Environmental Engineer

The Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill an Environmental Engineer/Site Manager (Environmental Engineer 2) position. This position is located in our Eastern Region Office (ERO) in Spokane, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from either duty station.

As Environmental Engineer/Site Manager, you will be responsible for developing, directing, evaluating, and overseeing projects, analyses, and/or investigations to determine if cleanups are in compliance with the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) requirements. You will also serve as a section engineer and site manager and as a technical support engineer on assigned cleanup sites. In this role, working with licensed professionals, you will direct and manage remedial investigations, and design activities, and cleanup actions at contaminated sites.

Agency and Program Mission: Ecology’s mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment, and promote the wise management of our air, land and water. The agency’s goals are to prevent pollution, clean up pollution and support sustainable communities and natural resources. The mission of the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) is to protect Washington’s human health and the environment by preventing and cleaning up pollution and supporting sustainable communities and natural resources for the benefit of future and current generations.

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 has the opportunity to telework up to 90% but will be expected to be in the office 2-3 days per week during onboarding. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. Looking ahead, Ecology has recently updated the agency policies on telework and flexible and compressed work schedules. Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.”

• 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.

Our commitment to DEIR
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.

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.

What makes this role unique?

As an Environmental Engineer/Site Manager, you will work under the supervision of a licensed engineer on site cleanups with complexities such as vapor intrusion, emerging contaminants, commingled groundwater plumes, and emerging remediation technologies. You will receive mentoring within the program on contaminant fate and transport, remedy selection, and contract oversight, while also providing site management duties on technical and engineering issues associated with assigned environmental projects.

What you will do:

• Manage and oversee the investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites for compliance with the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Sediment Management Standards (SMS), and other relevant laws and regulations.
• Review engineering studies and reports on hazardous waste sites to determine relevant and appropriate design practices.
• Conduct all aspects of site management, including coordination with the Office of Attorney General; issuance of orders or decrees; implementation of statutes, policies, and guidelines; public outreach and effectively explaining technical concepts and data to the public; scientific oversight; file management; technical writing; performing literature searches; direct site investigation work planning and reporting; and, oversight of remedial action planning and implementation.
• Negotiate, issue, and enforce Agreed Orders, Consent Decrees, Enforcement Orders, and Inter-Agency Agreements.
• Prepare engineering reports, and assist project team members in their analysis and understanding of design plans and specifications.
• Represent the Department of Ecology with governmental agencies and other involved parties.
• Collaborate with other Site Managers on assigned Sites.

Learn more about what it is like to be an Engineer at the Department of Ecology.

Required Qualifications:
Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

Option 1:
An Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor’s degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resources, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field, AND two years of environmental engineering experience.

Option 2:
A Master’s degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resources, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field, AND one year of environmental engineering experience.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Certification required prior to site work: Initial 40-hour hazardous materials training (to be completed within six months of appointment) and annual 8-hour refresher.

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

• Knowledge of principles and practices of environmental engineering, the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and other environmental regulations.
• Budget and contract management experience.

Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

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?

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 Bill Fees at: William.Fees@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Bill to inquire about the status of your application.

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.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.

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. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.