2. Course Title(s)
  3. Credits/Clock Hours

07

WORK BEHAVIOR 2 - DATA MANAGEMENTAnalyzes water program data entered in various computer systems to determine data accuracy, resolve discrepancies, rectify data rejection issues, and generate reports to provide information for use by government agencies, environmental groups, agency personnel, clients, or industry associations.Levels of PerformanceSelect the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.
  • A. I have experience analyzing water program data to determine data accuracy, resolve discrepancies, or rectify data rejection issues.
  • B. I have experience analyzing program data NOT related to water to determine data accuracy, resolve discrepancies, or rectify data rejection issues.
  • C. I have

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