Environmental Subject Matter Expert

Overview

Nakupuna Companies seeks to hire a full-time Environmental Subject Matter Expert (SME) to join our DoWEA Team. The candidate will be responsible for serving as the primary environmental health technical authority for the Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) Pacific Region. This role involves formulating responses to environmental inquiries, conducting onsite testing, and providing expert guidance on environmental safety issues, including asbestos, lead-based paint, indoor air quality, water, and mold. This critical role supports the protection of military-connected students and staff across 45 school campuses on 21 U.S. military installations throughout Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, and Guam.

Responsibilities

Job Duties Include: The following reflects management’s definition of essential functions for this position, but management may assign additional duties and responsibilities at any time. Specific duties include:

• Environmental Inquiries & Response: Serve as the primary SME for DoWEA environmental inquiries regarding asbestos, lead-based paint, indoor air quality, drinking water quality, and mold hazards.
• Quarterly Meeting Facilitation: Coordinate, host, and facilitate quarterly Teams teleconference meetings with the DoWEA AHERA Program Manager and Region AHERA Points of Contact (POCs) to provide updates, solicit input, and facilitate decisions.
• SME Briefings: Develop and present SME briefings on relevant asbestos or environmental health topics during the quarterly AHERA meetings.
• Regulatory Reviews: Perform comprehensive annual regulatory reviews, updating the Asbestos Related Regulatory Considerations for Renovation and Demolition document to ensure compliance with local, federal, and host-nation requirements (e.g., Japan Environmental Governing Standards [JEGS]).
• Abatement & Project Design: Develop Asbestos Abatement Specification packages and perform Project Design or Statement of Work reviews in preparation for DoWEA facility renovation and demolition projects.

Qualifications

Skills/Qualifications: The ideal candidate is familiar and has experience with the following technical knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Extensive expertise in investigating, diagnosing, and managing complex environmental health hazards (asbestos, lead, mold, water) in commercial or institutional facilities.
• Deep understanding of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), 40 CFR Part 763, and EPA environmental safety guidelines.
• Strong technical writing skills to author formal health hazard recommendations, abatement specifications, and regulatory compliance reports.
• Professional registration as a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) or Certified Safety Professional (CSP) is highly preferred.

Education & Experience: The successful candidate must possess:

• Education: A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or higher degree in Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Engineering, Physical Sciences, or a related environmental health discipline.
• Experience: A minimum of seven (7) years of progressive technical experience investigating and managing environmental health hazards across commercial or institutional facilities.

Physical Demands & Work Environment: Candidates are continually required to stand, walk, utilize their hands, and finger dexterity. Work may involve traversing school campuses, inspecting mechanical or utility spaces for environmental hazards, and occasional travel to overseas installations for onsite testing.

Clearance Requirements: Must be a U.S. Citizen. Secret clearance preferred. Must be capable of passing necessary background investigations, including an FBI Fingerprint Check and Tier 1 childcare investigation.

Work Location: Work is primarily performed in an office setting supporting DoWEA Pacific Region operations, with deployment requirements to school campuses located in Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, and Guam as environmental testing needs dictate. The ideal candidate will reside in or near one of our strategic hubs: Arlington, VA, or Honolulu, HI.

The Nakupuna Companies use a market-based compensation strategy to ensure that our employees are compensated within applicable market ranges commensurate with multiple factors, including but not limited to the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability, organizational requirements, and position location. The projected compensation range for this position is $100,000.00 to $145,000.00 (annualized USD). The salary range displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of Nakupuna Companies total compensation package for employees