Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Initial Posting Date: 12/15/2022
Application Deadline: 01/09/2023
Agency: Department of Environmental Quality
Salary Range: 2,981.00 – 4,354.00
Position Type: Employee
Job Description:
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualification. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether or not you meet the qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.
Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/iP3K7JoLe1k
The Oregon DEQ has multiple openings available for a Vehicle Emissions Inspector (Public Service Representative 3) at our Clean Air Stations in the Portland metro area. There are current openings at our Hillsboro, Sherwood, and NE Portland Clean Air Stations. This recruitment will be used to fill full-time permanent positions. There will be one pool of candidates interviewed for all the openings listed above. Considerations for the station location depend on the applicant’s selection listed in the “Supplemental Questions (question # 2)” for this recruitment. The list of qualified candidates may be used to fill future vacancies at any of the Portland area testing stations located in Clackamas, Gresham, Hillsboro, Northeast Portland, and Sherwood.
Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality. Affecting close to half the population of the State of Oregon, the Vehicle Inspection Program (VIP) is one of the signature programs of the Oregon DEQ. The VIP is responsible for ensuring over 1 million vehicles in the Portland and Medford areas have well maintained emission control systems, and VIP plays a significant role in the Ozone SIP, air toxics reductions, and implementation of Oregon’s low emissions vehicle program for reducing greenhouse gases. Within its testing boundaries, the VIP program is responsible for about 2/3 of vehicle registrations and VIN inspections for the Department of Motor Vehicles. VIP staff count for 1/6 of the entire Agency staff.
Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.
What you will do!
This is not your typical customer service job. Our Vehicle Emissions Inspectors are trained to use state of the art technology to quickly and efficiently test over 500,000 vehicles every year in the Portland metro area to ensure they are compliant with State and Federal emissions standards. Inspectors provide quality customer service in all aspects of the vehicle emission inspection process, including:
- Directing and instructing vehicle drivers on test procedures.
- Entering accurate emission test data and verifying emission control information.
- Attaching test equipment to vehicle systems and conducting testing
- Communicating test results to vehicle owners including information on how to resolve failed tests.
- Processing high volumes of paperwork and financial transactions accurately.
- Completing office duties as assigned including entering financial information into a spreadsheet and preparing bank deposits.
- Working at other station locations on short notice depending on business needs.
Do you have strong customer service skills and enjoy working with a variety of customers? Do you work well both independently and as part of a team? DEQ is looking for motivated individuals who can answer YES to both of these questions.
What’s in it for you!
The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon’s environment, apply today!
This is a full-time, AFSCME represented position.
This recruitment may be used to fill future limited duration and permanent vacancies.
What are we looking for?
Minimum Qualifications: Two years of experience in customer service. One year must have included the explanation of rules, regulations, and policies, and responsibility for dealing with unique or unusual situations.
Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following:
- Ability to promote a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values.
- Ability to provide a high level of professional customer service and perform duties while working effectively with diverse and sometimes difficult clientele.
- Ability to communicate in a friendly, open, and respectful manner in person, over the telephone, and via email.
- Ability to work cooperatively and develop effective working relationships with diverse work groups and the general public.
Working Conditions:
Work involves repetitious bending, kneeling, and stooping; standing and walking for extended periods; and lifting of approximately 25 pounds. Work will occur in an environment that includes vehicle exhaust fumes, noise, and heat. Work will occur in all weather conditions and involve exposure to outdoor elements. A driver’s license is preferred as working at other station locations on short notice may be required depending on business need.
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Please Note: In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials and your answers to the supplemental questions are clearly demonstrated in your work history.
Veterans Information:
DEQ provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. You will be asked to submit those at a later time.
Pay Equity:
As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.
Work Authorization:
DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.
Questions/Need Help?
If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, please contact Rebecca Zanskar (rebecca.zanskar@deq.oregon.gov) or 503-807-8937. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.
Are you interested in an Informational Interview with DEQ to learn more about working at DEQ, how current DEQ employees got to where they are today, and what opportunities there may be for you at DEQ? Please go here and complete the form: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/about-us/Pages/humanresources.aspx. Please note that informational interviews are not tied to an open recruitment. If you complete the form above, you will be put in the queue to have an informational interview with a Hiring Manager from our Informational Interview Registry.