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Northwest Region Water Quality Planner (Environmental Planner 4)




Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

Are you a strong communicator with experience in Clean Water Act implementation, contaminated site cleanup and/or pollution prevention? And are you looking for an opportunity to apply your experience and skills in an exciting, high-profile and innovative setting? Then the Northwest Region Water Quality Planner position may be for you.
 
The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill the Northwest Region Water Quality Planner (Environmental Planner 4) position. This position plays an important role in controlling sources of pollution and engaging with the diverse communities that live, work and play in the Duwamish River watershed. If you thrive in complex and dynamic situations and enjoy engaging with diverse communities and interests, this may be a rewarding job for you. Read on and apply so that you don’t miss this unique opportunity to become part of the Ecology Water Quality team and make a lasting difference in your community and in Washington’s waters.
 
The mission of the Water Quality Program (WQP) is to protect and restore Washington’s water 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.
 
This position is stationed out of our newly remodeled Northwest Region Office located in  Shoreline, WAThis position is eligible for up to a 90% telework schedule, not counting in-person activities in the field. You will have the opportunity to telework, work from the office, and use office collaboration and meeting spaces as needed to accomplish individual and team objectives. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance to our Shoreline office and surrounding service area. Applicants with questions about telework or flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Telework and flexible schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change in accordance with Agency policies.
 
Please Note: This position has a 5% pay increase due to its duty station location in King County, which is reflected in the salary range posted.
 
 
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of February 27, 2023. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before February 26, 2023. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

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. 
  • 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.

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

What makes this role unique? 
This position uses knowledge of water quality regulations and pollutants to develop and implement regional strategies that aim to reduce and eliminate toxics in the Duwamish River. This position is the Water Quality Program point of contact for Duwamish River stakeholders, and coordinates with a multidisciplinary Ecology team, USEPA and other source control partners with the goal of improving site-specific conditions in the near-term, while at the same time advancing and implementing regional strategies to address water quality pollutants over the long-term. This position is unique: it is our only regional water quality planner in the Northwest Region. Although most of the duties are dedicated to Duwamish River source control and community engagement, this position also gets to explore and support a broad range of other water quality initiatives in the region.

What you will do: 
  • In collaboration with the other members of the Water Quality Program’s (WQP) Duwamish Team, develop and implement water quality improvement strategies and activities involving NPDES and State Waste Discharge permitting, innovative partnerships, financial assistance, stakeholder involvement, and public education and outreach.
  • Participate as the Water Quality Program’s primary representative on Ecology’s cross-program Lower Duwamish Waterway Team and on the multi-agency Lower Duwamish Source Control Work Group working to provide source control to post-remediated sediments in the Lower Duwamish Superfund Site. 
  • Coordinate with US Environmental Protection Agency in support of policies and regulations that reduce toxics at the source and align cleanup and clean water decisions and plans.
  • Compile WQP information (e.g., inspections, enforcements, data) for inclusion in routine source control Status Reports, sufficiency evaluations, and EPA reporting.
  • Build and maintain trusted relationships with members and leaders of Duwamish watershed communities in order to ensure access to information and facilitate community participation to address environmental justice concerns, including organizing and/or attending in-person activities.
  • Develop regional approaches and toxics control implementation strategies in coordination with representatives from the Toxics Cleanup and Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction programs, headquarters representatives and other programs and regions to ensure statewide consistency. 
  • Collaborate with others to scope and implement watershed studies that fill data gaps, inform source control actions and/or measure environmental trends for toxics, and other pollutants.



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:
A Bachelor's degree with major emphasis in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.
AND

Five years of professional experience in water quality permitting, stormwater management, toxics clean up, pollution prevention, or environmental planning.

Option 2:

A Master's degree or above with major emphasis in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

AND

Three years of professional experience in water quality permitting, stormwater management, toxics clean up, pollution prevention, or environmental planning.

Option 3:
One year of experience as an Environmental Planner 3 at Ecology.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 
  • Must possess 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 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. 
Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  


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 Rachel McCrea at: Rachel.McCrea@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Rachel 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 1-800-833-6388.

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.