Environmental Compliance Water Specialist

Ready to take your environmental compliance expertise to NASA?

HSG is seeking an Environmental Compliance Specialist to support NASA Langley Research Center, where you’ll help protect water quality, navigate complex regulatory requirements, and provide hands-on support for stormwater, wastewater, and environmental compliance programs. If you enjoy solving problems, working both in the field and with technical teams, and seeing the direct impact of your work, we’d love to hear from you.

General Description

Under the guidance of the Project Manager, the Environmental Compliance Specialist provides technical expertise necessary to ensure compliance with NASA Langley Research Center water quality permits (e.g., sanitary, stormwater, industrial wastewater), associated plans, and program elements. The Specialist also supports field inspections and monitors projects to ensure compliance with environmental requirements and applicable policies. 

How You Will Fulfill Your Mission

• Support Langley’s management of water quality compliance programs, including Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES), Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requirements.
• Conduct field inspections of land-disturbing projects to evaluate compliance with applicable regulations and approved plans, including erosion and sediment control (ESC), stormwater management (SWM), and pollution prevention.
• Conduct other routine stormwater inspections, including quarterly outfall and annual stormwater management facility inspections.
• Document and report inspection findings, identify deficiencies, and work with project teams to ensure timely resolution, escalating as needed.
• Support the management and implementation of Langley’s MS4 Program Plan, including tracking program activities and metrics and preparing annual reporting, public outreach, and employee training.
• Prepare regulatory correspondence, reports, permit applications, and other required documentation.
• Maintain accurate compliance records, databases, and tracking systems.
• Coordinate permit-required sampling and support reporting and other compliance activities.
• Assist with reviewing projects for compliance with applicable permit requirements, including identifying potential impacts and supporting Langley in ensuring appropriate requirements and mitigation measures are addressed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Perform work in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, Job Safety Analyses, and approved Standard Operating Procedures.

The duties and responsibilities described in this position description in no way state or imply that these are the only duties performed. This position may require that additional duties and responsibilities be performed.

Why We Value You

• You are able to work independently and show a high level of initiative and attention to detail.
• You have a consistent character and do not yield to pressure to compromise or cut corners.
• You have a strong ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and customers by clearly expressing your intent and understanding the focus and purpose of the conversation while allowing each person to get their point across
• You are open to new ideas and innovations and can create modifications or changes in yourself to adapt or suit a new environment/situation. 
• You have faith in your own ideas and ability to be successful. 
• You hold yourself to the highest standard and work to inspire your team to produce quality work.

Specific Knowledge/Certification Requirements

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, physical science, or related field. 
• Four (4) or more years of relevant experience.
• Current Virginia ESC and SWM Inspector certification, or Dual Inspector certification.
• Demonstrated experience performing ESC/SWM inspections.
• Working knowledge of applicable environmental regulations and best practices related to stormwater and wastewater management.
• Experience evaluating permit applicability and preparing applications and supporting documentation for submission to regulatory agencies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified ESC Plan Reviewer from the Commonwealth of Virginia or ability to obtain within 6 months of start date.

Working Conditions

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to walk, sit, or stand for extended periods of time; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk or hear; have sufficient manual dexterity to operate a keyboard, calculator, telephone, and other such office equipment as necessary; may occasionally move and/or lift up to 50 pounds or more with assistance.  Specific visual abilities required by the job include close vision, distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust and focus.
• Work Environment: Work will mainly be performed in an office setting and occasionally with irregular hours.
• Travel: A low amount of travel away from office may be required.