Start a Watco Career and Discover the Difference
Keep the world's supply chain moving. That's what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. Whether you're at one of these locations or in a support-services role, there's one thread that ties everyone together. We're all or the same team. One Watco.
Here's what you can expect from Watco:
• Outstanding culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Training for conductors, engineers, mechanics, and MOW Team Members at Watco's Safe Performance Center
• Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University
• Career advancement opportunities
Job Summary
This role provides environmental leadership and operational support across Watco facilities, ensuring safe, compliant, and customer-focused practices. Responsibilities include conducting audits, managing permits, coordinating training, and supporting incident investigations and regulatory compliance. The position also contributes to business development, legal support, and stakeholder engagement, while promoting environmental awareness and continuous improvement. Collaboration with field teams, contractors, and EHS personnel is essential to maintaining high standards and driving proactive environmental initiatives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Through coordination with the Watco VP, environmental, periodically visit each WTPS and WTS facility, demonstrating support for the Teams in the field
• Provide requisite environmental input necessary to support the Safe, Compliant, and Beneficial actives of the operational teams in the field (includes audits, inspections, and the assisting of local management in the compliance/conformance process)
• Assist in incident reporting, investigation and root-cause analysis (RCA)
• Assist the operational team members in the direction of contractors, vendors, suppliers and consultants with regard to environmental compliance and safe operations
• Acts as environmental liaison representing Watco’s “Customer First” foundation principles to all stakeholders (customers, general public, agencies, contractors, industry peers, etc.)
• Conduct Permit assessment, application, upgrades, updates, transfers, etc.
• Conduct required permit reporting, recordkeeping, training, audits, etc.
• Produce plans, procedures and protocols for permit compliance and internal company conformance (e.g., SPCC plans, FRP, SWPPPs, RMP, ERP/EAP, HWP)
• Provide environmental input, maintenance, and coordination applicable to the EHS software solution program, including cooperatively assisting in, and ensuring completion of, all corrective actions
• Track environmental metrics and propose/implementing resolutions to reduce safety and environmental incidents
• Cooperatively utilize and oversee the efforts of outside environmental contractors as required
• Provide spill/release mitigation and response
• Assess potential, and develop programs and procedures for, proactive hazardous waste minimization, reuse and recycling (including universal waste)
• Assess compliance with all regulations governing hazardous waste transportation, storage and disposal; develop, and assist in the implementation of, permitting, plans, procedures and infrastructure upgrades to meet all requirements
• Ensure proper training of all personnel in environmental issues pertinent to environmental regulations – both those generally applicable and those specific to each facility
• Oversee “train-the-trainer” efforts and support cross-training of safety personnel on environmental topics, particularly audits and inspections, to ensure comprehensive coverage across Watco through collaboration among all EHS team members
• Coordinate environmental audits and inspections – develop protocols, lead team, conduct assessments, make recommendations, assist with implementation of recommendations, follow-up, publish findings, generate reports, and coordinate with management for provision of resources necessary to mitigate future compliance actions
• Promote ongoing environmental and safety awareness while keeping stakeholders informed of evolving regulations and compliance requirements
• Conduct due diligence on business expansions
• Research requirements for, and assist in the implementation of, permits associated with new business proposals
• Coordinate remediation of sites proposed/requiring closure or sites requiring upgrades before buildouts and performed
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and be able to pass and/or obtain all reporting, testing, and certifications as required for this position and location. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
• At least 4 full years of environmental field experience preferred including permit application, associated plan preparation, permit management, environmental training, inspections/audits, sampling/analysis
• Management of all environmental media - particularly storm water, SPCC, and Air
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to interact positively with all stakeholders
• This position requires up to 50% of traveling