Hazardous Materials Operations Specialist

The Position

The list developed from this recruitment will be used for a limited period to fill open and promotional, regular full-time, and part-time positions, should they occur.

Performs a variety of difficult technical functions associated with hazardous material incidents/complaints and environmental issues including: assessing and mitigating unsafe situations; taking action at incident scenes; investigating environmental crimes; and coordinating training.

Bilingual English/Spanish encouraged to apply. Se buscan personas bilingües en inglés y español. Para recibir una solicitud en español, llame a Recursos Humanos al 234-6600.

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Respond to hazardous materials incidents, including: assessing incidents; determining the hazards of unknown chemicals; contacting and dispatching the Redwood Empire Hazardous Incident Team (REHIT), as needed; and coordinating clean up.
• Respond to complaints regarding environmental issues, including: assessing problem; contacting other environmental experts for guidance; referring complaints to other agencies; and developing reports and maintaining associated records.
• Investigate environmental crimes, including: interviewing witnesses; noting observations; obtaining search warrants; performing formal investigations and interrogations; and turning information over to the District Attorney for further action and/or prosecution.
• Assist other staff in ensuring compliance with hazard materials laws and regulations by notifying appropriate parties when violations/problems are noted concerning underground storage tanks, hazardous materials business plans, solid waste, etc.
• Review and interpret federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to hazardous materials and environmental health.
• Coordinate hazardous materials response and training, including: staying in contact with fire agencies; obtaining funding for training and equipment through grants and private support; developing and implementing programs; serving as training contact and relaying training information to the steering committee; and traveling to various departments to conduct training.
• Act as a consult for matters concerning hazardous material; providing information for techniques of evaluation and control of environmental health hazardous to industry, government and community members.
• Determine cost of personnel time and equipment responding to incidents and forwards invoices to appropriate parties.
• Seek grant funding by applying for funding, presenting proposals and administering grant(s).
• Oversee distribution of equipment and training opportunities by suggesting ways to best utilize personnel and equipment and encouraging departments to train trainers.
• Maintains equipment, including: scheduling maintenance; taking inventory of supplies and equipment; and monitoring communications equipment.
• Maintain and upgrades knowledge, skills, and development by attending seminars, meetings and training programs and reading trade and professional journals and publications.
• Maintain filing systems.
• Format, types letters, memos, reports, or other correspondence on a word processor.
• Compose correspondence in accordance with standard policies; answers various inquiries; explains policies and procedures; processes routine and non-routine matters independently.
• Prepare complex, routine and non-routine reports as requested utilizing a variety of software; receives, sorts, and summarizes material for the preparation of reports; prepares work reports; and relays and interprets administrative decisions, policies and instructions.
• Use a computer to enter and retrieve information.
• Report administrative and/or operational problems to supervisor.
• Disseminate a variety of information and/or reports to various agencies, division, or departments via telephone, mail, email or fax.
• May serve as backup for other positions within the department.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Education and Experience:
Associates degree or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school in Fire Science, Hazardous Materials Technology, or related field; and, three (3) years of increasingly responsible experience in solid, liquid, or hazardous waste management, environmental health inspections, and industrial hygiene practices; or , in conjunction with required certification, an equivalent combination of directly related education, training, experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Licenses and Certifications:
Hazardous Materials Technician (CA- OES approved)
Valid Driver's License

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Applicable state, federal and local ordinances, codes, laws, rules and regulations and legislative issues.
• Basic principles of physical, biological and social science as related to public health and environmental quality control.
• Enforcement responsibilities associated with hazardous materials incident response and criminal statutes.
• Methods and techniques of inspecting and making investigations of hazardous material handlers, facilities and criminal violations.
• Correct English usage, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Internal departmental policies and procedures.
• External governmental bodies and agencies related to area of assignment.
• All computer applications and hardware related to performance of the essential functions of the job.
• Standard business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
• Record keeping, report preparation, filing methods and records management techniques.
• General office procedures, policies and practices, as well as knowledge of computer/VDT and other general office equipment.

Skill in:

• Using tact, discretion, initiative and independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Using a computer to accurately and rapidly enter and retrieve data and information.
• Communicating orally with internal staff, citizens, and other departmental staff in order to give and receive information in a courteous manner
• Operation and routine maintenance of general office machines such as copiers, facsimile machines, telephone systems, and two-way radios.

Mental and Physical Abilities:

• Compile and evaluate data and make recommendations.
• Train others in response tactics, chemical identification and investigation procedures.
• Manage hazard materials incident scenes.
• Read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operation and maintenance instructions, procedure manuals, and so forth.
• Understand and carry out written and oral instructions, giving close attention to detail and accuracy.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Draft and type correspondence.
• Add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
• Deal with problems involving several variables.
• While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to : walk; sit ; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; speak and hear; and push, pull, move, or lift above and below the neck objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
• While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is occasionally required to lift and /or move up to 25 pounds.
• While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to ascend and descend ladders, stairs, ramps and the like using feet and legs or hands and arms and to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing, crouching, or running on narrow, slippery or erratically moving surfaces.
• While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to use color, sound, texture, odor and shape perception and discrimination.
• While performing the essential functions of this position the employee is regularly required to don personal protective equipment and perform physical activities while wearing personal protective equipment.

Selection Procedure & Other Important Information

Important Application Information:

• It is your responsibility to demonstrate through your application materials how you meet the minimum qualifications of the position/s for which you apply.
• You must complete all sections of the application. A résumé or other information you feel will help us evaluate your qualifications may be attached to your completed application, but will not be accepted in lieu of completing any part of the application. Blank applications that contain only a résumé or those that reference “see résumé” will be rejected as incomplete.
• Check your application before submitting to ensure it is complete and correct; no new or additional information will be accepted after the closing date.
• Inquiry will be made of your former and current employers; please provide the names and telephone numbers of supervisors on your application.
• You must provide the names and contact information of at least three (3) references (not relatives) that have knowledge of your job skills, experience, ability and/or character.
• Application materials are the property of Mendocino County and will not be returned.
• It is your responsibility to keep your NEOGOV profile updated, including any changes to your telephone number or address. Failure to do so may result in missed notification of exams or interviews.
• The exam process listed on this flyer is tentative. Mendocino County reserves the right to make necessary modifications to the examination plan. Such revisions will be in accordance with approved personnel standards. Should a change be made, applicants will be notified.
• The provisions of this job bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

Examination Process: All complete applications will be reviewed; incomplete applications will not be considered. Based on the number of qualified candidates, applicants meeting the job requirements and qualifications will be invited to participate in an oral examination (weight 100) or an application appraisal exam, consisting of an evaluation of education and experience as stated on the application form. The examination process will test the knowledge and abilities described above. A minimum score of 70 must be attained for placement on the employment list.

Special Testing: The County of Mendocino is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), if special accommodations for a disability or religious conviction are necessary at any stage of the application and/or testing process, please notify the Human Resources Department in advance at (707) 234-6600. Reasonable notice is required to allow adequate time for review and evaluation of your request.

Special Requirements: Employment in some County departments or positions may require the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background, which may include fingerprinting, and/or a medical examination, which may include drug screening.

This announcement is a synopsis of duties and requirements of this job. To review the complete classification specification and benefits, please see the HR website. Applications must be submitted to the Human Resources Department by the final filing date.

The County of Mendocino participates in the E-Verify program to confirm employment eligibility. If hired, the information you provide on your Form I-9 will be used to verify your authorization to work in the United States.

Learn more:

• E-Verify Notice of Participation (Download PDF reader)
• Right to Work (Download PDF reader)

The County of Mendocino is an Equal Opportunity Employer

This information is a summary of general benefits. Benefits listed in Mendocino County Resolutions or Memorandums of Understanding prevail over this listing. This information is not legally binding, nor does it constitute a Contract.

SALARY
Compensation is based on a five-step salary range, with annual merit-based increases within the salary range.

RETIREMENT
Covered under Social Security and the 1937 act; both employees and the County pay into the retirement fund. For the most current information regarding County Retirement please go to:
https://www.mendocinocounty.org/retirement

HOLIDAYS AND PERSONAL LEAVE
Mendocino County observes 11 paid holidays per year. Employees are granted 24 - 48 hours of personal leave annually, depending upon Bargaining Unit.

VACATION
Accrues at the rate of two weeks per year for three years. Three weeks per year after three years, four weeks after eight years and five weeks after 15 years.

SICK LEAVE
Paid sick leave accrues at the rate of 1.25 days per month, or 15 days per year. Accruals are pro-rated for part-time employees working at least 20 hours per week. Part-time employees working less than 20 hours per week, and extra-help employees receive up to 24 hours (or 3 days) of paid sick leave annually.

MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, AND LIFE INSURANCE
The County and the employee share the cost of an employee selected health care plan; enrollment in the plan includes $20,000 Life Insurance.

HEALTH INSURANCE
For the most current information regarding Health Insurance please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/ehb

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
For the most current information regarding Employee Assistance please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/eap

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM
For the most current information regarding Employee Wellness please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/mcwow

LABOR CONTRACTS
For the complete list of most current labor agreements please go to:
http://www.mendocinocounty.org/hr/labor

Closing Date/Time: 8/16/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board.

County of Mendocino

707-234-6600 Show more