Section Chief

Job Duties

This Section Chief serves as the highest-level technical authority within LA Department of Health - Office of Public Health, Engineering Services, providing expert leadership on complex, high-impact engineering projects that often carry significant public visibility and legislative interest. This role involves shaping long-term strategies and policies, advising lawmakers and senior officials, and serving as a key voice in public forums, legislative hearings, and stakeholder negotiations. The Chief Engineer oversees high-risk initiatives, ensuring technical integrity, regulatory compliance, and public safety, while also driving innovation and guiding research in emerging areas. As a senior representative of the agency, they collaborate across departments and jurisdictions, mentor junior staff, and lead the response to engineering crises, making them central to the and public trust. This position is essential due to increased legislative attention and growing public concern regarding the Safe Drinking Water programs, which are currently facing significant challenges in meeting established standards and expectations.

30% Directs and manages the Safe Drinking Water Division, overseeing staffing, budgeting, policy development, and operational execution. Leads performance management efforts including recruitment, employee supervision, training, leave approval, and annual performance evaluations. Establishes operational procedures and strategic priorities for engineering staff and ensures effective allocation of resources for compliance, inspection, and emergency response functions. Maintains authority over the State's Safe Drinking Water Primacy Program, ensuring sustained EPA delegation and state-level regulatory performance. Applies advanced engineering principles to support the development and implementation of water production, treatment, and distribution regulations, with a focus on both legacy and emerging technologies. Oversees the drafting, review, and implementation of laws, regulations, and enforcement actions related to public water systems, wastewater treatment facilities, public pools, and sewer operators.

20% Provides executive-level leadership and strategic direction for the statewide administration of public health engineering programs, including the Safe Drinking Water Program and the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, in compliance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Louisiana State Sanitary Code. Oversees the full programmatic implementation, management, and field operations for inspection, review, monitoring, training, regulatory compliance, and technical assistance initiatives related to both drinking water and wastewater systems across the state. Directs administration of wastewater treatment and disposal programs in accordance with the Federal Clean Water Act, ensuring alignment with public health protection standards and environmental regulations.

15% Serves as the primary liaison for the State of Louisiana with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), handling regulatory correspondence, grant reporting, and communication regarding water treatment technologies, compliance metrics, and scientific analysis protocols. Represents the Engineering Services Division in legislative matters and maintains active engagement with federal, state, and local agencies, including environmental scientists, epidemiologists, laboratories, and professional engineering associations. Provides expert interpretation of federal and state regulations to stakeholders including consulting engineers, sanitarians, system operators, and public officials.

15% Directs statewide enforcement activities, including the issuance of administrative orders, penalty notices, and receivership actions for non-compliant public water systems and community sewage programs. Supports LDH legal counsel as a subject matter expert and serves as an expert witness in legal proceedings involving public health engineering issues, providing documentation, testimony, and technical advisement.

5% Leads Engineering Services’ coordination of public health engineering responses to statewide emergencies, including natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, flooding), infrastructure threats (e.g., contamination events), and security incidents (e.g., hazardous material spills, terrorism). Functions as a lead agency representative within the State’s Emergency Operations Plan under Emergency Support Function 12 (ESF-12), coordinating with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and other partner agencies.

5% Directs and participates in engineering evaluations, including sanitary surveys, inspections, and site assessments for public water supplies and wastewater treatment systems to safeguard against chemical, radiological, and microbial threats. Reviews and approves engineering design plans and project proposals for public water systems, community sewage disposal systems, and public swimming facilities in accordance with the Louisiana Sanitary Code and Louisiana Revised Statutes.

5% Serves as LDH liaison between the department, government agencies, police juries and citizens. Promotes cooperation between LDH, government agencies and private interests. Attends and represents agency at meetings of local governing bodies, civic organizations, and citizens groups. Legislative subcommittees, etc. to advise and assist Position Description SCS will keep this document for six (6) years. Provides testimony on behalf of LDH to State Legislative bodies, boards and commissions. Serves as ex-officio Secretary of the Committee of Certification, and in accordance with RS 40: 1141, administers the statewide mandatory certification program for approximately 6,000 waterworks and sewage works operators. Assist water association, universities, etc. in the training of water supply and wastewater facility operators seeking certification by the Office of Public Health. Assist in the OPH certification officer in the testing and certification of applicants.

5% Provides direct expert engineering consult to the State Health Officer in coordinating incident reports with the DHH Bureau of Media and Communications or in representing the agency to the media. Performs media interviews with regard to the current relative public health engineering issues as directed by the agency. 5% Provides direct expert engineering consult to the State Health Officer in coordinating incident reports with the DHH Bureau of Media and Communications or in representing the agency to the media. Performs media interviews with regard to the current relative public health engineering issues as directed by the agency.

Position-Specific Details

This position is located within the Louisiana Department of Health / Office of Public Health / Bureau of Engineering Services / East Baton Rouge Parish
 
Announcement Number: OPH/SP/209644

Cost Center: 3262207510

Position Number: 50686586

This vacancy is being announced as an Unclassified Full-time position

How To Apply

To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

*Resumes WILL NOT be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.*

A resume upload will NOT populate your information into your application. Work experience left off your electronic application or only included in an attached resume is not eligible to receive credit.

For further information about this vacancy contact:

Shambrielle Pooler

Shambrielle.Pooler@la.gov

LA Department of Health (LDH)

Division of Human Resources

Baton Rouge, LA 70821

225-342-6477

This organization participates in E-verify, and for more information on E-verify, please contact DHS at 1-888-464-4218.