Job Description

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP’s water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system’s 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the city.

New York City has approximately 140,000 catch basins, 114,000 hydrants, 90,000 valves, 14 gatehouses, 3 reservoirs, 68 groundwater wells, a 100-million-gallon underground storage tank and 7,000 miles each of both sanitary sewers and water mains. The responsibility of maintaining these vast networks falls under the Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations (BWSO).

The primary responsibilities of the Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations are the operation, maintenance and protection of the City’s drinking water and wastewater collection (sewer) systems; the protection of adjacent waterways; and the development and protection of the Department’s Capital Water and Sewer Design Program. The Bureau also approves and inspects water and sewer connections performed by licensed plumbers and/or authorized contractors. In addition, the Bureau has overall responsibility for the approval and inspection of all public and private construction projects which could impact on the City’s water or sewer systems.

The Division of Distribution Operations is responsible for operating the water distribution system throughout the five boroughs. This includes operating and maintaining the shaft distribution chambers of the three City Water Tunnels and in-city aqueduct, the trunk main valves and pressure reducing regulators throughout the system, pumping stations, and in-city treatment facilities; cross-connection inspections; installing and maintaining CCTV, instrumentation, and operational software systems for the bureau; and providing engineering direction for improvements to the entire system.

Environmental Engineering Interns provide support to the maintenance team to maintain and repair facilities that are critical to supply drinking water to the City of New York. They support contractors in their efforts to maintain and repair equipment in the shaft facilities. They work alongside trade staff in maintenance and repair of equipment. They perform inspections and testing of equipment, provide access to facilities to third parties, and conduct facilities inspections weekly. They occasionally review drawings and submittals, operate sump pumps and valves, and deliver equipment.

Work includes working with valves, water regulators and general plumbing and water conveyance equipment, electrical motors, generators, transformers, lighting and general electrical equipment, elevators, cranes, HVAC equipment, alarm and security apparatus, buildings and structures and associated equipment such as entry ways doors stairways.

The selected candidate will need to become familiar with shaft maintenance including the different systems in the facilities e.g., HVAC, mechanical, electrical, etc., and contracts that maintain various systems. They will work with project engineers, assist with overseeing maintenance contracts, performing thorough field inspections, system operation activities and special projects pertaining to the New Croton Aqueduct and City Tunnel facilities while complying with shaft maintenance practices, policies, and procedures. They will assist project engineers to evaluate engineering problems associated with mechanical/electrical equipment, i.e., repairs, replacement, substitution, etc.

Environmental Engineering Interns must be able to visit shaft site daily. Shafts are not heated or air conditioned for the most part. May experience cold or bad weather and have to work in hot and humid environments. May have to work at high elevations on ladders, cranes, etc., may also need to work in confined spaces.

Incumbent required to wear hard toed or steel toe boots when visiting shafts and may have to wear a variety of PPE (Personnel Protective Equipment) equipment such as safety vests, hard hats, and safety harnesses on occasion.

Qualifications

1. A Baccalaureate degree in environmental, chemical, mechanical, petroleum, aeronautical, or materials engineering from an accredited college.

A Baccalaureate degree in engineering technology is not acceptable.