Wastewater Specialist, Entry Or Senior

The Department of Natural Resources, Water Quality Program is recruiting to fill Wastewater Specialist positions in the following locations: Fitchburg and Milwaukee, WI. These positions will be filled at the Entry or Senior level depending on applicant qualifications and site location (Fitchburg-Entry/Senior, Milwaukee-Senior). There is an opportunity to telework for up to 60% of the workweek dependent on work needs.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with others that have a passion for water quality protection and an interest in the rules and policies that govern how the DNR addresses and limits the discharge of pollutants to our state’s lakes, streams and groundwater. If you are interested in this type of opportunity with the DNR, make sure to apply now!

The Milwaukee office is a brand-new facility located in the Menomonee River Valley district (also home to the Brewers’ American Family Field), and walking distance to restaurants, nearby apartments, and public transit. Working in Milwaukee means being centered in a diverse and vibrant community alongside leaders in freshwater science and technology. Free parking and easy access just west of downtown makes for a stress-free commute from the many buzzing neighborhoods in the Greater Milwaukee Area.

The Fitchburg office offers people the opportunity to live and recreate in the thriving city of Madison and surrounding communities. The area is rich in opportunities to canoe, boat, paddleboard, swim and fish on the Yahara River chain of lakes (Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa). This is your opportunity to enjoy iconic Madison scenes and activities including the UW-Madison campus and its quality Badger men’s and women’s athletics, the Memorial Union, and the Dane County Farmers Market on the Capitol Square to name a few. Plus, the Fitchburg office offers free staff parking as well as public transit options!

The DNR excels at protecting and managing natural resources while supporting the economy and the well-being of our citizenry. Click here to see what working for the State of Wisconsin is all about!

Now is the time to take advantage of this great opportunity. We want you to excel at your job, so we'll provide you with plenty of in-depth training as long as you meet the minimum qualifications and "soft" skills such as communication and interpersonal sensitivity, and lots of motivation and enthusiasm!

This is an excellent opportunity to start a meaningful and rewarding career with the DNR. Our employees have access to an excellent comprehensive benefit and compensation package, that includes paid time off so you can truly have a work/life balance! If you have student loans and work full-time in a public service job (like this one!) you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. To learn more about the DNR’s complete compensation package, please visit Employee Trust Fund’s Total Rewards Calculator!

The goal of Wastewater Specialist position is to protect Wisconsin’s water resources as well as public health, welfare and the environment through drafting of Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permits for industrial and municipal operations in the DNR’s Southcentral or Southeast Region. This position interacts with industrial and municipal facility representatives and organizations, environmental non-governmental organizations, consultants, and the public as necessary to coordinate and complete permit issuance activities. These permits outline discharge requirements for permittees associated with state and federal water quality protection regulations.

This Fitchburg position is also responsible for reviewing and approving Water Quality Trading/Adaptive Management/Multi-discharger Variance plans and reports that address phosphorus discharges to surface waters from WPDES permitted operations. These plans are the result of innovative options for permitted operations to comply with phosphorus permit limits.

For a detailed position description, click Entry or Senior for the Fitchburg Office

For a detailed position description, click Senior for the Milwaukee Office.

Starting pay for the entry level is $25 - $30.60/ hour ($52,000 - $ 63,648 annually).

Starting pay for the senior level is $26 - $33.66/ hour ($54,080 - $ 70,012.8 annually).

These positions are in Pay Schedule/Range 15-04 and 15-03. A 12-month probation period may be required.

These positions are occasionally responsible for assisting with permit issuance in other parts of the state as needed. Routine travel within the assigned geographic area is expected along with occasional overnight travel statewide for meetings and training.

Employment will require the selected candidate to pass a background check. DNR does not sponsor work visas, thus, in compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required I-9 form upon hire.

All state employees are required to report their COVID vaccination status, whether vaccinated or not, and must provide supporting documentation if vaccinated. Newly hired employees will be required to submit this information within their first two weeks of employment. The State of Wisconsin continues to follow necessary health and safety protocols for COVID. Please visit Division of Personnel Management Coronavirus - COVID-19 (wi.gov) for the most up-to-date information. Guidance may be subject to change.

Please describe the below qualifications in your resume and letter of qualifications to be considered for this position:

Required qualifications for this position include all of the following:

• Experience with project management and overseeing multiple projects at a time
• Education, training or experience related to natural resources or biological sciences (e.g., biology, water resources management, soil science, agronomy, environmental science, chemistry, engineering, or environmental studies)
• Experience, education, or training in creating and making public presentations, technical writing and knowledge of MS office products (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

Best-qualified applicants will also have at least one of the following preferred qualifications:

• Training or work experience in a regulatory setting, including interpreting or applying state or federal requirements (e.g., policies, administrative codes, statutes) and/or environmental enforcement principles and procedures)
• Training or work experience in assessing impacts of point source pollution on surface water or groundwater

PLEASE NOTE: The job application is set to time-out after 30 minutes of inactivity. To avoid losing any updates to your application, make sure to save often.

Click the “Apply for Job” button and follow the directions. You will be able to save your application as many times as needed and make edits up until the point you submit your application. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any updates to the application or any materials submitted.

Your letter of qualifications and resume are very important parts of your application and are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. For instructions on developing your resume and cover letter and what should be included in these materials, click here.

References are not necessary at this time.

Questions, regarding the application process, can be directed to Ulas Karagoren, Human Resources Specialist at Ulas [email protected] or (608) 419-6007.

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Current state employees must apply through STAR ESS on the Careers Tile. Former permanent classified state employees must apply through Wisc.Jobs.
The DNR is an equal opportunity employer that promotes and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability. For complete information on veterans hiring programs that may benefit you, please visit the Employment page on WDVA's website.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. central standard time on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Late applications will not be considered.