Lead Environmental Specialist - Waste & Water

Total Number of Openings

Chevron is accepting online applications for the position Lead Environmental Specialist - Waste & Water through 11/17/2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST.  

The Lead Environmental Specialist – Waste & Water provides technical leadership and day-to-day environmental compliance support for the Chevron Pasadena Refinery, with primary responsibility for the facility’s waste and water environmental programs.

This position serves as a key environmental advisor to refinery Operations, Maintenance, Engineering/Projects, Turnarounds, and other business partners. The role interprets environmental requirements, provides field-based compliance support, coordinates regulatory deliverables, identifies and mitigates environmental risk, and drives continuous improvement in waste and water management practices.

The position requires a strong combination of technical environmental knowledge, regulatory competency, field engagement, leadership, and practical refinery operating experience.

Responsibilities for this position may include but are not limited to:

Waste Management & RCRA Compliance

• Lead day-to-day implementation and oversight of refinery waste-management programs, including hazardous, industrial, non-hazardous, and recyclable waste streams.
• Provide technical guidance regarding Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements and applicable Texas waste-management requirements.
• Manage waste characterization, profiling, container management, labeling, accumulation, transportation, manifesting, recycling, and disposal activities.
• Conduct or oversee waste-area and container inspections and support management of satellite and other accumulation areas.
• Coordinate off-site shipments with transporters and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities.
• Maintain and renew waste profiles and ensure required waste documentation is accurate and complete.
• Support implementation of Chevron’s Third-Party Waste Stewardship process, including evaluation and documentation associated with waste-management facilities.
• Maintain appropriate waste shipment, manifest, bill of lading, inventory, and supporting compliance records.
• Coordinate regulatory waste reporting and data-quality reviews.

Water & Wastewater Compliance

• Serve as the lead environmental resource for refinery water and wastewater compliance activities.
• Provide environmental support to Operations for wastewater collection, treatment, discharge, stormwater, and associated water-management activities.
• Coordinate required environmental sampling, monitoring, inspections, recordkeeping, and compliance evaluations associated with refinery water programs.
• Review operational changes, maintenance activities, projects, and abnormal operating conditions for potential wastewater or water-compliance implications.
• Support investigation, documentation, and follow-up of wastewater excursions, spills, releases, or other environmental events.
• Coordinate with laboratories, Operations, technical resources, and contractors to ensure required environmental data and supporting documentation are available and appropriately reviewed.
• Support permitting and regulatory activities associated with refinery water and wastewater programs.

Spill Response & Environmental Field Support

• Provide environmental guidance for spills, releases, cleanup activities, waste disposition, and remediation.
• Support collection and evaluation of environmental samples when required.
• Provide field environmental support during planned and unplanned operating events.
• Assist Operations and response organizations with environmental considerations associated with incident response and recovery.
• Support environmental investigations, corrective actions, and lessons learned.

Turnarounds, Projects & Operational Support

• Serve as the Waste/Water environmental representative for turnarounds, outages, maintenance activities, construction, and capital projects.
• Participate in project planning and environmental reviews to identify permitting, waste, wastewater, sampling, disposal, and other compliance requirements.
• Coordinate environmental support and contractor resources for high-activity operating periods.
• Provide field presence and timely environmental guidance to Operations and project teams.
• Identify environmental risks before execution and work collaboratively with refinery stakeholders to develop practical compliance solutions.

Contractor & Service Provider Oversight

• Provide technical direction and oversight for environmental contractors and service providers supporting waste and water activities.

• Coordinate waste transportation, disposal, recycling, laboratory, sampling, vacuum-truck, and other environmental support services as applicable.

• Promote safe, compliant, and cost-effective execution of contracted environmental work.

• Review invoices, service requirements, work scopes, and environmental service needs.

• Identify opportunities for improved environmental performance, efficiency, and cost management.

Regulatory Compliance & Reporting

• Maintain awareness of applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulatory requirements affecting refinery waste and water programs.

• Coordinate preparation, review, and timely completion of required regulatory reports and environmental deliverables.

• Maintain compliance documentation and records capable of supporting internal reviews and regulatory inspections.

• Support regulatory agency inspections, information requests, audits, and follow-up activities.

• Monitor compliance obligations and communicate potential issues or emerging risks to Environmental leadership and refinery stakeholders.

• Support development and implementation of corrective actions when compliance gaps are identified.

Environmental Leadership

• Act as a Lead Environmental Specialist and subject-matter resource for Waste & Water matters at the Pasadena Refinery.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to environmental personnel, contractors, and refinery stakeholders.
• Promote consistent application of environmental requirements throughout refinery activities.
• Build strong working relationships with Operations, Maintenance, Projects, Turnaround, HSE, contractors, and other internal stakeholders.
• Identify compliance vulnerabilities and proactively develop sustainable solutions.
• Lead or support continuous-improvement initiatives that strengthen environmental compliance, field execution, reliability, and cost effectiveness.
• Support environmental training and development of procedures, work processes, guidance documents, and compliance tools.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant environmental experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting environmental compliance in a refinery, petrochemical, chemical, manufacturing, or similar industrial environment.
• Knowledge of industrial waste management and RCRA requirements.
• Working knowledge of water/wastewater environmental compliance and permitting.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret regulatory and permit requirements and translate them into practical field expectations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Projects, HSE, and contractor organizations.
• Ability to independently prioritize multiple environmental compliance activities and deliverables.

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant environmental experience in refining, petrochemical, or heavy industrial operations.
• Experience leading or coordinating waste and wastewater compliance programs.
• Experience with RCRA hazardous waste management, waste characterization, manifests/e-Manifest, and industrial waste reporting.
• Experience supporting environmental regulatory inspections and audits.
• Experience supporting turnarounds, outages, capital projects, and environmental incident response.
• Knowledge of Texas environmental regulatory requirements and experience working with applicable environmental agencies.
• Experience providing technical direction or oversight to environmental contractors and field personnel.

Leadership Expectations

The successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to:

• Lead by example in environmental compliance, safety, and field execution.
• Take ownership of Waste & Water programs and associated compliance obligations.
• Recognize environmental risk early and communicate concerns clearly to refinery leadership and Operations.
• Balance regulatory compliance with practical refinery operating needs without compromising environmental requirements.
• Build collaborative relationships and influence outcomes across multiple functions.
• Drive issues through resolution and ensure commitments and corrective actions are appropriately tracked and completed.
• Support development of less-experienced environmental personnel through technical guidance and knowledge transfer.

Relocation Options:

Relocation may be considered only for internal candidates.

International Considerations:

Expatriate assignments will not be considered.

Chevron regrets that it is unable to sponsor employment Visas or consider individuals on time-limited Visa status for this position.

U.S. Regulatory notice:

Chevron is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin or ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, reproductive health decision-making, military or veteran status, political preference, marital status, citizenship, genetic information or other characteristics protected by applicable law.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation, please email us at emplymnt@chevron.com.

Chevron participates in E-Verify in certain locations as required by law.