Environmental Compliance Inspector

Job Description

Description


The final filing date is Wednesday, November 18, 2026 by 5:00 pm or after receiving 100 qualified applications, whichever is first.


The Environmental Services Department is currently looking to hire One regular full-time Environmental Compliance Inspector. The list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future Environmental Compliance Inspector vacancies.

The Environmental Services Department provides comprehensive and innovative environmental utility services for Sunnyvale's residents and businesses and facilitates initiatives to achieve the City's sustainability objectives. The department brings together technical, operational, and administrative professional disciplines to form its dedicated and dynamic team.

These programs help protect our waterways and the San Francisco Bay by ensuring that businesses and residents are implementing best management practices to prevent water pollution and are in compliance with Federal and local water quality regulations. Environmental Compliance Inspectors work closely with a wide variety of businesses to ensure that the composition of their wastewater is in compliance with City requirements and does not compromise the integrity of the City's Water Pollution Control Plant or the sewer collection system. Such businesses range from aerospace and semiconductor manufacturers to dental offices and restaurants. The inspection team is also advancing multiple stormwater initiatives such as trash reduction and controls for pollutants of concern such as mercury and PCBs.
Under general direction, performs journey level inspection and enforcement activities on industrial, commercial, and residential discharges to the sewage and storm drain system for compliance with codes and laws regulating waste processes; and does other related work, as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Environmental Compliance Inspector is the journey level classification in the Environmental Compliance Inspector series and is expected to interpret regulations and initiate appropriate enforcement action after identifying noncompliance with local, state, or federal requirements. Incumbents perform the full range of inspection, sampling, monitoring and enforcement activities. This position is distinguished from that of Senior Environmental Compliance Inspector, which is a lead position and provides technical guidance and coordination to Environmental Compliance Inspectors and performs the more complex technical regulatory work.

Essential Job Functions

(May include, but are not limited to, the following):

• Performs inspections and sampling of industrial, commercial, and residential sources of discharges to the wastewater and storm drain systems.
  
• Inspects facility wastewater-generating processes and wastewater treatment equipment.
  
• Inspects non-point sources and responds to complaints of illegal discharges or connections to stormwater collection system per federal, state and local requirements.
  
• Reviews building plans and performs post-construction inspections of applicable new and redevelopment projects' Best Management Practices (BMP) for stormwater treatment and flow control to meet local Stormwater Permit and Sunnyvale Municipal Code requirements.
  
• Reviews, and evaluates various technical reports submitted by industrial facilities in order to determine discharge compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
  
• Installs, calibrates and monitors sampling equipment such as, field flow and data collection devises to ensure proper functioning; conducts sampling according to established and/or regulatory protocol and procedures.
  
• Performs technical calculations to derive accurate and defensible pollutant limits.
  
• Reviews and approves industrial and commercial discharge permit applications and issues appropriate permits.
  
• Issues orders to enforce the provisions of industrial waste permits, ordinances, program's enforcement response plan and any other applicable rules and regulations.
  
• Reviews and approves applications and issues permits for discharge of groundwater to sanitary collection system.
  
• Resolves problems between City, industries and other relevant parties related to industrial, commercial and residential wastewater or stormwater discharges; answers inquiries and provides information to the public.
  
• Evaluates laboratory reports and gathers evidence for legal actions.
  
• Prepares detailed written and oral reports of inspections and related correspondence; prepares annual reports; monitors submission of compliance reports from categorical industries.

• Updates and maintains permit and inspection files and databases.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Position requires sitting, standing, walking on level, uneven and slippery surfaces, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, stooping, squatting, crouching, grasping and making repetitive hand movements in the performance of daily duties. Acute hearing is required in both the field and the office. Near vision is required when reading plans, written reports and other documents, and far vision is required when inspecting work sites. The need to lift, carry and push equipment and full sample containers weighing up to 50 pounds is also required. The job duties expose the incumbent to the outdoors, which may include exposure to chemicals; hazardous materials, skin irritants, fumes, solvents, and air contaminate aerosols from wastewater. Sampling laboratory sanitation and personal hygiene procedures require incumbent to frequently wash his/her hands. The nature of the work may also require the incumbent to drive motorized vehicles and work in heavy traffic conditions. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodation.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

The minimum qualifications for education and experience can be met in the following way:

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in chemistry, biology, microbiology, environmental science, environmental or chemical engineering, AND

One year of increasingly responsible experience in the collection and analysis of industrial or other wastewater/water samples, or one year of increasingly responsible experience in conducting environmental or regulatory inspections.

Knowledge and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Biological, chemical and physical wastewater treatment processes.
  
• Modern principles and practices of chemistry, biology, or microbiology and basic fluid dynamic analysis as applied to domestic, industrial and commercial wastewater streams.
  
• Methods of detection of hazardous or detrimental wastewater contaminants or conditions, and effects on treatment plants and collection systems.
  
• Inspection, sampling and flow measurement procedures as they relate to industrial and commercial wastewater discharges and/or their pretreatment facilities and stormwater systems.
  
• Operation and maintenance of equipment used for monitoring industrial and commercial waste discharge and stormwater flows.
  
• Methods and procedures to monitor compliance with regulations, codes, and laws.
  
• National, state, regional and local regulatory waste and stormwater rules, regulations and practices as they apply to the City's industrial pretreatment program.
  
• Procedures associated with hazardous materials clean-up and appropriate safety precautions.
  
• Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) for physical treatment, chemical or biological pollutant reduction, and/or other mandated control of stormwater flows.

• Office methods, procedures, software and equipment.

Ability to:

• Safely work in, with, and around wastewater, industrial wastes, and hazardous substances.
  
• Work in the immediate vicinity of laboratory chemicals and reactive agents used to analyze suspected industrial wastes.
  
• Interpret and apply Federal, State, and local rules, regulations and standards relative to wastewater and stormwater systems.
  
• Travel to remote sites within the City to conduct inspections of discharges of suspected hazardous materials.
  
• Work well under pressure and meet multiple deadlines.
  
• Tactfully communicate the objectives of the industrial wastewater and stormwater pollution prevention and source control programs to representatives of commercial, industrial facilities and residential communities.
  
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
  
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; maintain accurate records and reports and prepare clear and concise correspondence.
  
• Obtain, compile, and evaluate information on industries regarding wastewater discharges, using computers, handheld devices and software programs.
  
• Work in the field without the need for close supervision.
  
• Work in a manner consistent with safety policies.

• Use computerized data systems.

• Operate a computer using word processing and business software and other office equipment.

Licenses/Certificates
Possession at time of hire and continued maintenance of a valid Class C California driver's license and a safe driving record.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

A California Water Environment Association Grade I Environmental Compliance Inspector Certificate is desirable.

Application and Selection Process

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS & PROCESS

The application submitted must meet the minimum qualifications listed in the job description in order to move forward in the recruitment process with the City of Sunnyvale. The information provided in the Work Experience, Education, and Certificates/Licenses sections of the application will be used to determine if the application meets the minimum qualifications. A resume, employment history provided elsewhere in the application, or other attachments will not be accepted in lieu of the completed application.

Note: The minimum qualifications for experience are based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Experience included in the Work Experience section of the application is calculated to the full-time equivalent (hours are pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week). Volunteer experience is not considered qualifying experience.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a City of Sunnyvale employment application and responses to the supplemental questions to the Department of Human Resources by Wednesday, November 18, at 5:00pm or after receiving 100 qualified and complete applications, whichever is first.

Candidates are asked to fully describe any training, education, experience, or skills relevant to this position. Electronic applications may be submitted online through the City's employment page at Sunnyvale.ca.gov and click on JOBS. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

EXAM PROCESS

Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications of this position.Based upon a review of the application materials, the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the oral examination process scheduled for Monday, December 7, 2026 . (Note: The examination process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Director of Human Resources.)

SELECTION PROCESS

Those candidates that receive a passing score on the examination will be placed on an eligibility list for up to one year, in accordance with the City's Civil Service Rules and Administrative Policies. Top candidates on the eligibility list will be invited to participate in an in-person selection interview with the department tentatively scheduled for the week of December 14 .

Any candidate that is selected by the hiring department will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment process, which may consist of a background history check, as well as a medical exam(s) administered by a City selected physician(s) before hire. Prior to starting work, all newly-hired employees will be fingerprinted to check conviction history. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment; however, failure to disclose conviction history will result in refusal of employment or termination. Positions which are covered by the Department of Transportation regulations are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test and to random drug and alcohol testing.

INFORMATION ABOUT PROOF OF EDUCATION

Any successful candidate, selected by the hiring department will be required to submit proof of education (i.e. original copy of the diploma or college/university transcripts). A candidate with education obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential evaluation service at the candidate's expense to determine its equivalency in the United States. Candidates may utilize any third-party agency for the evaluation. If you search ‘education equivalency verification’ or similar online, you will obtain results for agencies that provide this evaluation service.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Positions in this job classification are represented by the Sunnyvale Employees Association (SEA).

For assistance on how to fill out your job application, watch the following video:

• How to Apply for a City of Sunnyvale Job- YouTube (5:13)

The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

The City of Sunnyvale is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state, or local laws. The City of Sunnyvale is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 730-7490 or recruitments@sunnyvale.ca.gov .

Summary of Sunnyvale's Employees AssociationSEA

Notice of CFRA (California Family Rights Act) Rights and Obligations

Closing Date/Time: 11/18/2026 5:00 PM Pacific