Initial Posting Date:
05/02/2025
Application Deadline:
05/12/2025
Agency:
Department of Environmental Quality
Salary Range:
$3,492 - $4,734
Position Type:
Employee
Position Title:
Office Support Specialist (Office Specialist 2)
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, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability.
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 an Office Support Specialist (Office Specialist 2). This position will be located in Portland, Oregon.
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. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/E-Cs6M9AAlU
Affecting close to half the population of the State of Oregon, the Vehicle Inspection Program (VIP) is one of the signature programs of the Oregon DEQ. The VIP is responsible for ensuring over 1 million vehicles in the Portland and Medford areas have well maintained emission control systems, and VIP plays a significant role in the Ozone SIP, air toxics reductions, and implementation of Oregon’s low emissions vehicle program for reducing greenhouse gases. Within its testing boundaries, the VIP program is responsible for about 2/3 of vehicle registrations and VIN inspections for the Department of Motor Vehicles. VIP staff count for 1/6 of the entire Agency staff.
VIP is comprised of 7 clean air stations, a Technical Center, self-service testing, self-testing fleets, mobile testing, remote testing, and a program to recognize specific certified auto repair shops. The program operates with a budget of approximately $25 million biannually. As a result of the large number of Oregonians required to have their vehicle inspected, the program continues to have a high public, legislative, and media profile.
Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.
What you will do!
You will provide customer service to residents and other State Agencies via the telephone and in person; open, sort, and route mail; perform general office procedures; and provide clerical support to VIP staff. You will provide a wide variety of technical and administrative tasks in support of VIP operations and customers requiring general knowledge of VIP operations such as: responding to inquires about program information and services, handling vehicle emissions complaints, and conducting specialized recording processing.
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: 2 years of general clerical experience that included keyboarding, word processing, and generating documents, OR an Associate’s degree.
Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following desired attributes:
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 VIP Tech Center office in Portland; 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.
There will be occasional travel on official State business for meetings, conferences, trainings, and public hearings, some of which may include evening work and/or overnight stays. The ability to lift files and boxes weighing up to 50lbs will occur.
How to Apply: (complete the application in full)
Helpful Tips:
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 veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ 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. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. 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, please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at jobs@deq.oregon.gov or 503-229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.
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