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.

Some of the key work activities of the Agriculture Policy Expert include:

Overall management of agriculture portion of the Nonpoint Program: Addresses nonpoint pollution from agricultural practices and sources. Using knowledge of federal Clean Water Act and Washington water quality laws, manages agriculture portion of the state’s Nonpoint Program to ensure that it meets all federal and state requirements:

• Advises program managers on policy issues related to agricultural pollution.
• Develops policies and plans to implement major policy initiatives to help address agricultural pollution.
• Uses expertise in agricultural pollution issues to write bill analysis for bills that could that could affect Ecology’s work to address agricultural pollution, and to identify tools we could use to improve agricultural practices that affect water quality.
• Advises agency managers about needed new policy directions to address agricultural pollution.
• Develops water quality program’s strategy for addressing agricultural pollution.
• Provides assistance to program staff on agricultural issues.
• Serves as program liaison and negotiates new initiatives with state and federal agencies.
• Sets significant new policies that require coordination with federal and state agencies, tribes, and local governments.
• Conducts technical liaison with stakeholders and other agencies.
• Provides planning, technical, and program assistance to regional staff, local governments, tribes, and state agencies to help address agricultural pollution and other nonpoint pollution issues.

 
Developing tools and strategies: Using knowledge of methods and objectives of natural resources planning, develops strategies to implement Washington’s nonpoint program as it relates to agricultural pollution, and to create tools for state agencies, tribes, local governments, and Ecology staff to use as part of implementation.

To broaden the applicant pool, candidates will be considered at either the Environmental Planner 3 or Environmental Planner 4 level. If the selected candidate meets the requirements for the Environmental Planner 3, they will complete an in-training plan in order to reach the Environmental Planner 4 goal class.

 
This position will remain open until filled. The next screening will be July 3, 2017. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before July 2, 2017. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Required Qualifications:

At the Environmental Planner 4 level (Monthly Salary: $4,418 – $5,804 )

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 land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development. 

A Master’s degree or above with major emphasis in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field AND two years of professional experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development. 
 

 
NOTE: At either level, two years of the required years of professional-level experience must  include developing and applying best management practices int he field to address pollution from agricultural lands, and experience in ArcGIS (map development), spatial data analysis, and remote sensing.



Desired Qualifications:

• Experience creating and using complex databases, including defining data fields, inputting data, and generating reports.
• Experience awarding grants and/or loans for implementation of agricultural best management practices, or managing grants and/or loans for implementation of agricultural best management practices.

 

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment:

Must obtain and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Application Instructions:

In order to be considered, applicants MUST attach the following documents as an attachment to their application:

• A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required/desired qualifications of this position.
• A Resume.

Please complete the applicant profile when applying for this position.

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 Helen Bresler at: helen.bresler@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Helen 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.