Local recruitment: Large-scale Project TMDL Lead (Environmental Specialist 5)

Washington Department of Ecology

Lacey, WA, USA 🇺🇸

An image without description
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Large-scale TMDL Project Lead (Environmental Specialist 5) position.

This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
 
Washington State is at the forefront of finding creative ways to clean-up polluted waters. Ecology’s Water Quality Program is looking to fill our Headquarters Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) lead position. In this position, you will work on the water quality clean-up plan for one of our iconic watersheds to protect salmon: the Columbia and Snake Rivers Temperature Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Plan. You will find creative solutions to water quality problems, connect with local communities and communicate the complex relationship between water quality and land use. In the future, you will also provide TMDL policy support for the program and work on the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction Project.

Because you will work on complex water quality clean-up projects, you will learn about all parts of the Clean Water Act (CWA) ranging from TMDLs and modeling, our nonpoint source pollution and NPDES permit programs, water quality standards, and water quality trading. This will prepare you for future CWA policy work.

If you enjoy working on challenging projects and distilling key science, policy, and technical information to help solve complex environmental problems, apply today!

Agency Mission: Ecology’s mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.  

Program Mission: The mission of the Water Quality Program is to ensure that all aquatic life and communities in the watershed experience cool, clean water to refresh and sustain us in a changing climate.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint. This position will be eligible for up to a 80% tele-work schedule. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled; we will review applications on August 7, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before August 6, 2024. If your application isn’t received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.

Please Note: We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan ForgivenessTuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life InsuranceDeferred Compensation ProgramsDependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)Employee Assistance ProgramCommute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader)Combined Fund DriveSmartHealth *Click here for more information 

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State’s environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our Strategic Plan.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:
  • A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
  • An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
  • Continuous growth and development opportunities.
  • Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) 
are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

 

Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.
Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

 
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.

 

Duties

 

An image without description

What makes this role unique?
You will lead the development of technically and politically complex water clean-up plans and work on statewide TMDL policy.

Water temperatures in the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers are well above levels protective of salmon. Ecology is responsible for drafting an implementation plan for the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers Temperature TMDL. The plan will detail our strategy for how we will reduce temperature pollution to the Columbia and Snake Rivers, including working with dam operators and our Water Quality 401 certification staff, working with permit staff for point sources, and prioritizing nonpoint pollution clean-up efforts.

You will also get to work on the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction Project which is using the latest science to develop a plan to reduce human sources of nutrients to the Sound.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to craft real-world solutions to water quality problems in our State’s most iconic waterbodies. You will work with a collaborative group of water quality professionals and scientists that foster a strong team atmosphere. We have a culture that is invested in making a difference and is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people.

What you will do:

  • Draft the Columbia and Snake River TMDL implementation plan.
  • Build relationships and engage with federal and state agencies, city and county governments, Public Utility districts, Federal dam operators, Tribes, conservation districts, environmental groups, POTWs, and other local stakeholders during plan development.
  • Coordinate with federal and state staff for the Columbia and Snake River dams to determine how hydropower facilities can meet their load allocations.
  • Participate and help organize community outreach activities, in coordination with our communication team, to support development and implementation of the Columbia and Snake Rivers Temperature TMDL Implementation Plan and the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction project.
  • Provide internal technical and policy support to regional staff working on TMDLs.
  • Regularly update and inform Ecology Leadership on the successful progress on these highly visible projects.

 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

  • 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
  • 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

A total of 10 years of experience and/or education as described below:

  • Experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning.
  • Education: involving a major study in environmental, physical or one of the natural sciences, land use or natural resource planning, public administration with an environmental emphasis, forestry, environmental planning or other allied field.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

Possible CombinationsCollege credit hours or degree – as listed above.Years of required experience – as listed above.
Combination 1No college credit hours or degree10 years of experience
Combination 230-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.9 years of experience
Combination 360-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).8 years of experience
Combination 490-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.7 years of experience
Combination 5A Bachelor’s Degree6 years of experience
Combination 6A Master’s Degree4 years of experience
Combination 7A Ph.D.3 years of experience

Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below:

  • Experience with developing or implementing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)


Note: 
Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

 

Supplemental Information

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

  • Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
  • If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
  • If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile’s main page.
  • If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.

Application Instructions:

It’s in the applicant’s best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

  • A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
  • A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

  • Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.
  • Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.

Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:

Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

Application Attestation:

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Other Information:

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Ben Rau at: ben.rau@ecy.wa.gov  Please do not contact Ben to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

Why work for Ecology?

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State’s environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedInTwitterFacebookInstagram or our blog.


Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

You ad could be here!