State of Maryland

An Environmental Specialist III is the first supervisory level of specialized independent environmental work involving major, complex project responsibility.  Employees in this classification are responsible for supervising a unit, sub-section, or team of Environmental Specialists and technicians as well as consultants involved in performing specialized studies and research on environmental matters and coordinating these efforts with personnel within the agency, other State and federal agencies, and interested groups.  The duties of this classification may include responsibility for accumulating information on highly complex environmental problems, and evaluating and making recommendations for courses of action.  The duties of this classification also include coordinating and developing complex detailed techniques, specifications and provisions related to environmental matters of preparing recommendations for elements of comprehensive local, regional, and metropolitan plans.  Employees in this classification perform work assignments generally related to the environmental process as a whole rather than to a particular specialty; and expected to coordinate projects with Environmental Specialists in each field involved.  Employees in this classification will be called upon by engineering personnel and other Environmental Specialists to provide expertise in the specific option.  Employees in this classification interpret existing policies and procedures, and develop new policies and procedures.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Environmental Specialists and technical personnel.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision of a higher-level Environmental Specialist, Planner, or other official; review is generally rendered only on completion of an assigned project.

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 III is differentiated from the Environmental Specialist II in that the Environmental Specialist performs specialized independent environmental work and has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Environmental Specialists while the Environmental Specialist performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Environmental Specialist III is differentiated from the Environmental Specialist IV 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. 

Undertakes comprehensive studies and evaluates highly complex environmental problems with engineering personnel, representatives of other agencies, and private interests in an effort to incorporate proper environmental consideration in project planning, design, construction, and maintenance.

Assists in the development, interpretation, and implementation of environmental plans and policies included in the agency’s systems plans;

Constructs environmental models depicting changes in the ecology or socio-economic environment of a community;

Keeps abreast of the most recent development in the field of environmental evaluation including latest State and federal statutes in this field;

Supervises the preparation of environmental documents or reports concerning specific agency projects and/or the overall program of the agency in compliance with State and federal legislation and regulations;

Coordinates the environmental planning program with local and State planning organizations;

Initiates and coordinates environmental studies with appropriate public agencies to ascertain the possible consequences of present and planned projects and systems;

Participates in public meetings and conferences representing the agency to explain the environmental impact of proposed projects and systems;

Cooperates with other agencies in those situations where environmental authority, jurisdiction, and/or responsibility may overlap or interface;

Conducts specific research projects in a specialty area to determine the feasibility of using various products or methods in future plans development;

Organizes and assigns the technical and administrative workload among subordinate specialists and technicians within an environmental group;

Evaluates highly complex environmental problems with representative of other agencies or of private interests in an effort to incorporate appropriate environmental controls and accommodations;

Develops work programs and procedures for an environmental group of the agency;

Maintains essential records and files;

Coordinates environmental field work during preliminary stages with district and other personnel so that appropriate environmental considerations are included in plans.

Provides technical assistance to project engineers and other personnel on matters related to the environment;

Supervises the planning and preparation of reports, charts, and maps for inclusion in environmental impact reports and statements;

Supervises lower-level Environmental Specialists, technicians and consultants in the collection of environmental data and in environmental research;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions 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.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

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 collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.