Description

As our community responds to the public health emergency, the Department of Ecology’s priority is to keep our staff, candidates and the public safe. We are experiencing some delays as we transition to a virtual recruitment process. Thank you for your patience and we will be in touch as soon as we are able. We encourage you to apply to open postings.

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

Protecting Washington State’s environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at the Department of Ecology. We have a compassionate workplace invested in making a difference. If you want to join a team that is highly effective, collaborative, with leadership that embraces the values of people, Ecology is a great fit.

The Regulatory Assistance Unit is working to ensure the safe management of hazardous waste for our businesses, families and the environment throughout Washington State. Our work is to enforce environmental regulations, permit waste treatment companies, conduct community outreach and clean up toxic pollution at legacy industrial sites.

We are looking for a new unit supervisor at our Headquarters office in Lacey, WA. This position is within our Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program.

As a unit supervisor, your job is to empower and coach a dynamic team of ten professionals. These skilled staff are working to protect Washington’s residents and environment through the implementation of the Washington State Dangerous Waste Regulations, also known as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Program.

There is an ongoing need to protect public health from the use and disposal of industrial chemicals, as well as from everyday consumer products that contain chemicals of concern. In fact, the largest source of chemical pollution is not coming from point sources like smokestacks or sewer pipes, but from the combined slow and steady release of chemicals from consumer products.

If you lead people with empathy, transparency, good decision-making skills, and are excited to shape the future of Washington, please apply by April 14, 2020.

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.ecology.wa.gov. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Local efforts… Diverse people… Statewide impacts

Duties

What the team does

Our team provides regulatory assistance so that businesses are educated and follow the state dangerous waste regulations. Our team is responsible for developing and implementing the regulations to ensure that dangerous wastes are properly handled and disposed. We also permit the treatment of these toxic wastes so that our businesses have safe disposal options.

Washington is a national leader in the implementation of these regulations. For more than 30 years, Ecology has been running the approved RCRA program. Our team writes the regulations, provides guidance and technical assistance, and enforces the law where necessary. This team is at the front lines of this important regulatory work.

This team also implements the Dangerous Waste Regulations, Chapter 173-303, by:
Developing and issuing rules through a public review process.
Providing business technical assistance and guidance for these regulations.
Developing, negotiating, issuing and renewing Dangerous Waste permits.
Overseeing the regulation of Treatment, Storage, Disposal or Recycling (TSDRs) and Used Oil facilities.
Ensuring that certain businesses meet necessary financial assurance requirements to avoid costly future cleanups.
Developing statewide regulatory guidance, policy, and interpretations.
Developing Public Notice documents for permits, modifications, and corrective action orders state-wide
Supporting community engagement and environmental justice outreach.
Supporting our regional inspectors so they can enforce the regulations.

In this position, you will:
Supervise up to ten positions, including regulatory analysts, project managers, environmental specialists, and engineers who are experts in their fields.
Handle personnel issues and promote staff development.
Develop clear expectations and goals.
Facilitate collaboration.
Support staff in speaking about their work and expertise to other agency staff, partner agencies, interest groups, news media, and the public.
Ensure successful rulemaking, rule implementation, and compliance efforts under regulatory frameworks.

We’re looking for a strategic state regulator.
Develop plans and goals for the team.
Stay organized.
Use good decision-making frameworks. Understand the problem, gather information from experts and stakeholders, focus on the desired outcome, and challenge assumptions.
Prioritize and help others prioritize.
Encourage feedback.

We’re looking for a collaborative and empowering leader.
Lead with empathy, transparency, and humility.
Build a cohesive team that has a strong sense of purpose.
Communicate with emotional intelligence.
Facilitate change and growth.
Empower staff to participate in decisions that affect their work.
Facilitate collaboration that emphasizes how each person’s professional opinion complements others in the group.
Maintain a sense of humor and positivity in serious work.
Build strong relationships.
Keep commitments and help others stay accountable.
Acknowledge when something doesn’t go well and support staff in continually improving.

We’re looking for someone passionate about safe waste management.

Are you passionate about reducing harm to human health and the environment? If you’re excited for the opportunity to lead a team doing this critically important work, please submit your application by April 14, 2020.

As our community responds to the public health emergency, the Department of Ecology’s priority is to keep our staff, candidates and the public safe. We are experiencing some delays as we transition to a virtual recruitment process. Thank you for your patience and we will be in touch as soon as we are able. We encourage you to apply to open postings.

This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be April 14, 2020. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before April 13, 2020. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas: natural science, environmental, or physical sciences, science, environmental management, engineering, environmental planning, public administration, public health, environmental law, environmental economics, or related field.

Additional qualifying experience in natural science, environmental, or physical sciences, science, environmental management, engineering, environmental planning, public administration, public health, environmental law, environmental economics, or related field may substitute year for year for education.

AND

Five years of professional level experience in regulatory development, project management, budget management, environmental compliance, permitting, engineering, or related field.

AND

At least two of the five years of experience leading or facilitating multi-disciplinary teams, or supervising staff to address policy issues, regulations, projects, or implementation of new programs and laws.

NOTE: Additional graduate level education in one of the fields listed above may substitute year for year experience, for up to two years.

Desired Qualifications:
Experience in management and/or supervision.
Knowledge of Washington State laws and regulations pertaining to hazardous waste, field implementation of same, permitting and/or pollution prevention.

Supplemental Information

Application Instructions:

In order to be considered, applicants MUST attach the following documents as attachments to their application:
A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
A resume.
Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.

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.

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 e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not 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 Ken Zarker at: Ken.Zarker@ECY.WA.GOV. Please do not contact Ken 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.

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.