Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

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 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 at www.ecy.wa.gov and check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Local efforts… Diverse people… Statewide impacts

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 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.

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.

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 five 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 two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.

• A Master’s degree in one of the above fields AND three 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.

• A Ph.D. in one of the above fields AND two 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.

• Two years as an Environmental Specialist 3.

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 3 can include a combination of the following: 1) investigating and / or resolving complaints involving science or technology content, 2) performing inspections, 3) drafting technical evaluations and reports, 4) develops plans for researching information used for technical projects, regulatory or policy development, 5) plan and facilitate public meetings and hearings, 6) project work requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes, 7) providing technical assistance for complex scientific content and/ or support for implementing scientific content programs, 8) conducting tests, analyzing and evaluating data, 9) using environmental databases to support technical projects, 10) developing scientific studies and resource management plans, 11) 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: 1) performing field surveys or studies, 2) responding to complaints involving scientific or technical content, 3) preparing public meetings and hearings, 4) assistance with routine inspections or investigations requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes, 5) responding to routine inquires or requests for technical assistance involving scientific content, 6) special projects that are scientific in nature, 7) conducting routine sampling and testing analysis, interprets data, writing reports 8) performing basic sampling data review, 9) maintaining an environmental data base to support technical projects, 10) 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

Please note the following benefit that isn’t listed in the Benefits tab:

Student Loans and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program:
Employees are eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

Application Instructions:

Please include the following documents as an attachment to your application:

• A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
• A resume outlining your professional experience.

Please complete the applicant profile when applying for this position. Or, you may paste the text of your resume within the profile’s resume text field.

Please read the supplemental questions carefully and answer completely. Incomplete responses, including “please see resume” may disqualify you from further consideration.

Department of 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 at (360) 407-6186.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on “Look for Jobs” and select Dept. of Ecology under the “Department” search list. Click “Apply Search.”


Other Information:

If you need assistance applying for this job, please call Human Resources at (360) 407-6186 or e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. 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 at: Chris.Montague-Breakwell@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Chris to inquire about the status of your application.

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.

This position is included in the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) union bargaining unit for the Department of Ecology. All employees covered by the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the WFSE will, as a condition of employment, either become members of the WFSE and pay membership dues or, as non-members, pay a representation fee as described in the CBA, no later than the 30th day following the effective date of this CBA or the beginning of their employment.

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 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.