STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Engineer Trainee (35 Hour)

Target Class: Environmental Engineer 1 (Hybrid)

Recruitment #230111-3389ES-001

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is hiring! We are seeking four qualified individuals for Engineer Trainee positions, and there are also two anticipated positions. These Engineer Trainees will receive training under direction of a supervisor or other staff member for a period of one year before being eligible to be promoted to the target class of Environmental Engineer 1.

Individuals with a Bachelor's degree conferred by May 2023 may apply. Candidates cannot be appointed until all degree requirements are complete.

Upon successful completion of one year in this class, incumbents will be placed in Pay Plan ES 18, Step 7 (currently $64,097). Promotion to the target classification, Environmental Engineer 1, will generally place incumbents in Salary Group 19, Step 7 (currently $67,039).

These positions will support the DPH Environmental Health and Drinking Water (EHDW) Branch which houses the Drinking Water Section (DWS). The DWS provides technical assistance, education, and regulatory enforcement to approximately 2,400 public drinking water systems in Connecticut that utilize 150 reservoirs and 4,000 groundwater sources to provide public drinking water to approximately 2.9 million people on a daily basis. The DWS is entrusted to protect and promote healthy people in healthy Connecticut communities by assuring the use and distribution of high-quality public drinking water for human consumption.  

These positions are critical to protecting the health and safety of the residents of Connecticut and help to ensure compliance with 17 federal rules and 13 state regulations and statutes.  Under the direct supervision of a Supervising Environmental Engineer in the Compliance Regions, these Engineer Trainee positions will perform the following duties:

  • Perform Engineering Sanitary Surveys at Public Water Systems of all sizes and classifications throughout the state;
  • Draft technical reports, compliance assessment determination letters, and technical presentations, as necessary;
  • Review and evaluate water supply plans, engineering plans and specifications of water infrastructure and treatment system proposals to achieve compliance with State and Federal drinking water standards;
  • Review and evaluate water quality data submitted by laboratories and public water systems to assure compliance with State and Federal Drinking Water Standards;
  • Review and interpret the Public Health Code and other drinking water related statutes and regulations;
  • Provide technical assistance to public water systems, local health departments, and the public on drinking water related matters;
  • Enter and maintain data on a timely basis into Compliance Assistance Database and Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) database including trending and analysis of data;
  • Respond and investigate customer complaints and emergency incidents at public water systems to ensure compliance and the protection of public health; and
  • Review and assess water systems’ corrective action plans to address and resolve MCLs, significant deficiencies and sanitary defects identified in accordance with state and federal drinking water rules.

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

These Engineer Trainee positions are permanent, full-time, 35 hours per week and based out of Hartford. A flex schedule may be permitted following the successful completion of a working test period. These positions will have an opportunity to telework a portion of each week in accordance with State policies. These positions have the potential to increase to 40 hours and the salary will be commensurate with the increase in hours.

Please include all experience and training related to the preferred qualifications noted at the bottom of this job posting. To ensure your relevant coursework and senior project work etc. can be reviewed as part of your application, please be sure to note that information in the section titled Job-Related Academic, Technical or Vocational Training.

We offer a competitive benefits package, excellent health care, generous leave policies, retirement plan, and more! We also encourage a healthy work-life balance to all employees!

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 
Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page.

This position may be subject to Federal requirements of COVID-19 Vaccination. 

TO APPLY
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 
  • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
AFTER YOU APPLY 
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • NOTE: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
CONNECT WITH US 
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. 
  • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Jensine Tran at jensine.tran@ct.gov

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for receiving training in introductory professional engineering work for the development of technical and professional engineering skills and knowledge in order to qualify for advancement to the technical engineering work of the agency.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Performs a wide variety of increasingly difficult duties as technical skills are acquired during course of training period.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

General knowledge of basic engineering theories, principles and methods; skill in use of drafting and calculating instruments; considerable ability in performing mathematical computations, making neat and accurate drawings and preparing minor design and structural details; ability to utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

A Bachelor's degree in the discipline required by the target class.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Engineering experience or academic coursework in environmental and/or drinking water public health regulatory compliance
  • Engineering experience or academic coursework in drinking water treatment, distribution systems, water quality, field investigations, land use planning, water resource planning or source water protection
  • Engineering experience or academic coursework with data collection methods and tools, technical analysis and interpretation
  • Experience working collaboratively with others in a workplace or academic setting
  • Experience using effective oral and written communication skills in a workplace or academic setting

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.