Description

Metro Water Recovery in Denver, CO - a nationally recognized leader among clean water utilities, provides wastewater conveyance and treatment services for more than 2 million people in the Denver Metro area.

At Metro, we help you be your best so we can do our best. You will join a team that offers stability, flexibility, and the opportunity to make a difference. We take pride in being part of an industry-leading team who serves the community by protecting the region’s health and environment.

Description

Why it’s a Great Opportunity:

We are seeking an experienced Environmental Sampling professional to lead and develop our comprehensive sampling program. In this role, you will have the opportunity to support Metro’s environmental compliance and annual charge programs, as well as wastewater treatment operations. This position combines leadership, subject matter expertise, and real environmental impact within a complex technical environment.

You will be overseeing sampling both at our wastewater treatment plants and across our Denver Metro service area. Specifically, you will work to ensure that all sampling activities meet strict regulatory and scientific standards, while managing the sampling schedule and ensuring all sampling events get completed successfully within the required timeframes. You will be supervising Environmental Sampling Technicians and Specialists, assigning daily tasks, monitoring and adjusting staffing coverage as priorities evolve, ensuring staff are properly trained, and managing sampling assets and inventory. This role allows you to manage and expand the program, develop SOPs and supporting workflows, and help drive continuous improvement in a new and growing division.

Additionally, the position provides the opportunity to work across Metro’s various departments. You will be supporting internal stakeholders, participating in regulatory and technical groups, and contributing expertise that informs planning decisions.

Overall, it’s an opportunity to lead high-impact quality sampling work that ensures reliable environmental data, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence for Metro, while supporting our mission to protect the region’s health and environment.

Why It's a Great Department:

The Environmental Sampling Manager is situated within the Quality Assurance and Sampling Division of the Environmental Services Department.  Our department has a terrific culture that is built on continuous improvement, accountability, collaboration and fun. We believe in fostering a work environment that encourages teamwork, problem solving, creativity, and personal growth. Our team members have the opportunity to work on meaningful assignments and contribute to making a difference across Metro. The Environmental Services Department also includes the Pretreatment, Laboratory Services, Regulatory Compliance, and Water Quality Divisions, making it a dynamic and diverse work environment.

How to be Successful in the Role:

You will thrive in this role if you:

• Have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of environmental sampling
• Can take a detailed-oriented approach to daily tasks, with an emphasis on thorough documentation and effective communication
• Can interpret scientific methods and regulatory guidance to make sound technical decisions
• Engage confidently in discussions with agencies, stakeholders, and work groups
• Are comfortable making independent decisions that align with broader goals
• Work effectively across teams to meet the needs of various stakeholders
• Are comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while proactively managing deadlines and competing priorities
• Can provide clear direction and effective delegation to staff
• Enjoy mentoring and sharing your knowledge and experience
• Are safety-oriented

We value excellence, integrity, inclusion and collaboration, and we're looking for someone who shares these values. 

Manages the Environmental Sampling Team (EST) staff and activities in support of Metro’s environmental compliance and Annual Charge programs. Supervises Environmental Sampling Technicians and Specialists. Reports to the Senior Data Quality and Sampling Manager (SDQSM).

Examples of Duties

1. Manages EST field and associated technical work to ensure sampling operations and related activities meet established standards for efficiency, effective resource utilization, safety, and field-related data quality; conducts routine team meetings to communicate updates, reinforce expectations, and address operational issues.
2. Develops, manages, reviews, and adjusts EST sampling schedules and staff work schedules to ensure alignment with programmatic needs, staffing availability, organizational priorities, and data quality requirements.
3. Coordinates daily staff assignments and workload distribution, monitoring staffing coverage, on-call and overtime usage to confirm effective use of personnel, equipment and materials, while adjusting for changing priorities, field conditions, external lab availability, and resource constraints. Communicates regularly with Specialist IIIs regarding workload balance, coverage needs, and schedule conflicts.
4. Tracks completion and status of all sampling events, ensuring failed, missed, incomplete, or rescheduled events are addressed within required timeframes. Coordinates with the SDQSM and other Environmental Services (ES) divisions and Metro departments as assigned to understand/clarify support needed from EST.
5. Manages flow verification tasks for Annual Charge and other Metro metering stations. Provides oversight to ensure the status of Annual Charge metering stations is tracked. 
6. Reviews and monitors field work to verify compliance with approved protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs); ensures work orders, chain-of-custody records, and associated documentation are accurate, complete, and properly closed out. Monitors metrics related to completion rates, schedule efficiency, and supply usage; identifies areas for process improvement. Reviews SOPs related to field sampling and ensures they are updated on a regular basis and as needed.
7. Enters, updates, and manages work orders associated with EST field activities in Metro’s asset management system; maintains accurate tracking of operational status, equipment readiness, and metering station data, and provides status updates to leadership and the Annual Charge Collaboration team.
8. Manages inventory, procurement, and distribution of sampling supplies, equipment, vehicles, PPE, and other materials to ensure adequate availability and support for field operations; develops and maintains systems to track equipment maintenance, calibration, and field readiness.
9. Provides budget input regarding EST materials, supplies, equipment, and staffing needs, and ensures operations conform to approved budget allocations.
10. Develops and provides training, sets clear expectations for staff, and enforces expectations. Reviews data and information from field activities to identify areas needing additional staff training, clarification, or process improvements. Ensures staff are properly trained and equipped to perform work safely and effectively, including appropriate PPE, tools, and vehicles.
11. Evaluates employee performance and skill levels; supports employee development, provides training, coaching, counseling, and discipline as needed. Participates in the selection process for new personnel as assigned.
12. Communicates effectively with colleagues and collaborates with internal stakeholders to align sampling activities with organizational goals. Coordinates with other departments in the planning of cross-departmental efforts.
13. Manages communication between EST day and night shifts and ensures effective handoff of operational information.
14. May be required to work outside normal business hours/standard workdays, including nights and weekends, cover on-call, and respond to Metro facilities or field locations to support EST sampling workload, environmental release response, additional emergencies, or other business needs.
15. Responsible for maintaining and promoting a safe working environment. Ensure employees complete all required training on time, maintain compliance with organizational requirements, and follow all safety protocols. Ensures employees maintain required certifications.
16. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Advanced knowledge of sample collection, preservation and handling requirements pursuant to 40 CFR part 136, 40 CFR 403
• Chain-of-Custody documentation and procedures applicable to the collection of compliance samples and/or evidence which may be used in administrative investigations and enforcement actions
• Open channel and closed-pipe flow measurement principles
• Set up and programming automatic sampling equipment
• Confined space entry rules and regulations
• Work order and scheduling systems, databases, and related software tools
• Inventory management principles and procurement procedures
• Safety standards applicable to wastewater and stormwater field operations
• General office processes and procedures
• MS Office (or equivalent, e.g. Google) software programs

Skilled at:

• Setting up, programming and trouble-shooting automatic sampling equipment
• Identifying open channel and closed pipe flow metering equipment and supporting evaluation of monitoring facility installations 
• Reviewing documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with established procedures
• Effectively communicating verbally and in writing
• Reading and understanding regulations and discharge permit monitoring requirements
• Writing and reviewing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and sampling protocols
• Using spreadsheets and other tools to analyze data and information
• Developing and managing complex work and sampling schedules
• Tracking work progress, completion, and performance metrics using work order and scheduling software tools 
• Maintaining and managing equipment, materials, and supply inventories
• Identifying operational and logistical issues and implementing practical solutions
• Active and empathetic listening
• Training and mentoring staff
• Performing basic mathematical calculations
• Project management including work planning, resource allocation and progress reviews through project completion
• Skilled at managing disagreements, de-escalate conflicts and negotiating win-win solutions

Ability to:

• Effectively manage field and technical work associated with the collection of samples used for compliance 
• Evaluate staff schedules, workloads, and resource utilization for efficiency and balance
• Coordinate multiple work streams while maintaining situational awareness of workload, priorities, and resource needs
• Interpret and apply sampling, safety, and documentation procedures
• Anticipate and address potential conflicts in staffing, schedules, or materials availability
• Support continuous improvement of scheduling, documentation, and operational practices
• Using reference materials (e.g. Teledyne-Isco Open Channel Flow Manual), identify and evaluate open channel primary and secondary device installations
• Evaluate and provide input regarding monitoring facilities
• Operate Metro vehicles legally, travel to Metro facilities and businesses throughout the service area and work outside normal business hours as required
• Assign and track the work of others
• Manage the performance of direct reports, provide mentoring and coaching and correct performance issues as needed 
• Review the work of others and provide clear and concise feedback 
• Develop and provide training specific to EST job duties
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Communicate effectively and build cooperative working relationships across teams
• Work in a team environment
• Direct, persuade, and motivate others  
• Identify problems, craft effective solutions, act decisively and demonstrate good judgement 
• Maintain emotional control under ambiguous and stressful circumstances
• Implement and enforce policies and procedures fairly and consistently
• Effectively supervise staff

Education, Certifications, and Licenses
B.S. degree in a science field. Requires a valid driver’s license. A combination of education and relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Working Conditions

Typical Work Environment   
Variety of floor surfaces including concrete, gravel, asphalt, dirt, tile, loose stones, uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces, and wet surfaces; Inside environment; Outside environment all year in all weather conditions and temperatures;  Residential and commercial wastewater/Biosolids; Chemicals;   Lighting conditions including natural light, fluorescent, incandescent, and low light; Vibration; Moving equipment; Work in confined spaces
 
Body Position Demands
Standing; Walking; Climbing stairs; Climbing Ladders; Reaching forward and overhead; Balancing; Object handling; Simple hand/ Firm hand grasping; Operating controls; Sitting; Stooping; Kneeling; Crouching; Typing; Fine hand coordination
 
Physical Demands (max forces are expected to be infrequent)
Max Weight Lifted: 65 lbs
Max Weight Carried: 65 lbs
Max Force Pushed: 23 lbs
Max Force Pulled: 128 lbs
 
Sensory Requirements
Wide field of view; Perception - Spatial; Olfactory (Smelling); Vision - Near; Depth perception; Color discrimination; Perception - spatial and form; Feeling without seeing; Speaking; Vision - near and far; Hearing

Metro Water Recovery is an Equal Opportunity Employer.