Entry Level Data Scientist Jobs in Baton Rouge, LA

Salary : $3,624.40 - $5,724.00 Monthly
Location : Baton Rouge, LA
Job Type: Classified
Job Number: 26-70B ES HS
Department: Department of Environmental Quality
Division: OEC AIR ENFORCEMENT
Opening Date: 07/16/2026
Closing Date: 7/26/2026 11:59 PM Central
About this Job
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's (LDEQ) mission is to provide service to the people of Louisiana through comprehensive environmental protection in order to promote and protect health, safety, and welfare.
Ready to defend our air quality and enforce critical climate laws? The Enforcement Division is looking for dedicated Environmental Scientists to join our Air Enforcement Section. In this vital role, you will be the front-line defense against pollution by reviewing technical data, identifying high-priority violations, and holding facilities accountable to state and Federal Clean Air Act regulations. Whether you are an entry-level scientist ready to learn or an experienced professional looking to lead complex cases and mentor the next generation, your work here will directly impact public health and environmental safety.
Minimum Qualifications
A bachelor's degree in an environmental, biological, atmospheric, chemical, health, nuclear or physical science field, an engineering field, a geography/geosciences field, a natural resources field, or in a statistics or quantitative methods field; OR
A master's degree or doctorate in an environmental, biological, atmospheric, chemical, health, nuclear or physical science field, an engineering field, a geography/geosciences field, a natural resources field, or in a statistics or quantitative methods field.
Job Specification
The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.
Job Duties and Other Information
Job Duties:

• Review inspection reports, permit notifications, and mandatory environmental documents to verify facility compliance with state and Federal Clean Air Act regulations.
• Analyze enforcement referrals and reporting data to identify environmental infractions and flag high-priority violations.
• Prepare formal legal and administrative documentation for alleged violations and complete timely correctionsduring the review process.
• Calculate penalty assessments and create settlement spreadsheets following departmental policy, factoring in anyeconomic benefits gained from non-compliance.
• Perform on-site compliance investigations to build enforcement cases and track facility compliance after actionsare issued.

Position-Specific Details:
Appointment Type: Either a probationary appointment, a job appointment (a temporary appointment not to exceed four years), or promotion of a permanent classified employee. If the position is filled as a job appointment, it could be converted to a probational appointment should funding become available.
Location: East Baton Rouge
Career Progression: Environmental Scientist 1- Environmental Scientist 3, depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant.
Compensation: This position offers a Special Entrance Rate (SER) listed below. This is the minimum compensation that may be offered. The job title and salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

• Environmental Scientist 1: $20.91 per hour
• Environmental Scientist 2: $22.38 per hour
• Environmental Scientist 3: $25.62 per hour

Premium Pay: $1.00-$2.00 per hour, based on years of service with Air Enforcement.
Overview of the five major offices within the agency: It provides information on the mission, function, and organization, along with a biography for each member of management.
How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities.
Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
*Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
Please make every effort to attach a copy of your transcript to your application if possible (PDF format preferred). The selected candidate will be required to submit original documentation upon hire. You must submit an equivalency evaluation statement for any international degree(s) by the closing of this announcement.
For recruitment purposes, applicants who are within 90 days of graduating with a qualifying degree may be eligible for this position.
Contact Information:
For further information about this vacancy, contact:
Heidi Seba
Human Resources
LA Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 4303
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
225-219-3867
This agency participates in the E-Verify system for verification of citizenship and employment authorization.
Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individualswith disabilities. Equal Opportunity Employer.
Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.
As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:
Insurance Coverage More information can be found at
Parental Leave - Up to six weeks paid parental leave
More information can be found at
Holidays and Leave - State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

***** Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor
State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.
Retirement- State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (), among others

01
Are you a current employee of the Department of Environmental Quality?

• Yes
• No

02
Do you have experience with determining compliance with state and/or federal regulations? Briefly describe your experience, if applicable.
03
Do you have experience writing about technical subjects? Briefly describe your experience, if applicable.
04
Do you prefer to work in an office or to work in the field?
05
For consideration of this position, college transcripts are requested. Did you attach college transcripts?

• Yes
• No

06
Do you anticipate graduating with a bachelor's or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university within the next 90 days?

• Yes
• No

07
If you answered 'yes' to the question above, please enter your anticipated graduation date below.If you answered 'no,' please enter N/A.
08
Do you possess a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in an environmental, biological, atmospheric, chemical, health, nuclear, or physical science field, an engineering field, a geography/geosciences field, a natural resources field, or in a statistics or quantitative methods field?

• Yes
• No

09
If you answered yes to the previous question, please list the degree as it appears on your transcript. If you answered no, please list N/A.
Required Question