Hazardous Waste Specialist I

About the Role

Herndon Solutions Group (HSG) is seeking a Hazardous Waste Specialist I to support environmental services at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The role is based primarily at Lewis Field in Brook Park, Ohio, with support required at the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility (GRC-ATF) when operational needs demand cross-site coverage. The Specialist reports to the designated HSG Project Manager/Site Lead.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate waste characterization information, process knowledge, analytical results, and generator information; identify data gaps and assess regulatory requirements, compliance risks, and opportunities for program improvement.
• Administer assigned regulated and controlled waste-management activities, including waste determinations, profiles, accumulation-area compliance, shipment planning, manifest documentation, and cradle-to-grave record tracking.
• Plan and coordinate waste pickups, onsite movement, packaging, consolidation, lab packs, storage, and offsite disposal, ensuring execution is consistent with approved procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate potential compliance issues, operational risks, and opportunities to improve waste-management practices.
• Review manifests, shipping papers, land disposal restriction (LDR) forms, return copies, exception conditions, and related records.
• Determine required follow-up and draft reports or notifications for Government review and action, including assessment of regulatory significance, potential compliance exposure, and recommended corrective actions.
• Conduct and document central accumulation area (CAA), satellite accumulation area (SAA), universal waste, used oil, and other regulated-waste inspections.
• Evaluate findings, recommend corrective actions, and track deficiencies through closure, prioritizing recommendations based on regulatory significance, environmental risk, and operational impact.
• Support petroleum, oil, and lubricant (POL)/tank compliance inspections and spill-related field assessments; document conditions and recommend corrective actions to the appropriate functional lead.
• Administer assigned spill-readiness functions, including supply readiness, spill response guides, training support, response coordination, post-event documentation, and lessons learned.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend improvements to preparedness, response procedures, and compliance controls.
• Provide technical direction during small spill responses and consult on containment, containerization, sampling, waste handling, disposal, and reporting requirements within delegated authority.
• Evaluate response alternatives and recommend appropriate approaches based on environmental risk, regulatory obligations, and site conditions.
• Analyze recurring inspection findings, manifest discrepancies, waste-generation patterns, and spill conditions, and recommend procedural, training, or operational improvements.
• Evaluate underlying compliance risks and develop recommendations to strengthen program effectiveness and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain the Hazardous Materials Management System (HMMS) and other Government systems.
• Prepare status inputs and compliance metrics, and support audits, regulatory inspections, investigations, and corrective-action responses.
• Develop or revise work instructions, checklists, training content, and other compliance tools for assigned waste and spill functions, incorporating regulatory changes, recurring findings, and identified opportunities for process improvement.
• Coordinate routinely with the Hazardous Waste Specialist II and Environmental Compliance Specialist I to provide consistent coverage, records, and practices across Lewis Field and GRC-ATF.
• Independently evaluate compliance information and compare alternative courses of action within established authority, recommending corrective actions and escalation based on regulatory significance, safety, schedule, and operational impact.
• Own assigned compliance records and outcomes through closure.
• Refer policy decisions, reportable events, commitments of Government resources, and matters outside delegated authority to the Project Manager or Government program lead.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Experience supporting hazardous waste management, environmental compliance, regulatory documentation, or related technical activities.
• Ability to evaluate compliance information and identify potential regulatory concerns.
• RCRA Hazardous Waste Management training and required refreshers.
• DOT Hazardous Materials Ground Shipper training and required refreshers.
• OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER training and required refreshers.
• Applicable NASA SATERN and site-specific environmental, safety, spill response, stormwater, POL, and waste-management training based on assigned duties.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain required NASA facility access.
• Ability to work independently with high initiative and attention to detail.
• Strong character and integrity.
• Strong ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and customers.
• Openness to new ideas and innovations; ability to adapt to new environments/situations.
• Faith in one's own ideas and ability to be successful.
• Hold oneself to the highest standard and inspire team members.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an environmental or scientific discipline.
• Three or more years of hazardous waste compliance experience in a government, research, aerospace, industrial, or similarly regulated setting.
• Experience with HMMS or comparable hazardous material and waste information systems.
• Experience with self-lab-pack operations, treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF) coordination, and multi-site waste operations.
• Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) awareness or experience supporting POL/tank inspections and spill response.

Working Conditions

• Primarily an on-site position at the designated reporting location, with routine support at the GRC-ATF location.
• Includes local travel between Lewis Field and GRC-ATF.
• Supports GRC core business hours.
• Work may be performed in office, laboratory, industrial, warehouse, utility, construction, outdoor, and active facility environments.
• Must be able to lift, carry, or move 30 pounds or more; climb stairs; bend, stoop, twist, and reach; and stand or walk for two hours or more at one time.
• Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment and work in varying weather and site conditions.
• Participates in field inspections and limited hands-on response activities.
• May participate in assigned emergency readiness and response coverage, including after-hours support when required.