Area Director - Bureau of Regional and Labratory Services

Careers at SCDES: Where Passion Meets Preservation

Do you love South Carolina and protecting the environment? Come join our team at SCDES, put your passion to work with us! We are dedicated to protecting the state of South Carolina and we would love to have you as a member of our team! Science | Service | Sustainability About the Role: The Area Director provides strategic leadership and daily oversight for the SCDES Lowcountry (Beaufort) Office. In this role, you will guide a multidisciplinary team responsible for air, land, and water program activities. You will identify and address complex, multi-media environmental issues and coordinate with partners the local, state, and federal levels to ensure consistent, collaborative, and effective Agency action. This position serves as a regional operations leader, a technical resource for environmental program development, and a key public-facing representative for SCDES. Strong communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to manage diverse priorities are essential. The Director ensures staff are supported, trained, and aligned with Agency goals while promoting strong customer service, regulatory consistency, and responsive environmental protection throughout the region. By leading this team, you play a vital role in protecting South Carolina’s environment and ensuring healthy, sustainable communities for generations to come. Job Responsibilities: Leadership & Regional Operations

• Lead, direct, and coordinate daily activities of Beaufort regional staff across air, land, and water program areas. Oversee workload assignments, shift resources when necessary, and ensure program commitments and goals are consistently met.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate training, guidance, and support to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

Environmental Coordination & Community Engagement

• Provide technical assistance and guidance to city, county, state, and federal officials; industry leaders; community groups; and the public on environmental issues of broad and varied scope.
• Represent SCDES at community meetings, educational events, and civic or professional gatherings. Serve as a key point of contact for environmental inquiries and assist in coordinating agency responses.

Program Support & Strategic Input

• Provide expertise and input to SCDES programs on complex environmental concerns, including processes, strategy development, planning initiatives, policy matters, and special studies.

Complaint Response & Emergency Operations

• Conduct or supervise investigations across all SCDES program areas.
• Support and help maintain regional emergency operations readiness to ensure timely and effective response capabilities.

Administrative & Operational Oversight

• Oversee administrative duties such as activity reporting, leave management, performance evaluations, travel coordination, vehicle utilization, procurement card oversight, requisitions, and supply/equipment needs.
• Maintain compliance with SCDES policies and procedures across regional operations.

Other Responsibilities

• Perform additional duties as required to support Agency operations and regional environmental protection.

Why Join Us? As a state employee, you’ll enjoy:

• Job Stability & Purposeful Work: Make an impact on your community as you contribute to protecting SC'S environment

• Great Benefits: Including paid holidays, 30 total days of leave per year, insurance options for you and your family and retirement benefit choices.

• Career Growth: Enhance your skillset and expand your impact with continuous learning and professional development opportunities.

• Work-Life Balance: A career that lets you enjoy South Carolina, inside and outside of your job.

• A master's degree in the natural or physical sciences, public health or related technical field and five (5) years of environmental experience; OR

• A bachelor's degree in the natural of physical science, public health or related technical field and six (6) years of environmental experience.

Degrees in a related technical field include but are not limited to earth or environmental sciences, chemistry, biology, physics, environmental engineering, geology, hydrology, natural resources management, and other similar disciplines. Institutions of Higher Learning must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Applicants indicating college credit or degree(s) on the application are encouraged to upload an unofficial copy of the transcript as an attachment to the application. Please note that the agency may require an official, certified copy of the transcript or diploma prior to hiring. Additional Requirements:

• Excellent communication and organization skills.

• Able to work effectively in a team environment and encourage positive working relationships with coworkers, industry partners, and government officials.

• Ability to work independently in a field environment.

• Willing to work in all reasonable weather conditions and able to access nontraditional work environments.

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of applicable state and federal environmental health regulations (air, land, and water).

• Supervisory experience and experience leading an environmental health program.

• Data management skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.).

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.

Travel throughout the state, including occasional overnight travel, may be required. This position may also oversee and participate in Environmental Response Team activities, which are subject to 24/7 on-call availability.

SCDES is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited, to lactation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

The Department will not sponsor H1B visas for this position.

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services offers an exceptional benefits package for full time (FTE) employees: • Health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children. Click here for additional information.

• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• S.C. Deferred Compensation Program available (S.C. Deferred Compensation)
• Retirement benefit choices * • State Retirement Plan (SCRS)
• State Optional Retirement Program (State ORP)

*Enrollment in one of the listed plans is required for all FTE employees; please refer to the contribution section of hyperlinked retirement sites for the current contribution rate of gross pay.