Senior Environmental Specialist Job Description, Duties and Responsibilities

Senior Environmental Specialist Job Description, Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides complete information on the job description of a senior environmental specialist, to help you learn what they do.

It presents the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that majorly make up the senior environmental specialist work description in most organizations.

This article also shows typical requirements that applicants seeking the senior environmental specialist role are expected to meet to be employed by most recruiters.

Please, continue reading to increase your knowledge of the senior environmental specialist career:

What Does a Senior Environmental Specialist Do?

The senior environmental specialist is a professional that helps an organization check the impact of its activities on the environment.

He/she is responsible for identifying environmental issues, recommending solutions, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations with respect to environmental hazards.

They find employment in power plants or chemical plants, energy, and petrochemical company, manufacturing plants, etc.

The senior environmental specialist job description entails functioning as a liaison with local, state, and federal agencies, and with customers.

It also involves taking responsibility for the implementation and maintenance of the company’s Environmental Management System (EMS) for the effective deployment of environmental programs.

Senior environmental specialists are responsible for developing and executing programs to ensure regulatory compliance obligations are fulfilled in a cost-effective manner, and that environmental risks are successfully managed.

They are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and managing environmental data, including air quality permitting and emissions data management, stormwater/NPDES/Industrial discharge programs, hazardous materials/waste management, over-water transfer of oil, etc. and preparing environmental reports for regulatory submissions and other environmental media.

They are also responsible for communicating requirements to site employees, contractors, and customers, as well as supervising the work activities conducted by a team of environmental technicians.

To work as a senior environmental specialist, individuals must have exceptional knowledge of the environment and natural sciences.

It is also crucial that they have excellent communication skills.

Senior Environmental Specialist Job Description Example/Sample/Template

The senior environmental specialist provides subject matter expertise in coordinating and maintaining company policies, adhering to local, state and federal environmental, health and safety regulations.

The job description example above shows the major tasks, duties, and responsibilities a senior environmental specialist commonly performs:

• Responsible for the review and revision of HSE guidelines and procedures
• Direct regulatory agency site visits and audits
• Perform internal HSE audits
• Oversee a variety of environmental compliance efforts related to air, water, waste, and wetland regulations
• Serve as safety field support
• Prepare and review periodic reporting, including Annual Criteria & Toxics Emissions Reporting, Greenhouse Gas, TSCA, Tier II, State, and Federal Waste, Discharge Monitoring, SPCC, RMP, and other applicable environmental compliance reporting
• Supervise and organize site waste sampling, profiling, and other disposal processes in compliance with state and federal waste regulations
• Responsible for ensuring appropriate tracking and evaluation of safety and environmental compliance assurance activities and information
• Oversee safety & environmental training for employees at all levels
• Serve as Emergency Response Team member and assist with facility emergencies and drills.

Download this job description template.

Senior Environmental Specialist Job Description for Resume

If you are writing a resume as someone with working experience as a senior environmental specialist, you can create a compelling professional experience section for your resume by applying the sample job description above.

You can apply the senior environmental specialist duties and responsibilities presented above in effectively describing your functions in the work or professional experience section of your resume.

Senior Environmental Specialist Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

If you are seeking the job of a senior environmental specialist, you will be expected to meet certain requirements to be qualified for hiring. Here are the major ones:

• Education: Applicants for the senior environmental specialist position are required to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering, Sustainability, Biology, or Chemistry or other physical or biological sciences, combined with extensive environmental experience. But a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Biology, Chemistry or other related discipline may be preferred
• Knowledge: A senior environmental specialist must have in-depth knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations relating to environmental matters. A prior hands-on knowledge coordinating complex projects/regulatory action is also useful. It is also vital that they undertake initial and annual refresher training in hazardous waste management (RCRA), have an understanding of ISO 14001 and experience in auditing of requirements
• Computer Skills: It is also vital that they have advanced computer-based skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Data Analysis Skills: Their job may also require them to collect and analyze environmental data, so it is beneficial for them to be skillful in analyzing, comparing, and interpreting data
• Communication Skills: Senior environmental specialist must have exceptional written and verbal communication skills to liaise with regulatory agencies, and provide reports, and to discuss/present technical information to junior-level and senior leadership. It is a crucial skill necessary for effective interaction with the diverse workforce and sometimes customers
• Problem-solving Skills: The senior environmental specialist serves as an emergency response expert and is responsible for identifying environmental issues and proffering solutions before they become a huge cost to the organization. So it is vital that they have an aptitude to solve problems and resolve conflicts quickly.

Senior Environmental Specialist

According to information on Payscale, the annual salary of a senior environmental specialist falls within the range of $56,000-111,000 annually.

But the average annual salary for this job title is $85,000, which a majority of people in this trade earn annually, and pay is influenced by experience.

Conclusion

To hire a senior environmental specialist, recruiters need to publish the job description for interested individuals to respond to.

To write the job description that perfectly matches the senior environmental specialist position in your organization you can apply the sample description provided above as a template.

You can also apply this article to increase your knowledge of what senior environmental specialists do if you are interested in the career.