Local recruitment: Hydrogeologist / Cleanup Site Manager (Hydrogeologist 4)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Hydrogeologist / Cleanup Site Manager (Hydrogeologist 4) within the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP).

Location:

• Northwest Region Office in Shoreline, WA.
• The salary listed includes 5% premium pay due to the position location in King County.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Assignment Pay:

• The salary listed includes 7.5% assignment pay due to the required licensure.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of three days per week is required in the office, including in-person meetings and activities, to maintain a dedicated assigned workspace.
• You may telework two days per week where work activities permit.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by February 1, 2026.
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

We are seeking a senior-level licensed hydrogeologist to provide technical expertise and project management for complex contaminated site cleanups under the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA). In this role, you will apply advanced geological, hydrogeological, fate and transport, and engineering principles to drive site characterization, remedial investigation, feasibility evaluation, and remediation. You will exercise professional judgment, ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks, and collaborate with Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) management, potentially liable person (PLP) consultants, other agencies, and interested parties to advance and complete cleanup projects.

This position offers a dynamic mix of technical review, field oversight, project management, and engagement with interested parties, giving you the opportunity to influence meaningful environmental outcomes across a portfolio of challenging cleanup sites, while working with a team of colleagues and promoting technical excellence.

What you will do:

• Provide technical oversight for assigned Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA)-contaminated sites, ensuring work follows sound geologic, hydrogeologic, fate and transport, and engineering principles.
• Manage cleanup projects, including schedules, milestones, and coordination with PLP consultants and Ecology external contractors.
• Review and approve technical documents, such as work plans, remedial investigations, feasibility studies, cleanup action plans and remedial designs, for accuracy, completeness, and regulatory compliance.
• Conduct field visits to observe site activities and provide guidance on investigation, sampling, and remediation.
• Work with colleagues to provide technical support, including peer reviews and guidance, to promote and maintain technical excellence and project uniformity.
• Prepare written communications, including emails, letters, memos, technical reports, and summaries, and represent projects with agencies, interested parties, and the public.
• Work with TCP management to procure and manage Ecology external contracts for technical support for select projects according to agency policies.
• Maintain project and site records in agency systems, ensuring accurate data management and supporting reporting and compliance requirements.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience, please visit our Recruitment website.

Possession of a valid Washington State Hydrogeologist Specialty license

AND

Nine years of professional experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience as a hydrogeologist, hydrologist, geologist or closely allied profession.
• Education involving a major study in hydrogeology, hydrology, geology or closely allied field.
• The above education and experience may be concurrent with the time it takes to get licensure.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 9 years of experience.
• 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
• 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
• 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree.
• 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• This position requires possession of a valid Washington State Hydrogeologist specialty license within 6 months after hiring.

NOTE: Individuals who are interested in applying to this position, and believe they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington based on reciprocity, are responsible for ensuring they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington prior to submitting their application materials. These requirements can be found at the following website:  WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: How to get your license: Geologists, engineering geologists, or hydrogeologists by reciprocity.

Desired Qualifications:

• Effective technical writing, verbal communication, project management, and meeting facilitation skills.
• Experience with mixed media sampling, laboratory analytical methods, and environmental data analysis.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills, including the ability to analyze complex technical information, evaluate and identify data gaps, evaluate data quality and project assumptions, apply professional judgment, and develop clear, defensible solutions for complex environmental problems.

If you are excited about this role but not sure if your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

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.

Application Process

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 job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:

• Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
• Resume
• Writing samples demonstrating proficiency in authoring and/or review of technical documents, such as work plans, remedial investigations, feasibility studies, cleanup action plans and remedial designs, for accuracy, completeness, and regulatory compliance may be requested.

Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.

For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Need an Accommodation?

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:

• Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.

Questions?

• For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Brett Carp at Brett.Carp@ecy.wa.gov.
• If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology 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. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

About the Toxics Cleanup Program

The mission of the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) is to protect Washington’s human health and the environment by preventing and cleaning up pollution and supporting sustainable communities and natural resources for the benefit of future and current generations.

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 Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives, Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.

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.

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

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.