State of Maryland

An Environmental Specialist IV is the supervisory level of work for major program responsibility in the field of environmental analysis for a large State agency.  Employees in this classification are expected to demonstrate both professional expertise and administrative ability and are responsible for the performance of a staff of professional Environmental Specialists and technicians in the carrying out of comprehensive and specialized environmental studies.  The duties of this classification include the formulation and implementation of appropriate environmental procedures and techniques for environmental analysis; the development of program objectives, policies and schedules; the coordination of the work of the group with the work of contributing and related agencies; and the integration of environmental analysis program into the overall policies and objectives of the agency.  Employees in this classification are required to coordinate all specialties of environmental analysis and insure their balanced integration into the final study results.  The work of the classification involves substantial contact and consultation with State, Federal, regional, and local officials engaged in environmental studies.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Environmental Specialists, technicians and clerical personnel.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a higher-level administrative official within the agency.   Supervision is of an administrative in nature, because employees are considered to be functioning at the top level of technical expertise in the field of environmental analysis within the agency.  Work performance is based upon the contribution of the environmental analysis staff to the agency’s overall program objectives.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Environmental Specialist IV is differentiated from the Environmental Specialist III in that the Environmental Specialist IV has major program responsibility in the field of environmental analysis for a large State agency and has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Environmental Specialists while the Environmental Specialist III performs specialized independent environmental work and has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Environmental Specialists.

Directs, administers, and develops environmental analysis programs for a large State agency;

Represents the agency to other State, federal and local agencies in matters dealing with his or her field of expertise;

Assists in the development and review of agency policy and legislative proposals in the environmental field;

Supervises a moderate size group of Environmental Specialists and technical personnel in the performance of comprehensive and complex environmental analyses;

Provides technical advice and assistance in the environmental area to other subdivisions of the agency and to agency decision-makers;

Develops and implements agency procedures for environmental evaluation;

Initiates and coordinates environmental studies with appropriate public agencies to ascertain the possible impacts of present and planned projects and/or programs;

Develops work programs for the environmental group;

Provides for the training of the group’s staff and related personnel elsewhere in the agency;

Performs other related duties.  

Knowledge of the expert principles and practices of environmental science;

Knowledge of the standard laboratory and field methods used in environmental science research and analysis;

Knowledge of applicable federal statutes and regulations;

Knowledge of the techniques of standard research methodology;

Knowledge of the techniques of statistical data collection, organization, correlation, and exhibition;

Knowledge of modern staff and office management techniques;

Knowledge of the standard methodologies and practices of completed staff work;

Knowledge of the general principles of personnel management and supervision;

Knowledge of elementary transportation planning principles;

Ability to supervise and manage the work of a staff of lower-level Environmental Specialists, technical, and clerical employees;

Ability to train subordinate personnel;

Ability to use standard field and laboratory equipment utilized in environmental studies;

Ability to work outdoors under varied weather conditions;

Ability to perform field surveys and investigations;

Ability to obtain, assemble, and analyze scientific data;

Ability to prepare and interpret plans, maps, and specifications;

Ability to make clear, concise, comprehensive, and informative reports on technical matters in both technical and lay terms;

Ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with fellow employees and the general public;

Ability to work effectively with consultants, contractors, other agencies, elected officials and the general public.

Education:     A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience:   Six years of full-time professional experience, or its equivalent, in the coordination, research, analysis, and evaluation of environmental resources, two years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity entailing the management of a staff of professional Environmental Specialists.

   OR                       

Two years of experience performing the first supervisory level of specialized independent environmental work involving major, complex project responsibility.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in ecology; earth science; environmental science; geography; community, regional, or social planning; chemical, civil, mechanical, or environmental engineering; physics; chemistry; geology; biology; bio-chemistry; zoology; botany; animal science; wildlife conservation; or any other very closely related field for one year of the required non- supervisory experience.

2. Candidates may substitute possession of a Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university in one of the above majors for three years of the required non-supervisory experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources classifications or Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources specialty codes in the Engineering, Natural Resources and Science field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education and experience.

Experience: Two years of full-time experience, or its equivalent, in the Maryland State classification of Environmental Specialist III.

or

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Experience: Six years of full-time professional experience, or its equivalent, in the coordination, research, analysis, and evaluation of environmental resources, two years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity entailing the management of a staff of professional environmental analysts.

Notes:

1. Possession of a Master’s Degree in one of the following disciplines from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one year of the required non-supervisory experience: ecology; earth science; environmental science; geography; community, regional, or social planning; chemical, civil, mechanical, or environmental engineering; physics; chemistry; geology; biology; bio-chemistry; zoology; botany; animal science; wildlife conservation; or any other very closely related field.

2. Possession of an earned Doctorate Degree in one of the above-mentioned disciplines from an accredited college or university may be substituted for two years of the required non-supervisory experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources classifications or Environmental Engineering and Natural Resources specialty codes in the Engineering, Natural Resources and Science field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education and experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit as indicated by the designation of S (supervisor), M (manager), T (agency head), U (Board or Commission member), W (student), X (Used by agency or excluded by executive order), or Z (confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and therefore, all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.