Drugs Incinerator Industrial Technical Advisor

Duties and Responsibilities

• Industrial and Facility Management
  • Maintenance of the destruction facility, the building, machinery and equipment, waste storage, and monitoring systems.
  • Ensuring adequate supplies (gases and other combustibles) for operations. 
  • Ensuring all systems (software, computers, security) are up to date and operational.
  • Controlling the industrial and chemical processes to ensure they are carried out in compliance with all standard operating procedures. This may include monitoring process variables such as temperature, pressure, flow, and other key variables.
  • Ensuring rigorous compliance with and enforcement of all GOCR, Poder Judicial and OIJ safety standards in the workplace, including proper use of personal protective equipment, training on safe handling of chemicals, and response to emergency situations; conducting regular safety audits, risk assessments and drills and ensuring all building, machinery and safety equipment and systems are in good working order and in compliance with the latest regulations.
  • Identifying, documenting, and addressing any process problems, such as quality deviations, equipment failures, or safety issues, and immediately take corrective measures to resolve any issues in an effective and efficient manner.
  • Developing and implementing operational strategies for the efficient and safe destruction of toxic materials that adhere to all Costa Rican legal requirements and industry best practices.
  • Ensuring all Poder Judicial protocols for drug destruction are strictly complied with, including delivery of drugs to the incinerator, scheduling of judges, and disposal of post-destruction material.
  • Monitoring and analyzing process efficiency, waste reduction, and energy consumption, implementing improvements as needed.
  • Ensuring the proper management of chemical waste generated during the process (ash and other byproducts). This may include the treatment, storage, and safe disposal of waste.
  • Maintaining detailed records of processes, analysis results, and other relevant data. This documentation is essential for regulatory compliance and traceability.
• Personnel Management: The Advisor will be responsible for providing technical assistance (and training as needed) to the OIJ Drugs Incinerator Supervisor to ensure that OIJ designs and implements procedures and protocols for personnel management of Incinerator Staff, including designing position descriptions, conducting regular performance evaluations, providing staff motivation, trainings, ensuring compliance with and knowledge of all advancements in waste disposal and drug destruction technologies and industry trends, integrating relevant innovations into operations, etc. 
• Regulatory Compliance: The Advisor will be responsible for providing technical assistance (and training as needed) to the OIJ Drugs Incinerator Supervisor, Chief Industrial Engineer, and Drugs Incinerator team to help them create and or/strengthen systems and SOPs to monitor and ensure compliance with all Poder Judicial, OIJ, and Costa Rican government environmental regulations and permits, and obtain all necessary approvals from relevant authorities. This includes OIJ coordination and monitoring of all laboratory and/or safety tests carried out by external entities, analyzing the results, and implementing any recommendations.
• Effective Cross-Agency Communication Strategies: The Advisor will be responsible for providing technical assistance (and training as needed) to the OIJ Drugs Incinerator Supervisor, Chief Industrial Engineer, and Drugs Incinerator team to help them create effective channels and methods of communication with Poder Judicial, Prosecutor’s office, OIJ offices, Costa Rican environmental agencies and regulatory bodies, and the U.S. Embassy, to maintain open communication and effectively resolve any compliance or other issues.
• Information Management: The Advisor will be responsible for providing technical assistance (and training as needed) to the OIJ Drugs Incinerator Supervisor, Chief Industrial Engineer, and Drugs Incinerator team to help them design and implement systems and SOPs for effective and secure receipt, dissemination, storage and regular review and updating of all information and documents related to systems operations, including but not limited to: operations manuals; safety and environmental; acquisitions & procurement; repairs; maintenance; meetings; regulatory and legal actions or changes; personnel management and training; budgeting; maintain schedules, including all areas related to incineration operations, such as ordering drug quantities from the warehouse, scheduling of judges, combustible purchases, etc.
• Budget: The Advisor will be responsible for providing technical assistance (and training as needed) to the OIJ Drugs Incinerator Supervisor, Chief Industrial Engineer, and Drugs Incinerator team to help them manage budgeting, procurement of resources, and cost control to optimize the operation's financial performance.
• Reporting: The Advisor will be responsible for providing technical assistance (and training as needed) to the OIJ Drugs Incinerator Supervisor, Chief Industrial Engineer, and Drugs Incinerator team to help them design and implement a system for the timely preparation, submission and retention of accurate records and reports on operations, safety incidents, and environmental performance to OIJ and Poder Judicial management and regulatory agencies. 

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen or local national of Costa Rica.
• The candidate must be able to pass an ATSG background investigation to begin employment and must obtain and maintain a RSO certification to gain Embassy access and be eligible for continued employment.
• English FSI level 3/3.
• Spanish FSI level 4/4.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Industrial Management, or a related field.
• At least 5 (five) years of demonstrated experience managing industrial operations, preferably in hazardous waste management, drug destruction, or related sectors.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Costa Rican environmental regulations, safety protocols, waste disposal methods, and both Costa Rican and international standards for toxic materials handling and disposal. 
• Demonstrated ability to understand and interpret health, safety, and environmental test results.
• Demonstrated knowledge of safety protocols, risk assessment, and emergency response procedures.
• Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to motivate and guide a diverse team.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Over 5 years' experience in a dedicated management position overseeing complex industrial operations.
• Master’s degree in organizational management
• Experience with international exchanges or education related to complex industrial management, especially in the fields of waste management, drug/waste incineration, or waste emissions.

About ATSG

Application Requirements

• All applications must be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .docx format.
• Applications and resumes for this position are only accepted via electronic submission through ATSG Corporation’s Consolidated Applicant Tracking System (CATS).
• Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications and resumes will not be accepted.
• The decision to interview an applicant is based solely on the information received for this position from their electronic application and/or resume.