ECMC - West OWP Environmental Protection Specialist II

ECMC - West OWP Environmental Protection Specialist II

Salary

$76,860.00 - $96,000.00 Annually

Location

Denver, CO

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

PHA 00167 09/26

Department

Department of Natural Resources

Division

Energy & Carbon Management Commission

Opening Date

09/04/2026

Closing Date

9/20/2026 11:59 PM Mountain

FLSA

Determined by Position

Type of Announcement

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Primary Physical Work Address

Hybrid

Hiring Pay Rate

Employees new to State Government will be paid on a bi-weekly basis.

FLSA Status

Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.

Department Contact Information

Catie.Weber@state.co.us

Salary Note

Although the full salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.

How To Apply

Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Department Information

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Are you interested in investing in a career that makes a difference?

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It's our mission to manage and conserve Colorado's natural resources for the benefit of people today - and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado's natural resources for today - and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical, Vision and Dental plans

• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• Employee Wellness programs

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Health Savings Accounts

• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave

• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options

• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system

• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

For more detailed information, please visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits

About Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC):

The Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) regulates the development and production of Colorados natural resources, including oil and gas, geothermal energy, and carbon capture and storage. The ECMCs mission is to do so in a way that protects the environment, public health, safety, and welfare.

The Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) Orphaned Well Program (OWP) identifies, prioritizes, and addresses "Orphaned" oil and gas wells, locations, and production facilities statewide for which there are no known responsible parties or for which financial assurance instruments have been claimed. If not addressed, these oil and gas locations have the potential to impact surface and groundwater resources, impair surface owners agricultural or development activities, harm wildlife, emit atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs), or endanger public health and safety. Funding through state financial assurance claims, the Orphaned Well Mitigation Enterprise (OWME), and federal grant programs enables OWP to plug wells, decommission and remove production equipment, investigate and remediate soil and groundwater contamination, install safety infrastructure, and execute full surface reclamation. While ECMC rules, policies, and industry standards guide this work, unique site conditions frequently require the development of custom technical solutions and adaptive practices.

Description of Job

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

The Position serves as the OWP Western Region Environmental Specialist, responsible for designing, managing, and implementing Phase 3 environmental activities (site investigations and soil/groundwater remediation) at orphaned oil and gas locations. Because orphaned sites lack active operators, the Position prepares, submits, and executes environmental work plans, permits, technical specifications, and regulatory reports on behalf of ECMC.

Many legacy sites fail to meet modern environmental standards due to prolonged neglect or outdated construction practices. The Position evaluates complex hydrogeological and environmental data to design site-specific remediation plans that ensure full protection of public health, safety, welfare, and environmental resources. The Position manages environmental contractors, oversees field operations, tracks project budgets and schedules, responds to public or surface owner environmental complaints, and coordinates third-party environmental consultants.

Specific job duties include but are not limited to:

• Operating in both field and office environments, the Position manages environmental contractors and assigned technical staff to execute environmental investigation and remediation projects safely, cost-effectively, and in accordance with ECMC rules, specifications, and state standards.

• Prepares technical procurement scopes, reviews bid proposals, establishes ordering agreements, approves field scope modifications, and provides technical guidance to field personnel.

• Functions as the technical authority for preparing, submitting, and managing regulatory permits, environmental site investigation work plans, and remediation plans.

• Conducts pre-design field inspections, reviews historical well files, interprets complex analytical data, and designs custom remediation systems tailored to legacy oil and gas infrastructure.

• Responsible for project scoping, budget development, contract scheduling, and resource allocation for environmental investigation and remediation projects across the Western Region.

• Negotiates surface access agreements with landowners and surface tenants, conducts pre-bid and pre-work meetings, and ensures environmental field operations seamlessly transition into final surface reclamation.

• Work closely with internal ECMC environmental staff, CDPHE, local jurisdictions, and federal land managers, to ensure all site assessment and cleanup activities meet applicable regulatory frameworks.

Other Duties Assigned.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience Only:

Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position

OR

Education and Experience:

A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to six (6) years.

Substitutions:

Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. "See Resume" statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current or former state experience relevant to this position.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge and/or experience of the oil and gas industry.
• Experience working with diverse groups of people and adapting messaging to meet needs of different audiences.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office and Google Suite, specifically Excel and Sheets.
• Experience with contracts and/or invoicing.
• Profile preparation for waste disposal.
• Experience with excavation and/or heavy equipment operations.
• Experience auditing/reviewing forms/applications for compliance and correctness.
• Experience reading and interpreting rules, guidelines, legal documents, statutes and policies.
• Professional level writing, research and communication development skills.
• Experience converting technical content into plain language content for diverse stakeholders.
• Customer service experience, previous public service experience, experience dealing with public, experience with complaint intake/response.

The current work arrangement for this position is as follows:

(Please note, this arrangement can be subject to change)

• Hybrid: This position will work from a home office and have Statewide travel responsibility with concentrated travel throughout the Western Region. Occasional travel to the Denver central office and eastern regional sites. Multi-day travel required for field oversight, contractor supervision, landowner meetings, and pre-bid walkthroughs.

Conditions of Employment:

• Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
• Former employees of the state of Colorado must have concluded employment in good standing to be eligible for rehire.
• You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DNR does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.
• Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.

To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who:

• Have an assigned State fleet vehicle

• Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position

• Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle

Supplemental Information

The Assessment Process

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.

• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.

• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.

• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.

• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

We are committed to increasing a "Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a "Colorado for ALL" drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

DNR uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll-Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.

The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits

Please note that each agencys contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.

01

The Colorado Constitution, Article XII, Section 13 requires that APPLICANTS for state classified government jobs be residents of Colorado at the time of application, unless this requirement is waived by the State Personnel Board (DPA). A residency waiver was not issued by DPA for this announcement. For more information, please see the FAQs at: https://careers.colorado.gov/how-to-apply. Are you a current Colorado resident?

• Yes
• No

02

If you are a veteran who is eligible for preference points, did you upload/attach your DD-214? Veterans who wish to seek disability preference points based on a service related disability must submit acceptable documentation to support your claim for veterans preference (exclude specific/private medical information).

• Yes
• No
• Not Applicable

03

Current and former State Personnel System employees who were disciplinarily terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or who were deemed to have resigned without notice (Board Rule 7-5, Automatic Resignation) must disclose this information on the application.

• I am not a current or former State of Colorado classified employee.
• I am a current or former State of Colorado employee but have NEVER been disciplinarily terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or deemed to have resigned without notice (Board Rule 7-5, Automatic Resignation).
• I am a current or former State of Colorado employee and have been disciplinarily terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or deemed to have resigned without notice (Board Rule 7-5, Automatic Resignation). NOTE: Failure to disclose this information and/or falsification of Application materials may result in being removed from consideration for this position.

04

Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose this information on the application. In the space below, please provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should NOT disqualify you application from the current position:

05

If you are using education to meet or substitute for qualifications, did you upload a copy of your official or unofficial transcript? (Your transcript is required as verification that you meet the requirements).

• Yes, I have attached my transcripts.
• No, I am not using college course work to meet minimum requirements for this position.
• Not Applicable

06

Did you upload your résumé and cover letter to this on-line application?

• Yes
• No

07

Part, or all, of the assessment for this position involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials. Please verify that you understand that the failure to include adequate information or attachments to your job application may affect your final score and/or prevent you from competing in any subsequent measures used to arrive at a top group of applicants.

• Yes
• No

08

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DNR does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.

• I accept and understand.

09

Please describe any knowledge and/or experience that you feel make you the ideal candidate for this position based on the duties listed and the preferred qualifications:

10

Please describe your approach to and experience with communicating detailed technical information to a diverse audience (such as oil and gas operators, regulatory professionals, local governments, landowners and mineral owners, activist groups, trade groups, and the general public), including confrontational individuals or those with opposing views:

11

Please briefly describe your knowledge and/or experience with the oil and gas industry (such as regulatory and permitting, construction & management of oil and gas sites, drilling, completions, workovers, production, and abandonment):

12

Please briefly describe your knowledge and/or experience in applying, researching, analyzing, and interpreting the law (State and Federal), statutes, rules, and legal precedents in order to determine their relationship to a question or policy at issue:

13

Please describe your experience with overseeing field operations:

14

Please describe your expertise in working with Excel and/or Google Sheets:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• Expert

Required Question

Employer State of Colorado

Address See the full announcement by clicking

the "Printer" icon located above the job title

Location varies by announcement, Colorado, --

Website https://careers.colorado.gov/