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Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18th, 2021. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 Vaccination as part of the hire process. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 Vaccination” in the subject line.  

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen


The Water Resources Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Staff Hydrogeologist position. This position is located in our Southwest Regional Office in Lacey, WA.

In this role, you will manage and protect Washington’s ground water and surface water supplies, protect senior water rights (including yet to be quantified Tribal water rights), protect streamflows, and provide technical assistance to a wide range of people and organizations, including: state residents, local and Tribal government staff, hydrogeological, engineering and environmental consultants, real estate agents, attorneys and partner state agencies such as the Department of Health and Department of Fish and Wildlife.
 
If you would like doing field visits to the different reaches of Southwest Washington, this position may be especially rewarding to you. Ecology’s Southwest Region has an overall population of over two million people. The Region is comprised of 12 Counties (ranging in population from 4,000 to over 900,000 people), 14 Tribal Nations, 20 different watersheds (12 of which have separate and specific instream flow regulations), and a wide variety of water uses ranging from municipal, multiple domestic, irrigation, fish propagation, power generation, and single domestic uses.
 
In addition, the Southwest Region has two National Parks, one National Volcanic Monument, the mouth and lower portion of the 4th largest river discharge in North America, and several thousand miles of ocean and inland sea coastline.

The mission of the Water Resources (WR) program is to manage water resources to meet the current and future needs of the natural environment and Washington's communities. 

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 embrace the value of people.

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. 
  • A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
  • Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.


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. 

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding building occupancy, mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. 
 
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of October 5, 2021. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before October 4, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
 
Duties

What makes this role unique?

Ecology’s Southwest Region in particular has a wide variety of water availability challenges. Annual precipitation rates ranging from 15 inches to over 100 inches, and geological conditions create sustainable groundwater supplies in some parts of the region, and limited supplies in others.
 
The day-to-day experience in Ecology’s Southwest Region also includes working with a wide variety of dedicated and passionate hydrogeologists, environmental scientist, attorneys, and policy and management professionals. Daily outreach to the public we serve, who have a variety of educational, economic, cultural and social backgrounds, also makes this job challenging and rewarding.
 
This is a great opportunity to develop your writing and communication skills, as this role will involve writing Reports of Examination (ROE) and Hydrogeological Memos.
 
 
 What you'll do: 

  • Serve as a staff hydrogeologist in the Southwest Water Resources Section, which is made up of 14 staff. 
  • Provide comprehensive hydrogeologic technical assistance, such as writing technical memos for Reports of Examination (ROEs) for non-Hydrogeologist permit writers, and support water right management and enforcement decisions.
  • Plan, develop, direct and conduct groundwater investigations, along with higher level staff. 
  • Provide technical reviews of cost reimbursement ROEs, water system plans, and other scientific reports and projects. 
  • Research and draft ROEs and Water Right Permits.
  • Represent the region on Water Resource Program technical committees and before the public. 

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational, volunteer and lived-experience. See below for how you may qualify.

Option 1:

  • A Bachelor's degree involving major study in geology, hydrogeology, hydrology closely allied field.
  • Two years of experience as a hydrogeologist, hydrologist, geologist, or closely allied profession.

Option 2:

  • A Master's degree involving major study in geology, hydrogeology, hydrology closely allied field.

Option 3:
  • One year of experience as a Hydrogeologist 1 at the Department of Ecology.


Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 
  • Must obtain and maintain a valid driver's license.


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 1-800-833-6388.
  • 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 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 (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 Mike Gallagher at: Mike.Gallagher@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Mike 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.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.
To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram 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 1-800-833-6388.

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.