Investigator

Role Responsibilities

Are you an experienced investigator seeking a new challenge? The Environmental Investigations Section offers opportunities to apply your expertise and leadership in environmental investigations and enforcement.

Reporting to the Environmental Investigations Manager, the Investigator is a specialist who provides leadership in environmental investigations and enforcement for the department. This position supports the department by conducting regulatory investigations, leading the development and preparation of policy and operational procedures, and providing specialized training to the Regulatory Assurance Division, Air, Climate and Clean Technology Division, and other government departments and boards when necessary.

As an Investigator you will:

• Leverage your investigative expertise and regulatory law knowledge to ensure fair, consistent, and timely investigations, utilizing specialized techniques, enforcement tools, and legislative frameworks for quasi-judicial or judicial outcomes.
• Lead major case investigations, managing resources and a team to ensure thorough, timely execution of complex environmental investigations under various environmental laws and regulations.
• Conduct investigations and enforce outcomes through tools like search warrants, production orders, administrative penalties, and prosecutions, while maintaining firm but fair practices aligned with environmental legislation.
• Investigate referrals in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with policies, procedures, and environmental legislation to achieve consistent enforcement across the department.
• Facilitate regulatory actions, providing accurate information to courts and administrative penalty processes, and applying creative problem-solving skills to resolve complex environmental issues.
• Develop and maintain productive relationships within the department, external stakeholders, and agencies, while leading the preparation and execution of investigation files and specialized training for compliance staff.
• Contribute expertise to policy development, operational procedures, and compliance strategies, while collaborating with internal and external environmental enforcement agencies.
• Apply your problem-solving skills to complex investigations related to the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Public Lands Act, Emissions Management and Climate Resilience Act, Water Act, and Alberta Land Stewardship Act, and other relevant legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

How Competencies will apply to this role:

Agility: Ability to adjust priorities and risk rank investigations depending on the severity and impact of potential outcomes.

Build Collaborative Environments: This position is required to work in an integrated fashion with a wide variety of government departments, agencies, stakeholders and industry.

Creative Problem Solving: This position uses a full range of advanced and innovative investigations techniques and tools including executing search warrants and production orders to collect evidence to determine if there is a contravention of any piece of legislation. The conclusion of the investigation may lead to an enforcement action such as administrative penalty or prosecution that may result in a substantial penalty or fine.

Drive for Results: Knowing that outcomes are important and maximizing your investigative skills to achieve results that are aligned with the goals of the organization, while maintaining accountability.

Develop Self and Others: The desire to work and develop the long-term capability of others by providing specialized investigative training to ensure a clear, consistent, and coordinated process for compliance staff throughout the department.

Qualifications

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Requirements:

• A two-year college diploma in a directly related field (such as Environmental and/or Resource Management and/or Conservation Law Enforcement). 
• A minimum of six years directly related work experience in an environmental  compliance or environmental enforcement role. Experience in other regulatory law may be considered.
• Ability to be appointed as a Peace Officer under the Peace Officer Act. 
• Standard First Aid and CPR Training. 
• A valid Class 5 Driver’s License.

Equivalency: Directly related experience or completed education considered based on: 

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working in environmental compliance or enforcement.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Experience working with the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Public Lands Act, Emissions Management and Climate Resilience Act, Water Act, and Alberta Land Stewardship Act.
• Strong creative problem solving capabilities.
• Extensive knowledge of regulatory law. 
• Highly developed verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience applying innovative investigations techniques and tools including executing search warrants, production orders, and enforcement tools such as administrative penalties and prosecutions.

Notes

This position works Monday – Friday, 36.25 hours per week. This role may be required to travel on short notice throughout the province for extended time periods to complete the assigned duties. This position may require occasional evening and weekend work.

Candidates must have a valid Class 5 Driver's License. 

A Criminal Record Check is required to become a peace officer.

• Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.
• Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.)

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.