Senior Recreational Water Quality Scientist

Job Description

The Senior Recreational Water Quality Scientist will serve as the coordinator of the Bathing Beaches Project in the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention. Directs other professional staff in the division, particularly with respect to determining environmental exposure opportunities and health effects from recreational waters in Massachusetts. The individual will ensure compliance with recreational water quality requirements, oversee awarded contractor(s), conduct project management, perform data analysis and interpretation of scientific data for recreational water quality projects, and assess human exposure and water quality conditions at beaches.

The Senior Recreational Water Quality Scientist is responsible for determining data collection methods for environmental sampling projects, as needed, in the division, including methods for collecting and analyzing surface waters. Responsibilities include serving as the primary liaison with key stakeholders concerned with various water quality issues and coordinating community outreach and field activities related to division activities. This individual will also assist the division and other senior staff with recommendations on policy actions based on the determination of public health impacts from environmental exposure opportunities. The individual will also represent MDPH and/or the Bureau at related committees, as requested, and will attend public meetings on project-related issues.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Serve as coordinator of the Bathing Beaches Project in the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention.
• Supervise Bathing Beaches Project staff and other bathing beaches staff and interns, as needed.
• Responsible for ensuring the Bathing Beaches Project is operating efficiently and in accordance with state and federal regulations.
• Addresses public concerns about possible health effects from exposures to surface or drinking waters in the Commonwealth.
• Attends interagency meetings related to water toxics quality issues as Bureau representative.
• Oversees the operation of the Division's water quality data portal.
• Prepares draft reports evaluating environmental data and possible health effects for review by Division Director.
• Conducts research on environmental exposure and health impacts, especially related to exposure opportunities to constituents in recreational waters.
• Prepares draft educational materials on water quality related topics.
• Responsible for determining data collection methods for various environmental media (e.g., water, fish) and summarizing and interpreting environmental data.
• Conduct analyses of possible health risks associated with exposures to environmental media.
• Represent the division and bureau in providing technical presentations at public meetings, legislative hearings, court proceedings, or other similar settings.
• Review toxicology literature for information on possible associations between environmental exposures from sources of water contamination and health outcomes.
• Conduct field work as needed to assess potential human exposure concerns and water quality conditions.
• Serve as a liaison with other agencies regarding exposure assessment or toxicologist issues related to environmental toxicology division projects, especially those related to recreational water quality.
• Adhere to bureau protocol in responding to public health inquiries (e.g., telephone calls) regarding division projects.
• Assist Division Director with preparing materials for presentation at public meetings.
• Review environmental consulting service proposals and contracts and recommend changes to technical specifications.
• Assist with the hiring of Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention Division staff.
• Responsible for working with bureau fiscal director to oversee contractor(s), ensure technical quality, monitor spending, and other related oversight tasks.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of environmental science and public health.
• Knowledge of terminology and standard abbreviations used in environmental science and public health.
• Knowledge of the methods of general and technical report writing.
• Ability to prepare technical and general reports.
• Capacity to maintain accurate records.
• Ability to write concisely, express thoughts clearly and to develop ideas in a logical sequence.
• Ability to give oral and written instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
• Capability to assemble items of information according to established procedures.
• Ability to understand, apply and explain the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, specifications and guidelines governing assigned unit activities.
• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others.
• Ability to establish rapport with others.
• Capacity to work independently.
• Capability to adapt to varying work situations.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Ability to determine proper format and procedure for assembling items of information.
• Ability to supervise including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished; the capabilities of subordinates and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluation; determining subordinates' training needs and providing or arranging for such training; motivating subordinates to work effectively; determining the need for disciplinary action and either recommend or initiating disciplinary action.
• Ability to analyze and determine the applicably of environmental science data, to draw conclusions and make appropriate recommendations.

• Ability to write educational materials on environmental health issues designed for a specific target audience (e.g., young children, community members).
• Capacity to understand, apply and explain the policies, procedures, specifications, standards, guidelines, laws rules and regulations governing assigned Bureau activities, specifically in environmental-health related research and hazard areas.
• Ability to make effective and clear oral presentations on environmental health issues to professional and lay audiences.
• Ability to supervise interns or junior staff working on specific health education projects.
• Ability to understand and explain to lay audiences information contained in technical environmental public health documents produced by other Bureau units.