Job Description

About the Agency:

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City.

As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.

Your Team

The Compliance Specialist for Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes will be a key member of the Compliance & Strategy team within the agency’s Office of Compliance & Risk Management (CRM). This Office includes various compliance, oversight, and hearing functions to ensure fairness, consistency, and equity in both our external and internal engagement. CRM collaborates with programs across HPD to ensure the agency and its partners comply with laws (federal, state, and city), regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures. CRM includes the following Divisions and units:

• Compliance & Strategy
• Economic Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance
• Audit Support
• Adjudications
• Public Information

Your Impact

CRM is responsible for overseeing the agency’s compliance and risk management functions, liaising with the units and staff responsible for relevant compliance responsibilities, audit responses, site standard adherence for financed construction work, public-facing appeals and hearings, and managing risk for the agency. The Compliance Specialist for Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes will have the opportunity to use their expertise to provide leadership and technical assistance in support of health and safety requirements and compliance best practices throughout the agency, with a focus on environmental hazards. This role will also provide a unique opportunity to help strengthen agency compliance culture and ensure compliance is seamlessly incorporated into HPD program administration and operations.

Your Role

Reporting to the Executive Director of Compliance & Strategy, the Compliance Specialist for Lead-Hazard Control & Healthy Homes will manage cross-agency compliance of regulatory requirements and strengthen agency compliance by assessing risks and providing technical assistance and guidance to staff throughout the agency. The person in this role will focus on agency program compliance with existing, new, and revised laws and regulations related to lead-based paint, radon, mold, asthma triggers, carbon monoxide, and other health and safety hazards. The person in this role will work closely and liaise with Offices throughout HPD, including Enforcement & Neighborhood Services (ENS), Housing Access & Stability (HAS), Asset & Property Management (APM), Development (OOD), Policy & Strategy (OPS), Finance & Administration (OFA), and Legal Affairs (OLA) for effective monitoring, tracking, and strengthening of relevant agency compliance functions.

Your Responsibilities

The Compliance Specialist for Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes will provide agency-wide programmatic support to strengthen compliance with federal, state, and local health and safety hazard requirements. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Evaluate the implementation of lead- and healthy homes-related procedures across all areas of the agency including:

o Coordinate compliance monitoring related to requirements under federal, state, and local laws, including 24 CFR Part 35, Title X of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act; Local Law 1 (2004), 66 (2019), Local Law 31 (2020), Local Law 111 (2023), Local Law 122 (2023), and Local Law 123 (2023), as well as Local Law 55 (2018) and other regulations related to indoor allergens such as mold and pests.

o Participate in monitorings and/or audits Work with staff in the Offices of Enforcement & Neighborhood Services (ENS), Development, Asset & Property Management (APM), Housing Access & Stability (HAS), Neighborhood Strategies (ONS), and others to coordinate, document, and strengthen, as needed, lead and Healthy Homes hazard compliance.

• Perform assessments and evaluations to proactively identify risk areas and program noncompliance. Provide corrective action plans, recommendations, and a set of best practices, as necessary to mitigate risks.
• Participate in the development of agency-wide trainings related to lead-based paint, Healthy Homes, and other relevant healthy and safety topics.
• Support the development of internal reporting mechanisms for specialized initiatives for public reporting.
• Monitor regulatory changes and keep stakeholders abreast of operational or other implications.
• Assist with other Compliance & Strategy special projects and compliance priorities as needed.

A cover letter is required. Please submit a cover letter as part of your application.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex legislation, regulations, and policy requirements, and translate them into clear operational guidance and practical implementation approaches
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Strong collaborator across all levels of management and experience, and with a wide array of internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to balance a variety of projects and priorities for a fast-paced, high-volume workload
• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Knowledge of New York City’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act of 2003, also known as Local Law 1 of 2004 (LL1), Local Law 55 of 2018, Title X and 24 CFR Part 35 (Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention in Certain Residential Structures), and other related legal and regulatory requirements.
• Experience in the lead-based paint or mold fields, particularly related to project, staff, and vendor management
• Work in housing, environmental health and regulatory compliance frequently incorporates applied social science research skills, including data analysis, program evaluation and evidence-based policy implementation. Candidates with backgrounds in public health, environmental science, urban policy, social science research, or related fields are strongly encouraged to apply. Relevant experience in program evaluation, policy analysis, compliance research or data analysis within government or non-profit organizations may be considered eligible. Candidates with legal or policy research backgrounds, such as attorneys and policy analysts, may also be eligible to apply.

Candidates will need to meet the civil service requirements of City Research Scientist Level 2.

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year full-time experience in a responsible, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. However, all candidates must have at least a master’s degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in “2” above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level 1 can be substituted for the experience required in “1” and “2” above.

Note: This position is eligible for remote work up to two days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and DC37.

Additional Information

In addition, the Department of Housing Preservation & Development offers competitive salaries and the following benefits: Generous Pension Plans (The New York Employees' Retirement System); 401(k) and Roth 457(k) Retirement Savings Programs; U.S. Savings Bonds Flexible Spending Program; Health Benefits, Dental, Vision Coverage, Prescription Drug Program; Training and Professional Development; Opportunity for Scholarship; College Savings Program; Paid Holidays and Generous Annual Leave.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at StudentAid.gov/PSLF.

HPD's vision is to promote strength and diversity in our workforce and an inclusive and equitable work environment.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

Qualifications

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:

Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.