Applied Coastal Research and Engineering Section Manager (WMS Band 2) 

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Shorelands & Environmental Assistance (SEA) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Regional Section Manager (WMS Band 2) position. This position is located in our Headquarter Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Ecology established the Coastal Monitoring & Analysis Program (CMAP) in 1996 and has recently added complementary work units including a Shoreline Mapping Unit and Coastal Engineering Team as part of the newly titled SEA Applied Coastal Research and Engineering (ACRE) Section. Collectively the team performs state of the art research to better understand physical changes along Washington’s beaches, bluffs, and nearshore zones to enhance their management, protection, and restoration while reducing coastal hazards and increasing community resilience. Climate impacts are rapidly increasing in frequency and intensity, changing Washington’s marine areas. This is a unique opportunity to manage a multi-disciplinary team of professional staff who lead research, engineering, mapping, monitoring, data analysis, and technical assistance to support state and local efforts to collaboratively shape a resilience future for communities and the environment. 

This Section Manager position offers a unique opportunity to join a dynamic and collaborative team – Washington State’s Applied Research and Coastal Engineering (ACRE) Section – focused on documenting, understanding, and forecasting coastal processes and change on Washington’s high-energy ocean shorelines as well as the sheltered shorelines of coastal estuaries and the Salish Sea. In this role, you will engage with a wide variety of key issues regarding coastal community and ecosystem resilience, including chronic coastal erosion and flood hazards, climate change impacts on coastal hazards, shoreline and bluff retreat, natural and nature-based multi-benefit coastal projects, process-based restoration projects, and the application of morphodynamic approaches to nearshore habitat and ecosystem services studies.

You will be responsible for fostering the connection between science and policy – coordinating and collaborating across different sections within the SEA Program, the agency, and many other state, federal, and local partners to carry out shared duties to implement state laws and directives. This includes Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58), the Ocean Resources Management Act (RCW 43.143), the Flood Control statutes (Title 86 RCW), and the regulations under each act / statute. You will also implement the Coastal Zone Management Act by administrating tasks under the state’s federally approved Coastal Zone Management Program. You will influence state ocean management actions by providing data and analysis for the state’s Marine Spatial Plan. It is imperative that you uphold quality assurance in the work so policy decisions reflect robust scientific methods, best available information, peer review, and best practices.

Agency Mission: The mission of the Department of Ecology's is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations.

 
Program Mission: The mission of the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program is to create community conservation partnerships to protect and restore our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 60% tele-work schedule. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled. The next review of applications will be on February 5, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before February 4, 2024. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.  

Please Note: We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

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 (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information 

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.
• 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 and challenging? 

In this role, you will supervise, provide guidance, and support 10-15 direct reports and a team of over 20 staff that include permanent and project status. You will manage a highly technical staff of Environmental Engineers, Natural Resource Scientists, Hydrogeologists, and Environmental Specialists. 

You will function as a member for the SEA Program Management Team, assign and manage resources, sponsor program initiatives, inform legislative policy and recommend and approve policies pertaining to personnel, budget, and environmental management.

What you will do:  

Section work includes: 

• Foster collaborative science and coastal research among the Section staff and with external partners.
• Develop coastal resilience projects in collaboration with partner agencies and organizations; assist communities in developing and/or funding coastal resilience projects; provide technical assistance and engineering guidance to communities.
• Manage a multi-disciplinary team of professional staff who lead research, engineering, mapping, monitoring, data analysis, and technical assistance for marine shorelines in Washington.
• Support scientific work of the section, including field and technical investigations and studies to monitor and assess coastal processes in support of science-based resource management.
• Represent state interests to inform policy decision making through membership or participation on state, federal, and regional initiatives such as the Lower Columbia Solutions Group, and Coastal States Organization, Puget Sound Estuary Monitoring Program, Statewide Hazard Mitigation Planning Work Group, etc.
• Develop and manage the section budget for travel, goods and services, equipment, and other routine expenses. Perform final review and approval for delegated signature authority actions, including contracts, purchasing and personnel actions.

 Full authority for final decisions:

• Develop scope and manage the budget of state and federal funding in collaboration with the Coastal/Shorelands Section Manager and SEA Program Management Team.
• Define the program roles and commitments.
• Sign financial agreements and contracts up to $50,000 and making recommendations to program manager and agency for all others that exceed this amount.
• Recruit, hire, train, evaluate, and make recommendations to program manager regarding disciplining personnel.
• Set short and long-term strategic plans for achieving program and agency goals in collaboration with other sections within the SEA Program, the agency, and many other state, federal, and local partners.
• Assign work to section staff.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

 

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

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.

A total of eleven (11) years of experience and/or education as described below: 

Professional level Experience:  related to coastal monitoring, mapping or scientific investigations.
 
Education: Involving major study in coastal science, engineering or related field. 

See chart below for a list of ways to qualify for this position: 

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree - as listed above. 

Years of professional level experience - as listed above. 

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree.

11 years of experience.

Combination 2

I have 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

10 years of experience.

Combination 3

I have 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).

9 years of experience.

Combination 4

I have 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.

8 years of experience.

Combination 5 

A Bachelor's Degree.

7 years of experience.

Combination 6 

A Master's Degree.

5 years of experience.

Combination 7     

A Ph.D. 

3 years of experience.

 
 
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

• Must obtain and maintain a valid driver's license and have the ability to travel alone to multiple work and project sites.
• Must be able to travel and conduct safety assurance of field work in the section.

Knowledge of the principles of management as applied in a scientific work environment, including familiarity with coastal monitoring, analysis and assessment methods.

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

 

• Developing and directing coastal environmental research and field investigations involving the collection, measurement, mapping, modeling, analysis, and evaluation of physical coastal processes and interactions with the built environment.
• Proficiency designing, conducting, implementing coastal research and monitoring the effectiveness of projects to define rate of coastal change and realizing innovative nature-based solutions while working with local communities to promote and accelerate these coastal hazard mitigation actions and community resilience.
• Experience with federal grants, intergovernmental networking and scientific collaborative studies, state coastal management issues, technical presentations at professional conferences and workshops.

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 Joenne McGerr at: Joenne.McGerr@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Joenne 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 LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram 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. 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.