OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST I - 37979160

Requisition No: 880436 

Agency: Environmental Protection

Working Title: OPS ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST I - 37979160

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 37979160 

Salary:  $17-19.50/hr. 

Posting Closing Date: 08/18/2026 

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OPS Environmental Specialist I

State of Florida

Department of Environmental Protection

This position is located in Eastpoint, FL

Position Overview and Responsibilities

The Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection (ORCP)’s Central Panhandle Aquatic Preserves program is seeking candidates to fill a full-time OPS Environmental Specialist I position. This position will support management and monitoring activities related to two Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Early Restoration Phase III Projects: the Florida Oyster Cultch Placement Project and the Florida Cat Point Living Shoreline Project. Staff will provide technical support to the Aquatic Preserve Manager and participate in all aspects of monitoring and data management associated with the projects. Examples of tasks include field monitoring, sample collection and processing, data entry and review, technical report writing, and equipment upkeep.

This position will also assist in management practices of four Aquatic Preserves located in the Florida Panhandle: Alligator Harbor, Apalachicola Bay, St. Joseph Bay, and St. Andrews Aquatic Preserves.  Effective management activities of the Central Panhandle Aquatic Preserves include but are not limited to water quality monitoring, seagrass monitoring, and public outreach. This position will support the long-term goals of DEP through implementing restoration and resilience strategies to help protect and preserve Florida’s valuable coastal resources. 

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of marine ecology, coastal processes, and resource management practices.
• Knowledge of seagrass, living shoreline, and oyster research and monitoring, or similar applicable field methods.
• Knowledge of water quality sampling methods and instrumentation.
• Knowledge of GIS and other resource survey/mapping techniques.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to meet and maintain the DEP Dive Program’s qualifications.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments for successful, timely completion.
• Ability to assist in various types of field sample collection, identification, and measurement.
• Ability to organize and analyze data to generate figures and prepare technical reports.
• Ability to obtain a boater’s safety certificate and successfully complete DEP’s boating and trailering courses.
• Ability to perform physical tasks in the sometimes extreme North Florida conditions.
• Ability to travel on occasion.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A valid driver’s license.
• Open water SCUBA certification or higher awarded by a nationally or internationally recognized SCUBA diving institution.
• At least four years of verifiable related experience in environmental or natural sciences. Post-secondary degrees from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the biological or environmental sciences may be used as an alternative for the required years of experience on a year-for-year basis. A credential evaluation report from an approved agency must be submitted along with all foreign degrees.
• The ability to swim, snorkel, and SCUBA safely, sometimes in conditions with low visibility and strong currents.

Position of Special Trust Requirement:

This position is designated as a Position of Special Trust in accordance with DEP Directive 422, Positions of Special Trust or Responsibility. Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

Applicable Job-Specific License or Certifications:

• Open water SCUBA certification or higher awarded by a nationally or internationally recognized SCUBA diving institution.

Pay:

The pay range for this position is $17-19.50/hr. This is a 40-hour/week position, and long days, weekend work, and overnight travel will occasionally occur.

Our Organization and Mission:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship - protecting our air, water and land. The vision of DEP is to advance Florida’s position as a world leader in protecting natural resources while growing the state’s economy. DEP encourages its leaders to constantly innovate and seek efficiencies. We believe in supporting and encouraging you as you take on important and often complex projects while offering you the opportunity to gain valuable experience quickly.

Where You Will Work:

The position will begin in the Summer/Fall of 2026 at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) facility, located at 108 Island Dr. in Eastpoint, FL. Eastpoint is located in the rural costal community of Franklin County. Occasional overnight travel will be required with this position.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s benefits package for eligible OPS employees includes:

• Participation in state group insurance (must meet eligibility requirements*).  
• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (tax deferred Retirement Savings Plan, for more information, please visit Corebridge Financial).
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

*Seasonal and part-time OPS employees (less than 30 hours average per week) refer to the links above for detailed eligibility requirements.

Special Notes:

DEP is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. We recognize the extensive training, experience, and transferable skills that veterans and individuals with disabilities bring to the workforce. Veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our recruiter for guidance and answers to questions through the following email addresses:

HR_VeteransPreference@dep.state.fl.us

HR_Recruitment@FloridaDEP.gov

An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the DEP Human Resources (HR) Office at (850) 245-2511. DEP requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.