Pesticide and environmental compliance specialist

Organization Description

Sun Mountain International (SMTN) is an Ecuador and US-based socio-economic development organization that has worked in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. SMTN strengthens private and public institutions, builds environmental capacities, manages environmental and other risks, and supports sustainable agricultural production systems.

Position Description

SMTN is looking for an experienced Environmental Compliance Specialist to provide on-demand technical assistance to the USAID Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). The Specialist will be responsible for working closely under the USAID/DCHA Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) to ensure 22 CFR 216 (Regulation 216) USAID Agency Environmental Procedures are met by implementing partners.

Primary Responsibilities (estimated 80% of time)

Document Management and Prioritization:

• The Specialist will join a team responsible for receiving Regulation 216 documentation, logging and prioritizing new documentation, and communicating priorities to the DCHA/BEO.
• The Specialist will also be expected to perform routine maintenance and troubleshooting for DCHA environmental compliance tracking systems and related website that operate on Google platforms.

Technical Review and Development of Documents:

• Upon receiving direction, the Specialist may perform review of Initial Environmental Examinations (IEEs), Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plans (EMMPs), Water Quality Assurance Plans (WQAPs), Pesticide Evaluation Reports and Safer Use Action Plans (PERSUAPs), Environmental Status Reports (ESRs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), Requests for Categorical Exclusions (RCEs), and other analyses.
• The specialist will be responsible for identifying issues requiring DCHA/BEO attention during the review process and recommend changes to correct errors of substance or to strengthen the proposed environmental management approach consistent with best practices.
• The Specialist shall also follow-through on issues identified and be responsible for drafting Environmental Threshold Decisions (ETDs).
• As requested, the Specialist may be responsible for developing guidance documents, such as Programmatic Environmental Assessments (PEAs), programmatic-IEEs, sector-specific briefs, environmental compliance policy documents, or portions of USAID solicitations.

Illustrative Additional Responsibilities (estimated 20% of time)

• Assist or lead in environmental reviews, proposal design, and implementation of projects and studies. Areas of focus may include agriculture and pesticide use, socio-economic development, environmental and risk management, and institutional strengthening.
• Support or lead in planning and implementing environmental capacity building workshops or risk management training seminars.
• Contribute to team building, strategic planning, or other institutional development tasks.
• Pursue significant opportunities for professional growth and advancement in a dynamic and expanding development organization.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of related experience.
• Proactive task management and demonstrated ability to work with limited supervision.
• Extremely meticulous attention to details and copy editing of emails and other professional correspondences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (native English speaker preferred).
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Well organized and flexible with an ability to quickly regroup when priorities change.
• Professional background in environmental impact assessment (EIA) and/or environmental compliance experience strongly preferred.
• Professional background in integrated pest management (IPM), pesticides, international food security programs, and/or sustainable agricultural production systems strongly preferred.
• Experience with USAID programs and environmental procedures a plus.
• Willingness to relocate to Quito, Ecuador, preferred, but not required.

Degree Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or Doctorate strongly preferred.
• Degree in pesticide science, vector management, entomology, agriculture, food security, international development, natural resource management, or similar.