Stormwater Engineer (Environmental Engineer 2) (In- Training) (2 positions)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Water Quality program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Stormwater Engineer (Environmental Engineer 2) (in-Training) (Two positions). 

This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.

Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In these roles, you will work with the Toxic Contamination in Stormwater Project Team to review scopes of work (SOW), designs, plans, and technical reports pertinent to 6PPD-quinone in stormwater. You will also provide technical engineering support, assistance, advice and guidance to Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM) Program, Ecology staff and management, the regulated community, their consultants and the general public related to stormwater management. In addition, you will develop and provide technical oversight for statewide technical guidance pertaining to stormwater runoff. Your will be spot checked and reviewed by a licensed Professional Engineer. 

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.   
 
Program Mission: The mission of the Water Quality Program is to protect and restore Washington's waters to support healthy watersheds and communities. Our work ensures state waters can support beneficial uses including recreational and business activities, supplies for clean drinking water, and the protection of fish, shellfish, wildlife, and public health.     
 

The Permit and Technical Services Section supports this mission by: 

1)  issuing permits that control pollutants discharged to state waters.

2) encouraging wastewater reuse.

3) providing program and technical support to headquarter and regional permit writers who are preparing NPDES permits for pollutant control.

4) providing excellent technical and financial assistance for stormwater control treatment and technology grants. 

These are project positions that are funded until 6/30/2025. The funding for these positions has a high probability of being renewed for the next bi-annual budget.

These positions offer a career path and on-the-job training that allows you to progress through the Engineering field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Engineer 2. Candidates will be considered at the Environmental Engineer 1 and the Environmental Engineer 2 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section.

Tele-work options for this position: The positions will be eligible for up to a 90% tele-work schedule. 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: These positions will remain open until filled, we will review applications on September 8, 2023. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before September 7, 2023. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a hire any time after the initial screening date. 

Please Note: We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

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 *Click here for more information 
 

About the Department of Ecology

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:

• 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.
• 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.

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 these roles unique:  

The successful candidates will have an opportunity to work with a dynamic team that is focused on best management practices (BMP) and treatment of 6PPD-quinone in stormwater. You will collaborate with others in the field to protect salmon and other aquatic species from toxic contamination carried in stormwater through research focused on BMP effectiveness. In addition, the positions perform professional environmental engineering duties associated with providing technical support and guidance related to stormwater grant projects. 

 What you will do:
 

• Develop, manage, and review contracts and Interagency Agreements (IAAs) and their deliverables for research related to 6PPD/6PPD-quinone and other chemicals of emerging concern.
• Under the supervision of a registered Professional Engineer, provide professional technical engineering expertise to agency staff and management, the regulated community, their consultants, and the general public related to water quality grants.
• Provide engineering review and recommend approval of project scoping documents, project schedules, design reports, project costs, bid packages, engineering designs, hydrologic modeling, engineering plans, specifications, change orders, operations and maintenance documents, and project completion reports submitted to Ecology. 
• Review study deliverables, write reports and recommendations that will inform permits and manual guidance, assist manual technical editor in reviewing and editing manual sections, participate in online/in person trainings. Help develop training content. 
• Participate in efforts to develop technical guidance and manuals on effective stormwater management principles and best management practices for both western and eastern Washington. Including investigating and recommending conventional and innovative engineering techniques and principles related to stormwater grant projects, stormwater best management practices, and stormwater hydrologic modeling. 
• Provide technical guidance and assistance to the Municipal Stormwater Team regarding stormwater grants and stormwater infrastructure projects and their relationship to the Municipal Stormwater Phase I & II permits. Assist in providing technical support, training, and workshops for Ecology staff, local governments, their consultants, environmental groups, businesses, and the public.
  
  Learn more about what it is like to be an Engineer at the Department of Ecology.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

 

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

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

At the Environmental Engineer 1 Level – Pay Range 56 ($4,968- $6,676 Monthly) (In-Training) 

Option 1:

One (1) year of professional experience in environmental engineering  AND an Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: hydrogeology, sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field. 

Option 2:
 

A Master's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields, hydrogeology, sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field. 

At the Environmental Engineer 2 Level Pay Range 61 ($5,615- $7,552 Monthly) 
  
Option 1:
Two (2) years of professional experience in environmental engineering  AND an Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields:  hydrogeology, sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field. 
 
Option 2: 
One (1) year as a Environmental Engineer AND a Master's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields:  hydrogeology, sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field. 

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

 

• Possess and maintain a Driver's License.

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

 

1. Excellent customer services skills, and specifically:

• Reviewing large quantities of engineering documents quickly, accurately, and         thoroughly.
• Ability to work collaboratively, cooperatively, and communicate frequently within small and medium sized teams.

2. Professional work experience providing environmental engineering analysis and completing engineering reviews:

 

• Stormwater training or experience in low impact development principles, technologies, and treatment.
• Experience using hydrologic modeling tools of any kind.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (especially technical writing skills and public presentation skills).

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

NOTE:  Individuals who are interested in applying to this position, and believe they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington based on reciprocity, are responsible for ensuring they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington prior to submitting their application materials. These requirements can be found at the following website: WA State: Board of Registration for Professional Engineers: How to get your license: Professional engineer by comity. 

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: careers@ecy.wa.gov 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 careers@ecy.wa.gov. 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.
• A list of 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 Katie Rathmell at: Katie.Rathmell@ecy.wa.gov  Please do not contact Katie to inquire about the status of your application.
 
To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

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.

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.