Senior Nonpoint Water Quality and Shellfish Specialist, Environmental Specialist 4

~ Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen ~

The mission of the Water Quality Program is to protect and restore Washington's waters to sustain healthy watersheds and communities. Our work ensures that state waters support beneficial uses including recreational and business activities, supplies for clean drinking water, and the protection of fish, shellfish, wildlife, and public health.

As an agency, we invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website and check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Position Overview

The Department of Ecology has an exciting opportunity for an environmental professional looking to be a part of our Water Quality Program in Lacey, WA. If you want to join a team dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing Washington's waters, this may be the job for you.

The Senior Nonpoint Water Quality and Shellfish Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4) manages complex projects associated with implementing nonpoint source water pollution strategies to protect water quality and shellfish resources.

We are looking for applicants who want to combine their strong science skills and technical knowledge in order to work collaboratively with the public, other government agencies, and tribes, to achieve Ecology's mission of protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington's environment for future generations.

As a nonpoint lead and section specialist, the Senior Nonpoint Water Quality and Shellfish Specialist is responsible for responding to nonpoint water pollution concerns and implementing watershed cleanup plans within Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs) draining to the Pacific. Additionally, this position will provide for technical assistance and regulatory actions, including NPDES permits, related to shellfish resources, livestock and tillage assessments, and other nonpoint-related work.

Responsibilities

This position will:

• Focus on the Water Quality Program priority concerning the coastal shellfish resources of the Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor area in support of the Washington Shellfish Initiative.
• Respond to and investigate complex or highly technical nonpoint source water quality complaints or violations, and use collaboration, technical and financial assistance, and, if necessary, enforcement to address noncompliance with water quality laws and regulations.
• Coordinate with the public, shellfish industry, growers associations, governmental agencies, the tribes, and elected officials, on issues related to the protection of the shellfish resources.
• Provide outreach and education about appropriate best management practices and land uses protective of shellfish at public meetings, local government, district boards, and other events.
• Provide technical assistance to a wide variety of audiences on nonpoint water pollution concerns including water quality sampling, policies, laws and regulations through presentations, letters, telephone or other communication methods.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet at least one of the below options:

• A Bachelor's degree involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field AND 5 years of professional-level experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or 2 years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.
• Additional qualifying experience will substitute year for year for education.

OR

A Master's degree in one of the above fields AND 3 years of professional - level experience as required above which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.

OR

• A Ph.D. in one of the above fields AND 2 years of professional-level experience as required above which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or 2 years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.

OR

• 2 years as an Environmental Specialist 3.

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 3 can include a combination of the following:

• Investigating and / or resolving complaints involving science or technology content.
• Performing inspections.
• Drafting technical evaluations and reports.
• Develops plans for researching information used for technical projects, regulatory or policy development.
• Plan and facilitate public meetings and hearings.
• Project work requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes.
• Providing technical assistance for complex scientific content and/ or support for implementing scientific content programs.
• Conducting tests, analyzing and evaluating data.
• Using environmental databases to support technical projects.
• Developing scientific studies and resource management plans.
• Providing environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant/ contract/ loan recipients of environmental protection projects.

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 2 can include assisting in any of the following areas:

• Performing field surveys or studies.
• Responding to complaints involving scientific or technical content.
• Preparing public meetings and hearings.
• Assistance with routine inspections or investigations requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes.
• Responding to routine inquires or requests for technical assistance involving scientific content.
• Special projects that are scientific in nature.
• Conducting routine sampling and testing analysis, interprets data, writing reports.
• Performing basic sampling data review.
• Maintaining an environmental data base to support technical projects.
• Providing routine environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant/ contract/ loan recipients of environmental protection projects.

Desired Qualifications:

• GIS experience or certification.
• Mediation training.
• Water quality sampling experience or training.
• Laboratory experience.
• Agricultural experience or agriculture-related degree.

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment:

• Must obtain and maintain a valid Driver's License.

To Apply

Please click "Apply on Company Website" below. 

This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be December 6, 2017. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before December 5, 2017. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

If you need assistance applying for this job, please call Human Resources at (360) 407-6186 or email. Please do not call this number or send an email to this address to follow-up the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Chris Montague-Breakwell. Please do not contact Chris to inquire about the status of your application.

~ Local efforts... Diverse people... Statewide impacts ~