401 Certification and Permitting Specialist II (EHM II)
Richland County, SC, SC, US Until 9/24/2026 1+ years exp First posted July 24, 2026 Last posted July 26, 2026
Job description
<div style="text-align: center"><img src="https://secure.neogov.com/images/AgencyImages/jobposting/1257/jobpostings/image/20250804170856_DES_Logo__Primary_Horizontal_Color.png" style="width: 300px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div><div style="text-align: center"> </div><div style="color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0; text-align: center"><strong style="font-weight: 700; color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0"><span style="color: rgba(27, 89, 100, 1)">Careers at SCDES</span></strong><span style="font-style: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0; color: rgba(27, 89, 100, 1)">: </span><strong style="font-weight: 700; color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0"><span style="color: rgba(27, 89, 100, 1)">Where Passion Meets Preservation</span></strong></div><div style="color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0; text-align: center"><em>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!</em></div><div style="color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0; text-align: center"><strong style="font-weight: 700"><span style="color: rgba(0, 82, 51, 1)">Science| Service| Sustainability </span></strong></div><br><div style="text-align: center"><br></div>Under general supervision, the<strong> 401 Certification and Permitting Specialist II </strong>will<strong> </strong> effectively and efficiently evaluate environmental impacts of proposed activities on the waters of the State and determine whether proposed activities will violate State water quality standards. Determine certification or permitting action, as appropriate, consistent with such standards, plans, laws, and regulations or other appropriate State, Federal, or Agency guidelines and policies. <br><br><strong>Responsibilities:</strong><br><ul><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Prepare staff assessments for 401 certification and navigable water permits. Incorporate comments regarding consistency with the Coastal Zone Management Program and Construction in Navigable Waters Permits.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Conduct site inspections and evaluations. Attend and participate in meetings, hearings, and court proceedings as requested.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Enter and maintain current and accurate information in the Department's data handling system.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Perform other duties related to environmental management programs as determined by the manager.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Evaluate nationally recommended surface water quality criteria and other regionally promulgated water quality standards.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Assist with the quality assurance and quality control necessary to maintain the surface water classifications GIS layer.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Participate in stakeholder meetings, maintain the stakeholder contact list, and assist with the distribution of notifications to stakeholders.</div></li><li><div style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0">Attend regional or national water quality standards meetings. Perform other duties as assigned. </div></li></ul><br><div style="margin: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0"><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 0; padding: 0; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; color: inherit; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0"><br></p></div><div style="text-align: center"><span contenteditable="false" draggable="true" class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvi fr-draggable"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AO9BfnksP50??si=JykpJiJjOJbZfTCD&wmode=opaque&rel=0" class="fr-draggable" title="youtube"><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span></iframe></span></div><p style="margin: 2pt 0 8pt; color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0; text-align: left"><strong style="font-weight: 700">Why Join Us?</strong></p><p style="margin: 2pt 0 6pt; color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0; text-align: left">As a state employee, you’ll enjoy:</p><ul style="padding-left: 40px; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 3pt; color: inherit; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0; text-align: left"><li style="margin: 2pt 0 6pt"><strong style="font-weight: 700">Job Stability & Purposeful Work</strong>: Make an impact on your community as you contribute to protecting SC's environment.</li><li style="margin: 2pt 0 6pt"><strong style="font-weight: 700">Great Benefits: </strong>Including paid holidays, 30 total days of leave per year, insurance options for you and your family, and retirement benefit choices.</li><li style="margin: 2pt 0 6pt"><strong style="font-weight: 700">Career Growth</strong>: Grow professionally with ongoing training, skill-building opportunities, and room for advancement.</li><li style="margin: 2pt 0 6pt"><strong style="font-weight: 700">Work-Life Balance</strong>: A career that lets you enjoy South Carolina, inside and <strong style="font-weight: 700"><em>outside </em></strong>of your job<strong style="font-weight: 700"><em>.</em></strong></li></ul><br><ul><li>A master’s degree in the natural or physical sciences or related technical field</li><li>A bachelor’s degree in the natural or physical sciences or a related scientific field and one (1) year of environmental health or related experience.</li><li>OR an associate degree in the natural or physical sciences or related technical field and at least three (3) years of environmental health or related experience</li><li>OR a high school diploma or GED and at least five (5) years of environmental health or related experience </li></ul><strong><em>Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the council for Higher Education Accreditation.</em></strong><br> <br><em>Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application may 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.</em><br><strong> <br>Additional Requirements:</strong><br><ul><li>Ability to analyze technical environmental issues and excellent oral and written communication skills. </li><li>Must be able to interpret regulations and laws in additional to technical reports, be able to make recommendations, and prepare reports. </li><li>Ability to work with the public and government officials at all levels. </li><li>Must be able to drive and attend field visits including walking in wetlands and wooded areas. </li><li>May require work outside of normal working hours to attend meetings or site visits. </li><li>Must possess a valid SC driver's license. </li><li>Must be able to effectively prioritize and work with cooperating agencies and across program area.</li></ul><div style="margin: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0"><div style="margin: 0; padding: 0; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 1); font-style: normal; text-indent: 0"><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-right: 0; margin-bottom: 10.6667px; padding: 0; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; color: inherit; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0"><br></p></div></div><br><ul><li>Knowledge of the Clean Water Act. </li><li>Knowledge of 401 Water Quality Certification and Water Quality Standards. </li><li>Willing and able to work outdoors in year-round weather conditions.</li></ul>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. <br> <br> The Department will not sponsor H1B visas for this position.<br> <br><strong><em>The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees: </em></strong><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt"><li>Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click <a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/employees">here</a> for additional information.</li><li>15 days annual (vacation) leave per year</li><li>15 days sick leave per year</li><li>13 paid holidays</li><li>Paid parental leave</li><li>S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F365sc-my.sharepoint.com%2Fpersonal%2Fcliff_ballew_admin_sc_gov%2FDocuments%2FDesktop%2F(SC%2520Deferred%2520Comp)&data=05%7C02%7CAlexis.Jackson%40admin.sc.gov%7Cb1f025c1c0324acf64b108dc29a5d4a0%7Ce9f8d01480d84f27b0d6c3d6c085fcdd%7C0%7C0%7C638431039404658774%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=egcOdzaC4GcowTr43xDzFY2WaDjHr%2F7Df6FCR5nrGPg%3D&reserved=0">(</a><a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F365sc-my.sharepoint.com%2Fpersonal%2Fcliff_ballew_admin_sc_gov%2FDocuments%2FDesktop%2F(SC%2520Deferred%2520Comp)&data=05%7C02%7CAlexis.Jackson%40admin.sc.gov%7Cb1f025c1c0324acf64b108dc29a5d4a0%7Ce9f8d01480d84f27b0d6c3d6c085fcdd%7C0%7C0%7C638431039404668784%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Oa8O3pMNLfuObCWgXTh0HTnwMaEr03gc5Xanydqh9zE%3D&reserved=0">S.C. Deferred Compensation</a><a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F365sc-my.sharepoint.com%2Fpersonal%2Fcliff_ballew_admin_sc_gov%2FDocuments%2FDesktop%2F(SC%2520Deferred%2520Comp)&data=05%7C02%7CAlexis.Jackson%40admin.sc.gov%7Cb1f025c1c0324acf64b108dc29a5d4a0%7Ce9f8d01480d84f27b0d6c3d6c085fcdd%7C0%7C0%7C638431039404676692%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Ggs7nsX8oJAygG4lIIJUFXdm6EiNlynkObMBoiWMtuQ%3D&reserved=0">)</a></li><li>Retirement benefit choices <em>*</em> <ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt"><li>State Retirement Plan <a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/scrs">(</a><a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/scrs">SCRS</a><a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/scrs">)</a></li><li>State Optional Retirement Program <a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/state-orp">(</a><a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/state-orp">State ORP</a><a href="https://www.peba.sc.gov/state-orp">)</a></li></ul></li><li><strong>Remote Work:</strong> <span>The option to work remotely 2 days per week is available after successful completion of 1 year of employment with SCDES, based on job functions.</span></li></ul><em>*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.</em>
About this role
Summary
Evaluate water impacts, conduct site inspections, prepare assessments, and maintain compliance with water standards.
Job title
401 Certification and Permitting Specialist II
Experience level
1+ years or related experience
Minimum experience
1+ years exp
Industry
environmental management
Location requirements
Richland County, SC, with remote work allowed after 1 year
Salary
Not specified
Management role
No
Skills & keywords
Required skills
ability to analyze technical environmental issuesinterpret regulations and lawsdrive and attend field visitseffective communication
Preferred skills
knowledge of the Clean Water Actknowledge of 401 Water Quality Certificationwork outdoors in weather conditions
Specializations
water qualityenvironmental permittingcertificationwater standards
Locations
Structured locations inferred from the posting.
Richland County, SC, USA
On-site Place
Richland County, SC, USA
Remote Place
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