Municipal Stormwater Grant Project Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)
- Description
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Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology is recruiting for a Municipal Stormwater Grant Project Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4) in the Water Quality Program. This position provides guidance to grant and loan recipients in order to help with planning, construction, and implementation of environmental protection projects and is located in our Northwest Regional Office in Bellevue, WA.
We are looking for applicants who want to combine communication and technical skills to work with our grant and loan partners. By working with local governments to implement the agency’s grant and loan programs and manage financial assistance contracts, this position plays an instrumental role in preventing stormwater pollution and protecting ground and surface waters.
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.
To learn more about our agency, check us out on our website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.
Local efforts… Diverse people… Statewide impacts
- Duties
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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.
The Municipal Stormwater Grant Project Specialist provides financial assistance management for complicated, highly complex, and sometimes controversial stormwater projects in the Stillaguamish, Island, Snohomish, and Cedar Water Resource Inventory Areas. This includes:
- Developing, negotiating, implementing, and monitoring terms of agreement for complex stormwater improvement projects.
- Reviewing environmental stormwater grant applications for accuracy and compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Coordinating with grant recipients at key stages of the projects.
- Gaining consensus with internal and external stakeholders and grantees.
- Tracking project performance against contract obligations, which includes visiting sites at critical stages to make sure they are following the grant agreements.
This position will also serve as the section specialist on the intersection between stormwater grants and watershed planning, innovative pollutant removal, or other stormwater topic areas, and will:
- Respond to highly complex inquiries for technical assistance to inform Ecology and local governments on selecting and prioritizing the use of different stormwater treatment strategies in stormwater planning.
- Serve as a team member on the Stormwater Financial Assistance Program (SFAP) workgroup. The SFAP workgroup is a multidisciplinary team of stormwater project managers that share specialized stormwater-related regulatory and technical skills critical for the identification and execution of cost effective stormwater improvement projects.
This project position is funded until June 30, 2021.Please Note: The salary range for this position is up to 5% higher than standard Environmental Specialist 4 positions due to assignment pay that is given based on this position’s location.This position will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be on March 19, 2018. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before March 18, 2018. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
- Qualifications
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Required Qualifications:
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.
Additional qualifying experience will substitute, year for year, for education.
OR
A Master’s degree in one of the above fields AND three 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.
OR
A Ph.D. in one of the above fields AND two 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.
OR
Two years of experience 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:
- Experience communicating technical or scientific information with diverse audiences
- Demonstrated ability to review and understand complex technical documents
- Demonstrated ability to understand complex water quality related statutes, regulations, and permits
- Demonstrated ability to apply negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- GIS experience or certification
- Project Management experience
- Watershed Planning experience
- Innovative stormwater pollutant removal technology experience
- Stormwater facility operations and maintenance experience
- Municipal stormwater permitting and/or total maximum daily load development and implementation experience
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
Must possess 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. - Supplemental Information
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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 Ralph Svrjcek at: ralph.svrjcek@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Ralph 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.
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More than Just a Paycheck!Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career and that your priority is making sure that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That’s why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
Read about our benefits:The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work. Check with the agency human resource office for specific benefit information.Insurance BenefitsEmployees and families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state. Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts. To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website.Retirement and Deferred CompensationState Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems‘ web site.Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.
Vacation (Annual Leave)You begin accruing vacation starting your first month of employment. Since we value your loyalty, the amount of vacation you can accrue increases the longer you work with us. Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year. Vacation accrues for full-time employees per WAC 357-31-165.Holidays
Full-time employees are entitled to eleven* paid holidays:HOLIDAYDATENew Year’s DayJanuary 1Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthdayThird Monday in JanuaryPresidents’ DayThird Monday in FebruaryMemorial DayLast Monday in MayIndependence DayJuly 4Labor DayFirst Monday in SeptemberVeterans’ DayNovember 11Thanksgiving DayFourth Thursday in November & Friday afterChristmas DayDecember 25Personal HolidayEmployee’s selection each calendar year*Employees who are members of certain Unions are entitled to an additional personal leave day of their choice. Please refer to specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.
Social SecurityAll state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.Sick LeaveFull-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Paid sick leave may be used for reasons included in WAC 357-31-130.Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information.
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01How did you first learn about this job posting?
- Community Based Organization
- Community / Technical College
- Ecology Employee
- Ecology Recruiter
- Ecology Jobs Page
- Job Board
- Job Fair
- Other State Agency
- Other Website
- Professional Association
- University Job Board
- WorkSource
- www.careers.wa.gov
02If you selected Community Based Organization, Community / Technical College, Job Board, Job Fair, LinkedIn Group, Newspaper, Other State Agency, Other Website, Professional Association, Radio, University Job Board or WorkSource location then please share which one.03Please select the statement that best describes your level of education in environmental, physical or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning, or other allied field.- I have 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.
- I have 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).
- I have 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.
- I have a Bachelor’s degree.
- I have a Master’s degree.
- I have a Ph.D.
- None of the above statements apply.
04Please indicate your degree and major.05Please select the statement that best describes your professional experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning.- I have at least one year of experience.
- I have at least two years of experience.
- I have at least three years of experience.
- I have at least four years of experience.
- I have at least five years of experience.
- I have at least six years of experience.
- I have at least seven years of experience.
- I have at least eight years of experience.
- I have at least nine years of experience.
- I have at least 2 years of experience as an Environmental Specialist 3.
- None of the above statements apply.
06Please provide additional information to support your response to question’s 5 above. The following information is needed: position title(s), specific duties, and periods of employment. Make sure your response specifically addresses the qualification above. An incomplete answer, including “please see resume” may remove you from further consideration.07Please describe your experience communicating technical or scientific information with diverse audiences. If you do not have this experience, please type NA.08Please describe your experience writing, reviewing, and understanding complex technical documents, especially as it relates to engineering documents. If you do not have this experience, please type NA.09Please describe your experience working with complex water quality-related regulations, and permits, especially NPDES permits. If you do not have this experience, please type NA.10Please describe your experience using negotiation and conflict resolution skills. If you do not have this experience, please type NA.11Please describe your experience related to contract management. If you do not have this experience or training, please type NA.12Please describe your experience or training in GIS. If you do not have this experience or training, please type NA.13Please describe your experience designing, building and/or maintaining stormwater facilities, especially as it relates to low impact development and green infrastructure. If you do not have this experience, please type NA.14Please describe your experience with assessing the effectiveness of water quality improvement projects, such as stormwater treatment devices. If you do not have this experience, please type NA15Please describe your experience in Watershed Planning, especially as it relates to stormwater management and stormwater retrofitting. If you do not have this experience, please type NA16Please describe your Project Management experience. If you do not have this experience, please type NA.17Do you have a valid Driver’s License?- Yes
- No
Required Question
- Agency
- State of Washington
- Address
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View Job Posting for Agency Information
View Job Posting for Location, Washington, 98504.
- Phone
- View Posting for Agency Contact
- Website
- http://www.careers.wa.gov