Planning Specialist III – ESD Maintenance/Inspection (Grade 23)
Montgomery County Government
Department of Environmental Protection
2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Maryland 20902

Salary Range: $67,206 to $107,367

The mission of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County’s air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving more sustainable economy and healthy communities.  DEP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. DEP encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.

DEP is seeking to fill a Planning Specialist III position to provide support for the Stormwater Facility Inspection and Maintenance Program (SWIM) specifically working with the Environmental Site Design (ESD) Public Maintenance Program.  The position will develop policies for planting requirements; provide outreach and education, technical support, and guidance to staff and managers, other County agencies, private property owners, contractors, and organizations; assist with the development of design, site-selection, inspection, construction, and maintenance for publicly owned low impact development (LID) and environmental site design practices.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to conducting field evaluations and inspections of LID/ESD projects throughout all phases of construction and post construction; coordinating and reviewing maintenance work of several contractors; assessing Environmental Site Design (ESD) Best Management Practices (BMPs) for optimal function; tracking maintenance costs; developing ESD design and planting guidelines; and conducting outreach efforts to professionals in the industry and county residents.

The ideal candidate will have considerable knowledge of plants native to the piedmont region of Maryland as well as experience in horticulture, landscape design/architecture related to stormwater management, low impact development (LID) or Environmental Site Design (ESD) and an understanding of Maryland’s design specifications for ESD.

The successful candidate will have the ability to organize, prioritize, and accomplish assignments/tasks on schedule, and work well under pressure, be team oriented, have a positive attitude and excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Possession of Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) or National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) certification or equivalent is preferred but not required.  Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a plus. Basic knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office Products (Outlook, Excel, Word, Etc.) is required.

The incumbent of the position will conduct field work in conditions of moderate physical risk and exposure to adverse weather conditions including: standing for long periods of time, ability to walk long distances over varying terrain and steep slopes, occasional stooping, bending, reaching, placing plants within reason and the ability to work in trenches, ascend and descend ladders to get on green roofs, safety precautions/protocols followed for green roof inspection needs, as well as the ability to work along the road Right-of-Way.

This position requires possession and maintenance of a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive a County vehicle to visit residential, commercial and governmental facilities across the county to conduct evaluations, inspections and investigations of these sites that contain low impact development (LID)/environmental site design (ESD) practices.  In addition, the incumbent will need to carry equipment and safety items in the vehicle in order to perform their work which includes shovels, traffic cones, flairs, electronic equipment, laptop, site plans, mulch and other planting materials.

Occasional evening or weekend work outside of normal business hours may be required.

To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe.

For information about Montgomery County Government’s comprehensive benefits package, please visit the MCG Total Rewards webpage and check out our competitive benefits!

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS  

Experience:  Three (3) years of experience in planning and research related to land use, urban economics, human services, environmental issues, conservation or other work directly related to some municipalities planning and development work such as horticulture, stormwater management, Low Impact Development, inspection and maintenance of stormwater management practices.

Education:  Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in planning, urban design, environmental studies, public administration, or related field such as landscape design, horticulture.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

License:  Possession and maintenance of a valid Class “C” (or equivalent) driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence.

PREFERRED CRITERIA

The applications of those individuals meeting the minimum qualifications will be reviewed to determine the extent, relevancy of training, and experience in the following areas:

  • Skill and knowledge of landscape design/architecture, horticulture, or related skill particularly as it relates to ESD/LID.
  • Skill and specific knowledge of botany and horticulture, plant selection, and plant installation. Specific knowledge of native plants to piedmont region of Maryland and those best suited for LID/ESD practices, and the proper use and maintenance of plants in association with stormwater management facilities, ESD/LID practices
  • Knowledge of pertinent laws, regulations, and guidelines which determine County requirements for design, construction, and maintenance of stormwater management facilities.
  • Experience with ESD/LID design, hydrology and hydraulics, construction plans, site selection, plant design and selection.
  • Experience in public outreach including the ability to summarize and convey technical interdisciplinary information to County residents, interested groups, businesses, and contractors.
  • Experience in supervising/overseeing contractor work.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Government offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits.

To view the complete job announcement and to apply, please visit our website at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HR/Recruitment/MCGCareers.html  
and click on the “Search Jobs and Apply” tab.  Read the full job description under the “General Professional” Job Category. Interested candidates must create an online account in order to apply.

The requisition number is IRC60084.

This Recruitment Closes October 26, 2023.

All resume submissions must address the preferred criteria for the position, which are listed in the full advertisement, preferably in a separate section of the resume.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Resume Preparation Tips listed under the “Career Resources” tab on the Office of Human Resource’s WORK4MCG webpage.

EOE. M/F/H.