Environmental Specialist

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the hiring process, prior to their start date. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact [email protected] with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Nuclear Waste Program is looking to fill a Permitting and Facility Transition Supervisor (Environmental Specialist 5) position. The position will be located in our Richland Field Office (RFO) in Richland, WA.

In this role, you will manage and lead a team of environmental specialists that develop permits and review decision documents that will lead to the safe management of radioactive/dangerous waste (mixed wastes) in Washington. You will manage and interact with numerous professionals and stakeholders working to protect the state's air, water, and land, gain experience with both state and federal environmental regulations, learn what it takes to manage mixed waste safely, and work on one of the largest and most complex cleanup sites in the nation at the Hanford Nuclear Facility.

The Nuclear Waste Program's mission is to lead the effective and efficient cleanup of the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, ensure sound management of mixed hazardous wastes in Washington, and protect the state's air, water, and land at and adjacent to the Hanford site.

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.

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.
• A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

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.

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is expected to work in the office up to 3 days a week. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of February 17, 2022. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before February 16, 2022. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Duties

What makes this role unique?
In this role, you will lead and direct environmental specialists to meet permitting and cleanup deadlines, as well as meet compliance oversight obligations, from developing RCRA and Waste Water Discharge Permits to facilitating the effective and efficient decommissioning of facilities throughout the Hanford Site. Your team operates under multiple regulatory disciplines.

• Clean Water Act
• Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA)
• Model Toxics Control Act
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
• Hanford Federal Facilities Agreement and Consent Order (the Tri-Party Agreement or TPA).

What you will do:

• Lead and mentor staff on projects and assignments.
• Represent the Nuclear Waste Program as an expert in Dangerous Waste permitting development and CERCLA removal/remedial actions.
• Identify critical or emerging issues and recommend preventative or corrective measures.
• Review permit applications for technical accuracy, negotiate permit conditions, conduct conflict resolution, and make decisions regarding technical and scientific merit of the proposal. As a senior permit writer, you will maintain historical and institutional data for past permit actions at the Hanford site.
• Manage, plan, organize, and oversee the work performed by environmental specialists within the Waste Management Section.
• Supervise environmental specialists within the Waste Management Section and assure appropriate use of the section's resources. Enhance the effectiveness of employees through timely appraisal and professional development opportunities.
• Decision-making responsibilities include:
  1. Allocation of environmental specialist resources to meet work project needs and priorities. Assigning staff to individual projects and assuring that adequate staff time is allocated to meet workload.
  2. Staff supervisory responsibilities including performance monitoring and evaluation, approval of leave, mentoring, and recommendation for merit award.

Qualifications
Required qualifications:

Ten (10) years of combined education and experience:

Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

Professional-level Experience in: environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning.

Experience may include a combination of the following:

• Leading and overseeing work of permit writers and unit leads.
• Leading and participating in enforcement activities, including representing an employer in public meetings, hearings, and/or settlement negotiations.
• Assist inspectors in the investigations of environmental complaints, notifications or violations.
• Communicating complex technical or controversial issues with other agencies or the public.
• Participating in the development of project plans and lead implementation project plans.
• Developing, modifying, or renewing water quality or dangerous waste permits.
• Reviewing and developing decision documents on cleanup sites.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

Possible Combinations | College credit hours or degree |Years of required experience

Combination 1 | No college credit hours or degree| 10 years of experience

Combination 2 | 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits. | 9 years of experience

Combination 3 | 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree). | 8 years of experience

Combination 4 | 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits. | 7 years of experience

Combination 5 | A Bachelor's Degree | 6 years of experience

Combination 6 | A Master's Degree | 4 years of experience

Combination 7 | A Ph.D. | 3 years of experience

OR

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 4, at the Department of Ecology.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• This position requires passing a U.S. Department of Energy training and test and acquiring a badge for access to the Hanford Site.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• HAZWOPER 40-hour certification is required to perform this work within 6 months of hire. Must be able to meet the physical activity requirements for this certification.

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

• Four years of professional experience in dangerous/RCRA/mixed waste permitting.
• Demonstrated ability to perform independent environmental review of Dangerous Waste/RCRA permit applications and permits and CERCLA remedial documents.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively supervise and manage a group of personnel with multiple field disciplines, responsibilities, and strengths.

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: [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 Edward Holbrook at: [email protected]. Please do not contact Edward to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email [email protected]

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.

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 *See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

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.