Technical Legal Advisor

State of Montana

Agency: State of Montana
Location: MT
Type: full-time
Work arrangement: onsite
Posted: 2026-09-22

Job Description

The Division Technical Legal Advisor for Water Programs is a non-supervisory senior subject-matter expert who provides division-wide leadership at the intersection of water law, science, engineering, and regulatory implementation. The position helps ensure the Water Quality Division's four bureaus apply statutes, rules, and scientific analyses consistently, technically soundly, and defensibly.
This position serves as the division's principal internal resource for cross-bureau technical collaboration, high stakes permits, contested cases, and litigation support, as well as supporting staff and division leadership on proactive approaches to emerging statewide water quality issues. This position works closely with division legal counsel, program staff, bureau chiefs, and the Division Policy Analyst, but does not replace the role of legal counsel or the Policy Analyst's responsibility for policy coordination, rulemaking, legislative analysis, or MEPA-related work.
Essential Functions
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Collaborate with legal counsel and technical staff to interpret complex legal and technical issues affecting water quality programs including development of permit effluents limits, Maui functional equivalence, nondegradation, PFAS treatment, and related water quality requirements.
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Develop, maintain, and improve internal guidance, templates, review protocols, and administrative record practices that promote consistent and defensible decisions across the division.
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Translate legal-technical interpretations into clear, consistent implementation memoranda, expectations, decision frameworks, and recommendations for use across the division bureaus.
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Coordinate technical strategy, administrative record development, expert support, and technical review for matters involving substantial scientific complexity, legal risk, public interest, or potential litigation.
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Assist in providing advanced mentoring, consultation, and training to senior staff on complex regulatory interpretation, technical documentation, expert testimony, and legally defensible decision-making.
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Identify recurring legal-technical issues across the division and establish systems to document decisions, preserve institutional knowledge, reduce duplicative research, and improve consistency and defensibility over time.
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Collaborate with the Division Policy Analyst to maintain awareness of emerging federal policy, scientific developments, and regulatory issues including PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics, and recommend proactive adjustments to divisional approaches.

Bachelor's degree in environmental science, engineering, hydrology, geology, natural resources, public administration, law, or a closely related field.
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Four years of progressively responsible professional experience in water-quality regulation, water-quality science, environmental permitting, water-resource management, engineering review, environmental law, enforcement, or a closely related field.
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Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying complex environmental statutes, regulations, rules, permits, guidance, or technical standards.
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Demonstrated experience with complex water-quality issues, such as NPDES/MPDES permitting, groundwater discharge permitting, TMDLs, nondegradation, water-quality standards, public water supply, enforcement, or environmental litigation support.
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Current valid driver's license and a driving record meeting State of Montana Vehicle Use Policy requirements.
Equivalent combinations of education and directly relevant experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applicant Pool Statement
:

If another department vacancy occurs in this job title within six months, the same applicant pool may be used for the selection.

Training Assignment
:

This agency may use a training assignment. Employees in training assignments may be paid below the base pay established by the agency pay rules. Conditions of the training assignment will be stated in writing at the time of hire.

Salary: $

85,044.00

92,506.00

Yearly

Telework Eligibility
:

Telework Eligible (Full-time telework is not available. Telework schedule must be supervisor approved.)

Benefits Package Eligibility
:

Health Insurance, Paid Leave & Holidays, Retirement Plan

Number of Openings
:

Employee Status
:

Regular

Schedule
:

Full-Time

Job Type
:

Standard

Shift
:

Day Job

Travel
:

Yes, 15 % of the Time

Primary Location
:

Helena

Agency
:

Department of Environmental Quality

Union
:

000 - None

Posting Date
:

Sep 21, 2026, 2:21:46 PM

Closing Date (based on your computer's timezone)
:

Oct 3, 2026, 1:59:00 AM

Required Application Materials
:

Cover Letter, Resume

Contact Name
:

Tiffany Daley

Contact Email
:

Tiffany.Daley@mt.gov

Contact Phone
:

4064444218

Anyone who needs to request a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the HR staff identified on the job listing or by dialing the Montana Relay at 711.
Montana Job Service Offices
also offer services including assistance with submitting an online application.
State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant.

Requirements

requirements.
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