ECMC Reclamation Specialist (EPS II) – Eastern Plains – Remote/Hybrid

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Are you interested in investing in a career that makes a difference?

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

• In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:
• Medical, Vision and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• For more detailed information, please visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits

About Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC):

The mission of the Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) is to regulate the development and production of oil and gas, deep geothermal resources, the capture and sequestration of carbon, and the underground storage of natural gas in a manner that protects public health, safety, welfare, the environment and wildlife resources.

The purpose of this work unit is to ensure compliance with the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) Rules and Regulations, especially those that relate to reclamation of oil and gas locations and facilities, and the procedures for reporting, responding to, of remediating spills and releases of E&P waste, and protecting public health, safety, welfare, and the environment.

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

The primary purpose of this mobile workforce position is to advance successful reclamation and stormwater management through assessing regulatory compliance at oil and gas locations. The responsibilities include conducting evaluations of locations with regard to interim and final reclamation; comparing field observations against permit conditions of approval, construction layout drawings, and other approved plans; and addressing compliance issues that may warrant enforcement actions. The role also involves technical soil data analysis and soil field observations aimed at ensuring compliance. 

Additionally, the position involves reviewing reclamation-related variance applications, including drafting a “Director’s Recommendation” to inform the Commission’s decision to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the variance. This review includes an assessment of the technical adequacy of the request, proposed surface reclamation processes and procedures, weed control, stormwater management, and adherence to rule-specific requirements and a determination of whether granting a variance would be protective of public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources. 

A key aspect of the position is to respond to public complaints, which involves engagement with complainants and on-site inspections. Additionally, the Position will review Topsoil Protection Plans, Stormwater Management Plans, and Interim Reclamation Plans, Migratory bird surveys, as these are essential to ensure compliance with relevant rules and regulations. 

The Position may act as a Subject Matter Expert and resource to regional ECMC staff and operators within the region and for enforcement proceedings. Overall, the objective of the position is to safeguard public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources by ensuring operators implement sufficient measures to protect and minimize adverse impacts. 

Reclamation Compliance Inspections:

• Develop, design, and/or monitor reclamation activities/plans, topsoil protection practices, and stormwater management programs at proposed permit areas, active and inactive oil and gas locations, and orphaned well locations.
• This includes conducting environmental assessments of flora and fauna, and soil and hydrological conditions, through inspections, meetings, and document review, assist operators in identification and implementation of the most effective topsoil protection, reclamation, and stormwater management methods.
• Design and monitor reclamation plans and activities and stormwater management programs to ensure they are in compliance with the ECMC rules and orders.
• Conduct site inspections to ensure compliance with permits and any site specific conditions of approval (COA) and recommend additional conditions of approval for future oil and gas locations.
• Document each inspection on a Field Inspection Report form, timely submitted through ECMC’s electronic forms system.
• Review oil and gas operator factual review requests to assess their legitimacy and develop agency responses.
• Create a complete record of documentation including notes, photographic evidence, geospatial data (GPS), and drone site information on the locations; merge and overlay the field collected data with aerial photography and GIS aerial photo documentation (including historic).
• Develop site specific and regulatory-based corrective actions and communicate with operators to clarify ECMC expectations through inspections and through other means, as necessary.
• Directly comment on operator submittals (E.g. reclamation plans, stormwater management plans, migratory bird surveys) and clearly correspond any deficiencies.
• Determine site-specific sample locations, collect the soil samples for agronomic analysis, interpret the soil analytical results, and plan for any actions required.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative vegetation monitoring at a species level using methods which include, but are not limited to, the line point intercept method.
• Other duties as assigned.

Conduct Inspections for other ECMC Units:

• Conduct inspections at the request of the Permitting, Compliance, Engineering, Financial Assurance, and the Environmental work unit to gather information on compliance and other data in support of their activities and investigations.
• This duty differs in that the response to these requests may, when compared to standard inspections, decrease efficiencies and may increase coordination.
• Collect and interpret agronomic soil samples for the reclamation group and at the request of other work units.
• Potentially, collect initial “screening level” samples (soil, oily waste, soil gas, etc.).
• Provide technical knowledge, subject matter expertise, and guidance to the regulated community on implementation and applicability of ECMC Rules.
• Work with local governmental agencies to provide information to the public on oil and gas operations, practices and procedures and on ECMC Rules, Commission orders, and staff policies.

Historic Records Research:

• In support of the on the ground field inspections a database review is required. ECMC database review of the oil and gas locations includes but is not limited to historic documents, current location status, permits, spills, well plugging forms, and other pertinent data for each location.
• Specialist must then use the information to make assessments and decisions on corrective actions.
• The review of the database is required to compliment the on the ground field analysis for making sound decisions on appropriate corrective actions, corrective action dates, and enforcement.
• Additionally, this duty is required for conducting research related to Reclamation and wildlife protections.

Manage Complaints:

• Provide technical knowledge and guidance to the regulated community on implementation and applicability of ECMC rules, in particular to new rules or amended rules in the 200, 300, 600, 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 Series related to reclamation, stormwater management, monitoring remediation, and wildlife concerns as necessary to protect and minimize adverse impacts to public health, safety, welfare, the environment, and wildlife resources.
• This activity requires driving to a specific property and interviewing landowners, and Operator personnel and contractors.

Corrective Actions:

• Initiate formal enforcement procedures. Develop Notices of Alleged Violations (NOAVs), support the prosecutorial staff, and appear at hearing as an expert witness.
• Identify corrective actions that are appropriate for successful reclamation as an outcome of enforcement proceedings.
• Write NOAVs, respond to operators NOAV responses, review AOCs, conduct additional inspections, prepare presentations for operator or commission meetings for the enforcement actions.
• This activity requires coordination with other Commission employees.
• This duty could significantly increase in time spent depending upon the number of enforcement cases in process.

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

Experience Only:

Six (6) years of relevant experience/expertise in performing, overseeing, or monitoring reclamation projects that demonstrate tasks such as, soil and vegetation sampling, species-level vegetation monitoring, and the development implementation, review, and monitoring of reclamation management programs.

OR

Education and Experience:

A combination of related education in Range Ecology, Edaphology, Pedology, Biology, Botany, Ecology, Ecosystem Science, Wildlife Biology or a similar field and/or specific relevant reclamation experience in performing or overseeing reclamation projects that demonstrate tasks such as, soil and vegetation sampling, species-level vegetation monitoring, and the development, implementation, review, and monitoring of reclamation management programs equal to six (6) years.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
• Scientific Knowledge: Ability to evaluate specific and unique situations using a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating ecological disciplines such as ecology, wildlife biology, soil science, and botany.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Professional Competence: A fully-operational professional specialist capable of applying theories and ecological concepts to design, develop, evaluate and monitor reclamation activities and stormwater management at both active and inactive oil and gas locations, as well as orphan well locations.
• Regulatory Acumen: Working knowledge of State enforcement case management is essential.
• Communications Skills: Ability to effectively convey work processes and ECMC rules associated with the Reclamation Group to Oil and Gas Operators and the Public. This includes Strong written and verbal communication skills necessary for effective collaboration and reporting.
• Computer Proficiency: Proficient in using computers, including various programs including Google Suite and Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Comfortable navigating web-based programs and utilizing interactive GIS maps and databases.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must have a permanent full time residence or must move to Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Elbert, Morgan, Washington, Yuma, Lincoln, or Kit Carson County, Colorado or other Supervisor approved home/office location within the Reclamation Specialist Region to be able to efficiently and effectively reach the oil and gas locations for inspections. Must be willing to be a remote employee that works out of a home office in Northeast Colorado as specified above. Position requires driving to individual oil and gas locations/facilities and possibly hiking up to 2 miles to the locations/facilities, which could require crossing fences, in all weather conditions.
• Must be willing to be a remote employee that works out of a home office in Eastern Colorado as specified above. Position requires driving to individual oil and gas locations/facilities and possibly hiking up to 2 miles to the locations/facilities, which could require crossing fences, in all weather conditions.
• Reclamation region responsibility with required travel planned for the specific region and possible overnight travel for several consecutive days, for work, meetings, and travel within the State for training purposes.
• Must be willing to be a remote employee that works out of a home office in eastern Colorado.
• Position requires driving to individual oil and gas locations/facilities and possibly hiking up to 2 miles to the locations/facilities, which could require crossing fences, in all weather conditions.
• Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
• Must possess and maintain a valid Colorado’s driver’s license.
• Able to travel with occasional multi-overnight stays within Colorado.
• This position works independently from an office at home.
• You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DNR does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.

APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, US Mail, faxed or hand delivered within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

• For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board go to spb.colorado.gov or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director’s Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.The Assessment Process All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.
• Must submit Cover letter and Educational Transcripts

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program’s Right to Work for all newly-hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I-9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DNR does not sponsor non-residents of the United States. 

Toll–Free Applicant Support – Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues. Helpful hints: If you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and close the document before you attempt to upload it.

If not applying online:

Online is the preferred method of applying. If you are unable to apply on-line for reasons other than technical issues, please contact me prior to the closing date/time of the announcement.

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