Environmental Restoration Engineering Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Requisition No: 881869 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: OPS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER III - 37950025

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 37950025 

Salary:  $30.00 - $40.00 per hour (commensurate based on experience) 

Posting Closing Date: 08/31/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER III

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

This position is located in West Palm Beach, FL

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER III (37950025) 

EVERGLADES RESTORATION-ENGINEERING & PLANNING

OFFICE OF WATER POLICY & ECOSYSTEMS RESTORATION (OWPER)

This position is responsible for duties relating to planning, regulation, and compliance of project components in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), other Legislatively directed environmental restoration projects, and implementing large-scale ecological restoration projects that require hydrological and other environmental engineering strategies to complete. The incumbent will be required to work up to 40-hour work weeks, Monday through Friday, and be present for work between the core hours of 9AM - 3PM on site at your workstation, unless on travel.

In carrying out the duties of this position, the incumbent is expected at all times to be aware of and abide by the Department's Standards of Conduct, as well as any and all departmental and/or work unit rules, directives, policies, procedures, and/or general orders applicable to performing the duties of this position. Compliance with the processing requirements of Chapter 215.422, F.S. is mandatory. Persistent failure to comply with this section by any agency of the state shall constitute good cause for discharge of employees duly found responsible, or predominantly responsible, for failure to comply.

This intermediate position is responsible for providing technical review and engineering support for assigned planning, permitting, and compliance activities related to the restoration project areas in conjunction with other Department staff to issue permits/water quality certifications for complex projects. 

Responsibilities include the following:

Provide technical support, hydrologic strategies for ecological restoration, reviewing groundwater and surface water hydrology modeling, stormwater reservoirs and water quality treatment projects, levee modification, seepage management projects, groundwater and surface water quality and flows, and cost-benefit analyses.

Represent the Department during interagency meetings in the development of projects supporting environmental restoration, basis of project design reports, project implementation reports, hydrological and ecological modeling for CERP and non-CERP projects. 

Coordinate and/or participate in pre-application meetings, pre-construction, and compliance site visits relating to assigned project tasks supporting large-scale, complex ecosystem restoration projects.  Communicate with applicants, consultants, and staff of other governmental agencies including project managers and engineers regarding technical design criteria, treatment standards, and other information needed to perform assigned tasks.

Coordinate with other Department staff to ensure consistency between multiple Department issued permits (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Act, Environmental Resource Permits, and others). 

Compliance review in coordination with other OWPER staff to evaluate compliance schedules (interim and final) for construction, operation, and monitoring of permitted activities.  Incumbent will analyze permit required data submittals and arrange for site inspections as needed. 

Responsible for proper use and care of state-owned property assigned to position.  Attend workshops and training, as required. 

Perform other related duties as required by supervisor. 

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• the concepts, terminology, principles and analytical techniques of stormwater engineering and environmental restoration
• concepts and terminology of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
• the planning, design, construction, and operation of large-scale ecosystem restoration projects

Skill in:

• professional use of Adobe, Google Earth, and Microsoft Office Suite, primarily Outlook, Word, and Excel

Ability to:

• communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures 
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with DEP staff, other state and federal agencies and the public
• work effectively, independently, and under time pressure, to plan, organize and prioritize workload
• gather, record and analyze engineering data relating to the construction and operation of engineering features
• Physical ability to inspect field sites and sit for extended periods of time

Minimum Qualifications:

• A valid driver's license.
• Travel.
• At least 4 years of verifiable related experience in large-scale environmental restoration projects. Post-secondary degrees from an accredited college or university with a degree in Engineering may be used as an alternative for the required years of experience on a year-for-year basis. A credential evaluation report from an approved agency must be submitted along with all foreign degrees.

Applicable Job-Specific License or Certifications:
   Florida Professional Engineer License

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university preferably in engineering.
• Knowledge of environmental issues and laws, especially as they relate to water quality and ecosystem restoration in south Florida.
• A civil, environmental, chemical, or mechanical engineering degree.
• A Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)/Engineer in Training (EIT) license.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.

Pay:

$30.00 - $40.00 per hour (commensurate based on experience)

Our Organization and Mission:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state's lead agency for environmental management and stewardship - protecting our air, water and land. The vision of DEP is to advance Florida's position as a world leader in protecting natural resources while growing the state's economy. DEP encourages its leaders to constantly innovate and seek efficiencies. We believe in supporting and encouraging you as you take on important and often complex projects while offering you the opportunity to gain valuable experience quickly.

Where You Will Work:

Office of Water Policy & Ecosystems Restoration

Everglades Restoration

3301 Gun Club Road, MSC 7210-1

West Palm Beach, FL 33406

This position is in the mid-sized city of West Palm Beach (WPB) in Palm Beach County.  The city is big enough to have an active culture and nightlife, loads of restaurants and interesting attractions, and an active historical preservation commitment. Palm Beach County has the eleventh-largest school system in the USA and there is no state income tax for residents of Florida.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida: 

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's benefits package for eligible OPS employees includes:

• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements*).  
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan, for more information, please visit Corebridge Financial).
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

*Seasonal and part-time OPS employees (less than 30 hours average per week) refer to the links above for detailed eligibility requirements.

Special Notes:

DEP is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce. Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following email addresses:

HR_VeteransPreference@dep.state.fl.us

HR_Recruitment@FloridaDEP.gov

An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DEP Human Resources (HR) Office at (850) 245-2511. DEP requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.