Job Description

Posting number: 61008285/194108

Department: Department of Environmental Services

Division: Bureau of Regional and Laboratory Services

Job classification: Program Manager I

Posting type: Open

Categories: Administration, Environmental Services, Management, Professional, Laboratory, Customer Service, Training, Business, Office and Administrative Support

Summary

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Careers at SCDES: Where Passion Meets Preservation

Do you love South Carolina and protecting the environment?

Come join our team at SCDES, put your passion to work with us!

We are dedicated to protecting the state of South Carolina and we would love to have you as a member of our team!

Science | Service | Sustainability

About the Role:

Join the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) as the Program Manager for the Office of Laboratory Certification and lead South Carolina's Environmental Laboratory Certification Program. In this role, you will oversee a statewide regulatory program that helps ensure the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of environmental laboratory testing in accordance with South Carolina Regulations 61-81 and 61-30.

Under limited supervision, you will serve as the State's certifying authority for the environmental laboratory certification program and provide leadership for the Office of Laboratory Certification. You will support regulatory compliance, promote program effectiveness, and collaborate with stakeholders to advance certification activities and program goals. You will also ensure compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requirements, performance standards, and regulatory timeframes.

Your work leading this statewide program will directly support public health and environmental protection by helping ensure laboratories across South Carolina produce accurate, reliable, and defensible analytical results.

Job Responsibilities:

• Manage and supervise day-to-day activities of section staff. Ensure in-state and out-of-state renewals, evaluations, and certification applications are processed according to SC Regulation 61-81. Ensure staff maintain USEPA Drinking Water Certification and oversees proficiency testing, DMRQA requirements, and laboratory certification actions.
• Provide professional and technical advice to agency management, public and private officials, consultants, and industries regarding Environmental Laboratory Certification and state and federal regulations to ensure valid, accurate, and defensible analytical results.
• Develop, review, and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Office. Review correspondence, prepare stakeholder communications, and maintain the Office website, ePermitting database, and Celmapp database.
• Generate, distribute, and ensure collection of billing and fees for certified laboratories in accordance with SC Regulation 61-30.
• Complete employee performance management (EPMS) and administrative requirements in accordance with Agency guidelines. Support implementation of the SCDES Strategic Plan and completes required administrative tasks including TIME, SCEIS, and other related functions.
• Perform other duties as requested and required.

Why Join Us?

As a state employee, you’ll enjoy:

• Job Stability & Purposeful Work: Make an impact on your community as you contribute to protecting SC'S environment
• Great Benefits: Including paid holidays, 30 total days of leave per year, insurance options for you and your family and retirement benefit choices.
• Career Growth: Ongoing training, professional development, and room for growth.
• Work-Life Balance: A career that lets you enjoy South Carolina, inside and outside of your job.

Examples of duties

• A master’s degree in the natural or physical sciences, public health, or related technical field with sixteen (16) hours of chemistry and five (5) years of environmental experience; OR
• A bachelor's degree in chemistry in natural or physical sciences, public health, or related technical field with sixteen (16) hours of chemistry and six (6) years of environmental experience.

Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application are encouraged to upload an unofficial copy of the transcript as an attachment to the application. Please note that the agency may require an official, certified copy of the transcript or diploma prior to hiring.

Additional Requirements:

• Strong leadership, organizational, and problem-solving abilities. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities, meet strict deadlines, and effectively coordinate a variety of administrative and management functions.
• The ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment and foster positive working relationships with coworkers, stakeholders, and customers.
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to effectively communicate with, assist, and serve a diverse customer base while maintaining professionalism and adherence to established policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel.
• The ability to exercise sound judgment and independent decision-making in the performance of assigned duties.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles, regulations, and methodology used to evaluate and certify laboratories to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulatory requirements, analytical methods, quality control standards, and certification criteria directly associated with drinking water, wastewater, and solid and hazardous waste programs.
• A valid driver's license and the ability to operate state-owned or personal vehicles.
• The ability to stand, walk, and climb for extended periods.
• Certification by the USEPA as a Drinking Water Certification Officer OR the ability to obtain certification within one (1) year of hire for Chemistry (Organic and Inorganic) and Microbiology.

Qualifications

• Prior experience in quality assurance.
• Experience conducting laboratory audits.
• Supervisory or management experience.
• Extensive knowledge of the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
• EPA Certified Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Officer.

Supplemental information

• This position requires attendance at a two (2) week EPA certification course, laboratory evaluations, required training sessions, and periodic staff and management meetings.
• Travel may be required with advance notice, including occasional overnight and out-of-state travel. Weekend work and response to emergency situations may also be required.

SCDES is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

The Department will not sponsor H1B visas for this position.

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees:

• Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click here for additional information.
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available (S.C. Deferred Compensation)
• Retirement benefit choices *
• State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
• State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)

*Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.