Environmental Manager

Company Description Columbia River Nitrogen LLC is a leading manufacturer of high-quality nitrogen-based fertilizers and chemical products serving agricultural and industrial clients across the United States. The facility is strategically located in Deer Island, Oregon, with direct river access that supports efficient, large-scale distribution. The company focuses on delivering reliable, performance-driven solutions that help customers optimize crop yields and industrial processes. Columbia River Nitrogen LLC emphasizes operational excellence, safety, and environmental responsibility as core elements of its business.

Role Description The Environmental Manager is a full-time, on-site role based in St Helens, OR. This role is responsible for managing environmental programs, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and maintaining permits related to air, water, waste, and chemical handling. The Environmental Manager will also oversee the management and operation of the environmental laboratory, including supervision of laboratory personnel, ensuring adherence to quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) standards. The role is responsible for the integrity and accuracy of environmental monitoring data and for coordinating laboratory support for regulatory reporting and compliance activities.

The Environmental Manager will monitor facility operations for environmental performance, lead impact assessments, oversee reporting and documentation, and coordinate audits and inspections. Day-to-day tasks include collaborating with operations and maintenance teams on environmental controls, developing and updating policies and procedures, training staff on environmental requirements and laboratory practices, and driving continuous improvement initiatives in environmental health and safety. Additionally, the Environmental Manager will stay current with emerging environmental issues and regulations relevant to fertilizer and chemical manufacturing and advise leadership on risk mitigation, sustainability opportunities, and environmental stewardship initiatives.

Technical Competencies

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in environmental engineering (preferred), chemical/civil engineering, environmental science or related disciplines such as chemistry or physics required.
• Create/edit calculations in excel up to and including 2^nd year engineering calculus.

Experience: 

•  ​Minimum of fifteen years’ technical experience desired, including work with environmental regulators, environmental regulations, working in/around laboratories and manipulating large volumes of data. Demonstrated experience in quality systems (e.g., QA/QC, lab accreditation).

Certifications (Preferred):

• Certifications/Training (or ability to obtain): Hazardous Waste, DOT Ground Shipping, Smoke School Opacity and OHA Small Potable Water System preferred. 
• Professional certifications/licenses (e.g., PE, CHMM, CEM, PMP)
•  Experience with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 17025 or ISO 18001 programs.

Industry Experience (Preferred):

• Heavy Manufacturing, Chemical
• Knowledge of industrial laboratories, including both environmental and process. Ability to review the work (e.g., Sampling, Analytical), discuss gaps/improvements and assist with corrective action. 

Regulatory Knowledge:

• Knowledge of environmental Federal, State and Local, requirements, including DEQ, DOT, EPA, OHA and OAR. 
• Ability to interact, discuss issues and explain math equations, with regulatory compliance officials. 

Skills & Competencies

Tools and Systems

• Advanced computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite, EHS Reporting System, CMMS, and DataParc/ParcView. Candidate will be accessing/collecting/reviewing data, and creating/editing/reviewing large complex linked excel workbooks. 
• Proficiency with maintaining lab analytical results and environmental reporting tools.

Key Responsibilities

Environmental Compliance & Management

• Ensure organizational compliance with federal, state, and local environmental regulations (e.g., EPA, OSHA, DEQ).
• Maintain and update environmental permits (air, water rights, wastewater).
• Oversee environmental monitoring programs including inspections, sampling, testing, and reporting.
• Manage waste streams including hazardous, universal and other regulated waste (e.g., asbestos).
• Lead environmental audits, inspections, and corrective action processes.
• Develop and maintain an Environmental Management System (EMS).
•  Prepare required regulatory reports and track environmental performance metrics.

Laboratory Operations

• Oversee day‑to‑day laboratory activities to ensure compliance, quality, efficiency, and safety.
• Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), QA/QC protocols, and documentation.
• Ensure laboratory instruments are calibrated, maintained, and function properly.
• Manage sample workflow, data analysis, and reporting timelines.
• Oversee procurement and inventory of chemicals, reagents, and lab supplies.
• Implement and monitor laboratory accreditation requirements, as needed. 

Safety & Risk Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for environmental compliance.
• Conduct training on environmental compliance topics (e.g., spill response, waste/recycle management), and lab safety (e.g., hazardous materials handling)
• Investigate incidents, near misses, and non‑compliance/conformance issues and implement preventive measures.
• Maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and ensure safety protocols are up to date.

Leadership & Staff Management

• Displays leadership and professionalism in the workplace.
• Supervise laboratory technicians, analysts, interns, and environmental staff.
• Provide coaching, performance evaluations, and professional development opportunities. Develop staffing plans and support recruitment for technical positions.
• Foster a culture of scientific excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.

Project & Program Management

• Lead environmental projects, laboratory upgrades, and process improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including operations, engineering, maintenance and quality.
• Prepare technical reports, environmental analyses, and executive summaries for leadership.
• Manage budgets for environmental programs and laboratory operations.

Core Accountabilities

• Lead the commitment to the pursuit of achieving Zero Harm.
• Lead in environmental compliance with communication and actions, ensuring adherence to applicable Environmental regulations (Federal, State and Local).
• Manage the Environmental Group, which includes environmental and laboratory staff, i.e., Environmental Coordinator, Laboratory Supervisor and Laboratory Technician(s). 
• Advise company management on strategies that will require significant capital investment or increases in operating costs in order to meet compliance (e.g., new equipment, chemicals/processes, demolition).
• Follow and report back to staff leadership regarding new rulemaking that can impact the site, including: DEQ CPP EITE, EPA CWA FRP, and EPA RMP. 
• Ensure new or renewed Permits/Licenses/Registrations on a timely basis (e.g., NPDES, Water Right, Air, Food, Fertilizer). External politics, such as temporarily reduced regulatory staffing can occur (i.e., furlough/lapse in appropriations), and the candidate will need to communicate these issues to the site and do what is possible to minimize/eliminate risks (e.g., USACE JPA, DEQ Air Permit).
• Ensures the submittal of agency requested items (as appropriate), including responses to notice of deficiency/violation, surveys, and additional information.
•  Ensure the review and update of Environmental Plans (e.g, CHP, GHG Monitoring, Industrial Water Reuse, NPDES, PPP, Potable Water, Radiation Safety, Release Reporting, RMP, SPCC, UIC, Waste Management) and Laboratory Procedures.
• Ensures Project Management completed as needed, including the release reporting program (e.g., keeping the call duty list active) groundwater well systems (e.g., potable, process, extraction), annual N2O Acid Plant Stack Testing and wharf maintenance in-water work.
• Ensure required environmental and process samples/data are being collected/analyzed/downloaded, calculations are made, are reviewed for QA/QC, routed internally for comments, conduct final review and ensure they are appropriately submitted. Ensure reports are submitted to government agencies prior to due dates.
• Ensures environmental inspections and collection of remote monitoring data, are documented and any gaps are communicated appropriately for corrective action.
•  Ensures/Supports submittal of technical reports/forms/manifests, including Air, Asbestos, CWC UDOC, Fertilizer, Food, GHG, Hazardous Waste, NPDES netDMR, OHA-Water Quality, Refrigeration, SARA 311/312 FireMarshal, SARA 313 TRI, SSI, TSCA CDR and Water Usage.
•  Ensures training for operating personnel in order to meet site environmental and safety needs. In addition, ensure site staff are maintaining necessary training/certifications/licenses, including Opacity/Smoke School, Small Potable Water, DOT Ground Shipping, Hazardous Waste and DEQ-ERA lab proficiency.
• Work with plant staff to evaluate abnormal plant conditions, corrective actions and how to improve in the future.
• Work with vendors/consultants on environmental projects and reporting, including 3^rd party audit(s) and the minimization of hazardous waste. 
• Research questions from plant staff, obtain the proper expertise as needed, and provide appropriate response.
• Ability to prioritize routine work and requests (e.g., compliance vs conformance, important/urgent vs non-important/non-urgent.)