Senior Environmental Scientist

Job Description

At Puget Sound Energy, we are focused on recruiting, retaining, and developing team members who share our passion and commitment to providing sophisticated and consistent environmental compliance support. Our team values different perspectives, cares about the sustainability of our planet, and is committed to upholding PSE's commitments to the environment, including our Beyond Net Zero Carbon climate goals. In return, we offer you the opportunity to be part of a strong team of environmental professionals working together to achieve and maintain the company's compliance goals.

The Senior Environmental Scientist works with various departments to conduct, review, and monitor environmental compliance activities at PSE's thermal power generation fleet and gas storage facilities, including administering PSE's operational permits and other regulatory requirements. The selected candidate will serve as a PSE representative for agency coordination and consultation, providing critical liaison services with regulatory bodies.

The Senior Environmental Scientist will provide comprehensive oversight of PSE operations related to air emissions, the acid rain program, Title V permits, spill prevention, waste generation, wastewater discharge, and stormwater discharge. Job duties include developing standard operating procedures, documenting programmatic evaluations, securing appropriate permits and regulatory approvals, providing training, and conducting other administrative and regulatory duties in support of company programs and operations.

The Senior Environmental Scientist will also uphold safety compliance standards inherent in PSE's operations and will promote and support a culture of total safety. The position requires a demonstrated commitment to conducting business honestly, ethically, and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop standard operating procedures, document programmatic evaluations, secure appropriate permits and regulatory approvals, and conduct other administrative duties in support of company programs and operations
• Ensure compliance of continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) per 40 CFR Part 75 and 40 CFR Part 60
• Investigate and report permit excursions and non-compliance events
• Work with various online programs and databases for compliance tracking and reporting
• Gather and prepare data for monthly, quarterly, and annual air emission reporting and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) reporting
• Perform and coordinate complex environmental analyses across multiple disciplines in both plant and office settings
• Establish and maintain data quality control and post-processing procedures for all field activities
• Coordinate water quality analysis with Washington State certified laboratories, ensuring proper hold times and sampling methods are followed
• Coordinate with waste management groups on waste pickups, sampling, and analysis
• Develop and maintain tools for managing daily and annual operating records for operational facilities
• Conduct agency coordination and consultation as a representative of PSE, including participation in meetings and onsite accompanied inspections
• Develop and deliver training on environmental permits and compliance plans
• Prepare and manage environmental projects while supervising consultants in project support roles
• Develop compliance reports, standard operating procedures, and documentation of resource management activities and monitoring procedures
• Support budget development and tracking for environmental compliance activities
• Provide support for other departmental administrative activities, initiatives, and projects
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• BS or Master’s Environmental Science, Biology, Hydrology, Engineering, Anthropology, Mathematics, or similar with 7 or more years of experience in the field (four years of appropriate additional experience may be considered in lieu of advanced degree).
• Experience and proficiency with MS Office, including Excel and Access, or industry equivalent software applications.

Desired Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
• Commitment to safety, ethics, and PSE's core values
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or physical sciences
• Advanced degree in environmental sciences, engineering, physical sciences, or management
• Experience or familiarity with the electric utility or natural gas industry
• Experience in air emission reporting or permitting in Washington State
• Experience in NPDES compliance and water quality management
• Experience working with regulatory agencies to achieve cost-effective and appropriate compliance outcomes
• Project management experience
• Knowledge of environmental regulations including Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
• Experience with environmental data management systems and databases

Additional Information