Spill Responder (Environmental Specialist 3) (In-Training)

Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

The Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Spill Responder (Environmental Specialist 3) (In-training) position. This position is located in our Southwest Region Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this position, you will respond to spills of oil and hazardous materials, and as a result of our clean-up efforts, you will see immediate benefit to Washington’s residents and environment. You will also manage complex human health and environmental emergencies through coordination with other federal, state, local, and Tribal response partners.

The compelling motivation for this work is public service and the ability to use science to solve environmental and public health challenges. We are looking for applicants who possess a strong public service ethic, are comfortable working in a leadership role, who excel working on a team, and thrive in a dynamic ever-changing work environment with shifting priorities and schedule changes. If you enjoy a mix of field work and office work and are motivated by making a difference protecting human health and the environment, then this position is for you.

Note: This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Environmental Specialist field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Specialist 3 (ES3). Candidates will be considered at the ES2 and the ES3 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section.

Please Note: This position is required to serve as a duty officer for after-hours, on-call pager duty on a regular rotation. Upon completion of the required training and successful medical surveillance baseline examination, the candidate will be assigned to the Emergency Spill Response Team and will be eligible for a 10% assignment pay. Likewise, Spill Responders are periodically required to be on call outside of scheduled work hours and are paid an hourly Standby Rate of 7% of the regular hourly rate. Also, if you work on a response activity outside of your scheduled work hours, you will receive Responder Pay of 150% of your regular hourly pay.

 

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment and to promote the wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations.  

Program Mission: The Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (SPPR) Program’s mission is to protect preserve, and restore Washington’s environment. The Spill Program’s vision is to create a zero spills world.

Telework options for this position: This position will include a combination of remote work from home, field work, and work in the office. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change. 

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of January 23, 2023. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before of January 22, 2023. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

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. To learn more, check out our Strategic Plan. 

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

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. 

 

Duties

What makes this role unique? 

In this position, you will work with a multi-disciplinary team and use science to solve complex environmental and public health challenges. Working with other federal, state, local and Tribal response partners, the Spill Responders serve as Ecology’s State On-Scene Coordinator leading the response and cleanup of complex environmental spills.

Qualifications

This is an In-Training opportunity: The goal class for this position is an Environmental Specialist 3 (ES3). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements at the ES2 and ES3 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements at the ES2 level, they will be hired at that level and will be placed in a training program to become an ES3 within a specified period of time.

Experience: In any combination of activities such as responding to spills or other emergencies, conducting sampling and analysis studies, working with monitoring instrumentation, managing hazardous waste disposal, performing cleanup or restoration actions, writing scientific or analytical reports, hazardous materials emergency response, or responding to natural disasters.

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

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position at the Environmental Specialist 2 level:

Possible CombinationsCollege credit hours or degree - as listed aboveYears of professional level experience - as listed aboveCombination 1No college credit hours or degree.5 years of experience.Combination 230-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.4 years of experience.Combination 360-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).3 years of experience.Combination 490-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.2 years of experience.Combination 5 A Bachelor's Degree.1 year of experience.Combination 6 A Master's Degree or higher.No experience needed.

Experience: In any combination of activities such as responding to spills or other emergencies, conducting sampling and analysis studies, working with monitoring instrumentation, managing hazardous waste disposal, performing cleanup or restoration actions, writing scientific or analytical reports, hazardous materials emergency response, or responding to natural disasters.

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

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position at the Environmental Specialist 3 level:

Possible CombinationsCollege credit hours or degree - as listed aboveYears of professional level experience - as listed aboveCombination 1No college credit hours or degree.6 years of experience.Combination 230-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.5 years of experience.Combination 360-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).4 years of experience.Combination 490-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.3 years of experience.Combination 5 A Bachelor's Degree.2 years of experience.Combination 6 A Master's Degree.1 year of experience.Combination 7A Ph.D.No experience needed.

ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800 certification is required. 

Free on-line ICS training and certification is available at:

ICS 100: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.c 

ICS 200: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-200.c 

ICS 700: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-700.b

ICS 800: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-800.c

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

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?

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

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.):

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.

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. 

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Alison Meyers at Alison.Meyers@ecy.wa.gov.  Please do not contact Alison to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

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.