Office of Oil and Gas seeking applicants

The DEP is seeking applicants for inspectors in the Office of Oil and Gas to serve in the northern part of the state.

Inspectors are responsible for environmental regulatory oversight of oil and gas well drilling and production operations.

Additional inspector positions were created with the passage of the Horizontal Well Act in December.

Although several applicants expressed interest in the positions when they were originally posted, finding people who meet the qualifications required for the position has limited the field of candidates.

“We are in a very challenging position,” said James Martin, chief of the office of Oil and Gas for the DEP. “We have jobs that need to be done, but we don’t have enough candidates for them because of the requirements and we are limited in the salary we can offer.”

The starting salary for an inspector is $35,000 per year. That amount is set by statue, so the agency cannot negotiate anything higher with the candidate.

One of the requirements for an inspector includes two years of industry experience. However, one year of experience would be acceptable if the applicant meets one of several other criteria that can serve as a substitute.

For more information or to apply online, visit the Division of Personnel’s website at: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/wv/default.cfm