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Water Quality Standards and Assessment Analyst

Washington State Department of Ecology
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Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the hiring process, prior to their start date. 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 Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Water Quality Standards and Assessment Analyst (Environmental Specialist 3) position. 

This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is required to work in the office at least 20% of the time (average of 1 day a week). Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. Looking ahead, Ecology has recently updated the agency policies on telework and flexible and compressed work schedules. Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.”

This position works with a small team of water quality scientists who assess statewide datasets to report on the condition of lakes, rivers, and marine waters in Washington. We are looking for applicants who want to apply their water quality monitoring, data analysis, and data management skills to improve our analysis process and assessment techniques. This is an opportunity to learn real-world application of environmental data for use in Federal Clean Water Act programs.

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

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.

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. 
 
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of May 27, 2022. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before May 26, 2022. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
 
Duties

What makes this role unique?
This position is located in the Watershed Management Section and directly supports the Program mission by being a subject matter expert for environmental data and analysis. This position is a key part of the Water Quality Assessment team working with complex and large scale datasets to fulfill Washington’s Federal Clean Water Act (CWA)requirements. This position coordinates with related programs, such as the Environmental Information Management (EIM) team, the Water Quality Atlas workgroup, and IT database managers.

What you will do: 

Water Quality Assessment Data Analysis and Review
You will review biological, chemical, and water quality condition data to determine compliance with state rules and agency policy.
  
  • Analyze water quality data and make recommendations to the Water Quality Assessment (WQA) team.
  • Research and review narrative information submitted for consideration in the WQA. 
  • Develop technical write-ups to support decision-making process.
  • Perform Quality Assurance reviews of the state water quality assessment tools, including manual reviews of automated data analysis procedures developed by the Information Technology Service Office (ITSO).
 
 Water Quality Assessment Data Quality and Database Content Management
 You will manage Water Quality Assessment data for submittal to EPA .
  
  • Serve as the subject matter expert for the national EPA ATTAINS database. Manage best practices, troubleshooting, and internal instructions for submitting WQA data to the EPA.
  • Provide technical recommendations to staff for compliance with data import rules. 
  • Participate in the WQA project team as the subject matter expert on the WQA assessment (AU) spatial (GIS) dataset. 
  • Manage the WQA monitoring site GIS datasets for inclusion in the WQA automation tools.
  • Consult with WQ Information Technology Services Unit to maintain and enhance the program’s Watershed Assessment Tracking System
  • Assist lead in scoping and development of WQA data analysis tools.
  • Follow agency data quality protocols to assist the program’s data coordinator in the upload of external datasets submitted to Ecology for the WQA.
 
 Water Quality Standards Development
 You will help senior staff develop Surface Water Quality Standards.

  • Perform research projects (such as literature compilations and reaching out to other states) on best available science to assist senior technical staff in updating aquatic life water quality standards.
  • Participate on the WQ Standards team as the subject matter expert on the surface water quality standards (SWQS) spatial (GIS) dataset. Act as the program point-of-contact for management and updates to the SWQS GIS dataset.
  • Perform spatial analysis, permit review, and similar tasks necessary to assist department economist staff to complete regulatory analysis necessary for WQ standards rulemaking.


Qualifications

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

Option 1: 
 Six (6) years of experience and/ or education:
  • Education: involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.
  • Experience: in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning. 
Experience may include a combination of the following:
  • Monitoring of water quality, fisheries, or aquatic and terrestrial habitat
  • Developing environmental data collection or monitoring plans
  • Organizing, reviewing, or analyzing environmental datasets
  • Implementing environmental data quality assurance and quality control measures
  • Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools for analysis 

 Option 2:
  • A Bachelor's degree involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.
  • Two (2) years of experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning, which may include experience as described in Option 1 above.

 Option 3:
  • A Master's degree involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.
  • One (1) year of experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning, which may include experience as described in Option 1 above.

 Option 4:
  • A PhD involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.


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


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

  • Experience working with environmental or scientific data
  • Experience using GIS, including map development and spatial analysis
  • Experience using spreadsheet and database programs (such as MS Excel, MS Access, or statistical tools) to manipulate and perform analysis on datasets
  • Water quality and habitat field monitoring experience
  • Environmental data management and analysis skills, including basic R scripting.

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 1-800-833-6388.
  • 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 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.
  • Three professional references.

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 Chad Brown at: Chad.Brown@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Chad 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.