Initial Posting Date:

01/05/2026

Application Deadline:

01/26/2026

Agency:

Department of Environmental Quality

Salary Range:

$6,122 - $9,409

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Mining and Energy Project Analyst (Operations & Policy Analyst 3)

Job Description:

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, or physical or mental disability in the administration of our programs and activities. Visit DEQ’s Civil Rights and Environmental Justice page.

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.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Mining and Energy Project Analyst (Operations & Policy Analyst 3) in Bend, Klamath Falls, Pendleton, or The Dalles, Oregon (finalist may choose work location).

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality.

About DEQ!

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources.

There are 3 regions (Northwest, Western, and Eastern); this position is in Eastern Region. The Regions provide the following services: compliance inspection of regulated entities; enforcement of permit requirements and administrative rules; issuance of air, water, and solid waste permits; investigation of complaints; issuance of subsurface permits in counties; response to spills or other incidents with environmental impacts; direct contact and liaison with other governmental entities, industries, and the public; and technical assistance to regulated entities and the public.

The Eastern Region’s Materials Management Program is responsible for oversight of non-hazardous solid waste management practices, including the planning, administration, and coordination of permit programs for solid waste disposal facilities; technical review of plans for construction, operation, and monitoring of solid waste disposal sites; review and evaluation of disposal site operating and monitoring data; technical support and policy analysis for local government and industries; administration and enforcement of solid waste permits, solid waste disposal, reduction, and recycling laws; and acting as a liaison with EPA and other federal and state agencies.

These activities and others are conducted to better serve the communities of Oregon and to be an active leader in restoring, maintaining, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, water, and land.

For a visual representation of DEQ’s offices and their locations, view our DEQ Offices and Vehicle Inspection Testing Stations map.

What you will do!

You will provide policy analysis, legislative coordination, operational research and evaluation, and project management for complex projects related to mining and energy facilities that intersect with the materials management and solid waste program, and require coordination among DEQ regulatory programs (ex: air quality, land quality, and water quality), other State agencies (ex: DOGAMI, ODOE, and DSL), local governments (ex: county and city), federal agencies (ex: EPA, BLM, and USFS), and regional bodies and organizations (ex: adjacent states and Tribal nations). You will work closely with regional, county, state, and federal agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations that have interest in the siting and development of mining operations and energy facilities. In addition, you will support short- and long-term planning, implementation, operational research and evaluation, and project management for cross-program and multi-agency projects with materials management and solid waste elements.

What’s in it for you!

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! DEQ cares deeply about employee wellness and benefits. 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 vacancies.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Qualifications: 7 years of experience performing professional-level evaluative, analytical, and planning work.

Substitutions:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science, or a closely related field may substitute for 3 of the required years of experience.
• Master’s degree in environmental science, business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science, or a closely related field may substitute for 4 of the required years of experience.
• Doctorate degree in environmental science, business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science, or a closely related field may substitute for 5 of the required years of experience.

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following desired attributes:

• Demonstrated understanding of environmental justice and the historical impacts for marginalized and underrepresented communities; ability to take personal responsibility for increasing their knowledge of environmental justice and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to provide clear, concise, and compelling communication of policy and technical information tailored to the needs of diverse audiences; skill in writing and presenting clear and concise reports that include qualitative and quantitative analyses, recommendations, and conclusions to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated experience building and fostering relationships with a diverse group of partners including state and federal agencies, colleagues, interested parties, communities, organizations, and businesses.
• Skill in conflict resolution, negotiation, collaboration, and engagement; strong interpersonal skills with an ability to break down traditional barriers that exist between programs and agencies, challenging people to take a coordinated rather than independent perspective.
• Knowledge of mining and energy siting requirements, as well as materials management practices and alternatives.
• Knowledge of multi-media environmental regulation.
• Experience conducting in-depth evaluations of program rules, policies, and operations, and adapting or creating new procedures to solve program issues.
• Strong research and policy analysis skills and experience.
• Excellent program or project management skills, including the ability to track and coordinate projects tasks and participation by project team members.

Working Conditions:

DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.

This position will be based out of DEQ’s Bend, Klamath Falls, Pendleton, or The Dalles office; however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

This position requires regular statewide travel to attend meetings, trainings, public hearings, conferences, and seminars, and to conduct site visits, some of which may involve extended work hours, overnight stays, and/or weekend work. During site visits, there is the potential for exposure to inclement weather, pollutants, chemicals, contaminated soil and water, fumes, and airborne contaminants.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. For resources and support related to applying, view our External Candidate job aid and Workday Recruitment for External Job Applicants video.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account. For step-by-step resources on how to apply, review the Jobs, search & apply knowledge article.

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Help Your Application Rise to the Top!

Your application materials are the perfect opportunity to highlight your interest in the position and showcase your amazing skills and experience. 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.

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Veterans Information:

DEQ provides candidate preference points to all eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former). For more information on candidate preference, please visit Veterans Resources. For privacy reasons, please do not attach candidate preference documents when initially applying. Instead, you will be asked to submit those at a later time as part of a future task in Workday.

Equal Pay Analysis:

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. All finalists have an equal pay analysis completed to determine their placement on the salary scale. 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, including an accommodation request under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at jobs@deq.oregon.gov or 503-229-5107. TTY